The Gene &
Florence Monday Foundation

A legacy of giving in East Tennessee

Gene and Florence Monday were lifelong humanitarians in East Tennessee. Upon their passing, they devoted a significant portion of their estate to serve charitable causes in the Knoxville community and other areas. Their three sons (Billy Gene, Jimmy, & Bob) established the Gene and Florence Monday Foundation to honor their parents' wishes of continuing to make a difference beyond the scope of their lifetimes. The foundation has enabled their legacy to live on, and has brought the family’s dream of perpetual giving into reality.

A Legacy of Giving

In life, Gene Monday operated a thriving local real estate business. He was a dynamic entrepreneur with vision and foresight, who earned a reputation for putting together impressive real estate deals. He spent his career helping to build a significant portfolio of commercial and residential properties. Eventually, Gene donated many of his best real estate assets to the United Way and to other local non-profits. These contributions included a large shopping center, several hotels, and a sportsplex. Gene also volunteered his time and his extensive knowledge of real estate to help find locations for the facilities of many local non-profits including the Volunteer Ministry Center, the Knoxville Boys Club, the South Knoxville Boys & Girls Club, the EM Jellinek Center, and several addiction recovery centers. He received numerous awards for his contributions including the ‘Brotherhood/Sisterhood Award’ from the Knoxville Round Table of Christians & Jews; the ‘Service to Mankind Award’ from the Knoxville-Norwood Sertoma Club; and the 'Bronze Keystone Award’ from the Boys Club of America.

Gene & Florence lived through the Great Depression, and they held a sincere compassion for those in need. They devoted significant time and efforts to serving the homeless community and those struggling with substance abuse. They served on numerous boards including the United Way, Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee, Boys & Girls Clubs, South Knoxville Community Center, and Volunteer Ministry Center. In the Historic Fourth & Gill Neighborhood, they donated property for the neighborhood center and the nearby public park. They also donated land for the gymnasium at the Knoxville Boys & Girls Club.

“I am hoping and praying that I live long enough to do positive work in our community, that my family will be happy prosperous and charitable, and that my children and their children will continue on... so that others can live happy, healthy lives.”

Gene Monday, 1986
“Dad [Gene] never wanted much for himself. He believed that we should have whatever we needed, but that there were so many things that could be done for others.”

Billy Gene Monday III (Gene's son)
“One of our city’s benefactors has long confined the knowledge of his philanthropy to those ministering to our community’s weak, sick, hungry and homeless.”

Knoxville Round Table of National Conference of Christians and Jews
“Dad [Gene] wanted his giving to live on and be perpetual. The foundation gives to worthwhile causes each year, and we are also working to preserve and increase the investment principal. With good stewardship, there is potential to benefit our community into the distant future.”

Bob Monday (Gene's son)
“Help people with their most important needs, such as shelter, food and clothing; help the young future citizens; promote new organizations or help start promising new ones that might be hard to fund; aid inner city programs ministering to the homeless; and help church groups.”

Gene Monday describing his mission, 1977 Gift to United Way

About the Foundation

The Gene and Florence Monday Foundation continues a legacy of giving within our community. Each year it provides grants for local nonprofits to fund charitable, educational, and religious endeavors. The foundation champions the avoidance of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs; it assists those in need with food, clothing, shelter, and employment; it encourages the development of solid, basic values of citizenship and mutual respect within Knoxville’s youth; and it seeks to relieve suffering beyond our immediate geographical area.

Application Eligibility & Timeframe

Grant Applications are accepted from 501(c)(3) organizations on an annual basis. August 1st is the deadline to submit an application. Applicants are typically notified about grant decisions in December. Funds are disbursed to grant receipients by the end of the year.

Sample of Charities Recently Supported

Big Brothers Big Sisters of East TN

Boys and Girls Clubs of the TN Valley

Fish Hospitality Pantries

Free Medical Clinic of America

Great Smoky Mountains Institute

Ijams Nature Center

Knoxville Academy of Medicine Foundation

Ladies of Charity Knoxville

Penultimate Development

Remote Area Medical

Second Harvest Food Bank of East TN

Senior Citizens Home Assistance

Sertoma Center Inc

Street Hope Tennessee

Susannah’s House Inc

Thrive Lonsdale

Volunteer Ministry Center

YOKE Youth Ministries

Organizational Governance

The foundation is a private non-profit entity. It operates under a board of directors, in accordance with its bylaws. Board members generally hail from the local business community. They are invited to serve for limited terms of one to three years, based upon availability of board seat openings. Board members have responsibility to seek out worthwhile causes for future gifts, and to assess results/outcomes from grants disbursed in the recent past. They act as fiduciaries who are entrusted with foundation proceeds to do the most “good” possible.

Current Board Members

Ron Cunningham

Ken Holbert

Seth Kehne

Cara Knapp

Jack Lacey

John Lacey

Bob Monday

Janet Monday

Jimmy Monday

Rob A. Monday

Will Monday

Will Rothermel

Contact

Download Grant Application

EMAIL ADDRESS
Click Here to Send Email

MAILING ADDRESS
Attn: Gene & Florence Monday Foundation
1810 Ailor Ave, Knoxville, TN 37921

Finkelstein, Kern, Steinberg & Cunningham
(865) 525-0238

The Gene & Florence Monday Foundation

A legacy of giving in East Tennessee

A Legacy of Giving

“I am hoping and praying that I live long enough to do positive work in our community, that my family will be happy prosperous and charitable, and that my children and their children will continue on... so that others can live happy, healthy lives.”

“Dad [Gene] never wanted much for himself. He believed that we should have whatever we needed, but that there were so many things that could be done for others.”

“One of our city’s benefactors has long confined the knowledge of his philanthropy to those ministering to our community’s weak, sick, hungry and homeless.”

“Dad [Gene] wanted his giving to live on and be perpetual. The foundation gives to worthwhile causes each year, and we are also working to preserve and increase the investment principal. With good stewardship, there is potential to benefit our community into the distant future.”

“Help people with their most important needs, such as shelter, food and clothing; help the young future citizens; promote new organizations or help start promising new ones that might be hard to fund; aid inner city programs ministering to the homeless; and help church groups.”