The History of E.D. Cubed, Inc.

Four teenage freshmen, Earnestine Dennis Pittman, Delories Epps Horton, Ernestine Dearing Hogan and Sarah Merritt Finley, met in 1960 at Henry McNeal Turner High School in Atlanta, Georgia. They were all smart students who loved a challenge. Their love of learning, the desire to excel, the joy of debate and their competitive spirits were the foundation of their relationships. They were caught up in the activities of the sixties. They were anxious to join the movement that would change America. In order to make a positive difference in this new America, they realized that education was the key. The world that they wanted to impact required women of strong character and determination and they had that in abundance.

The four friends entered Spelman College in 1964, an all women’s college renown for graduating women of distinction, and graduated in 1968 as young women eager to become professionals exemplifying the excellent education that they had been privileged to receive. After graduation, the four friends worked in professional fields, and three earned post-graduate degrees. The four friends have assisted each other throughout their forty-eight years of friendship.

In January 2007, E. D. Pittman was aware that individuals and businesses were more willing to provide financial assistance to a non-profit group than to a well-meaning individual, and she decided against continuing with the Fantasy of Trees, a fund raising event which provides assistance to specific needy children and adults. However, one of Pittman’s, longtime friends, Delories Epps Horton, convinced her to continue the Fantasy of Trees initiative and promised to help her to form a non-profit organization.

In the summer of 2007, Earnestine D. Pittman asked Delories E. Horton and Ernestine D. Hogan to help with the creation of a non-profit organization. In January of 2008, the three friends realized that they needed someone with expertise in social services and they all agreed that that person had to be Sarah M. Finley. The four friends were committed to doing something that would better the lives of youth and believed that a non-profit organization was the right vehicle to use. So having retired from exciting and rewarding careers in education and social services, four high school classmates decided to continue with their dream of making a positive difference by starting a non-profit organization to help talented at-risk children and needy families similar to the ones whom they encountered in their professional careers.

E. D. Pittman, D. E. Horton and E.D. Hogan, the retired educators, defined the educational component of the group’s purpose. S. M. Finley, a retired certified social worker, helped to define the selection basis for the clientele of E. D. Cubed, Inc.

With invaluable, voluntary assistance from Attorney E. Fitzgerald Veira of Troutman Sanders LLP, the long process of starting a non-profit corporation began, and E.D. Cubed, Inc. became a registered corporation, certified by the State of Georgia in 2008. E.D. Cubed, Inc. became REALITY!  Also in 2008, Jarrett L. Finley, (Creative Director of 3Dl Business Solutions, LLC Lithonia, GA) voluntarily  created E. D. Cubed, Inc.'s logo and initial web site.  Also a special thank you to John Blevins who is always there to help us with our website.

In 2010, E.D. Cubed, Inc. attained federal certified status as a 501 (c) 3 organization as a result of magnanimous and meticulous assistance from Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta Attorneys, Daniel Rollman and Matt Servies [of DLA Piper LLP (US) Atlanta, Georgia] and April R. Robinson [of King & Spaulding LLP Houston, Texas].


The Need for a Non-Profit Organization

In 2005 after observing the East Point Fire and Police Departments distribute Christmas toys, clothing and gifts to needy families who had to stand outside in lines for hours to receive gifts, E. D. Pittman (a longtime resident of the City of East Point, Georgia) decided that the distribution of gifts could be done in a more festive and more humane manner. She originated the idea of decorating Christmas trees and having the distribution occur indoors. She called the event, “The Fantasy of Trees”. Due to the invaluable generosity and support of some businesses, private organizations and individuals, The Fantasy of Trees event became a successful reality.

In 2006, The Wagon Works donated space for the first Fantasy of Trees event. More than thirty spectacular decorated trees and tabletop displays were showcased free of charge for public viewing for eight days. On the ninth day, the East Point Fire and Police Departments and the families who were recipients of toys, clothing and other gifts were given exclusive use of the decorated facility. A local business owner donated refreshments. Several owners of displayed trees donated their trees for auction, which rendered $1100.00 that was donated to needy senior citizens in East Point. More than 600 visitors attended the nine-day event.

In 2007, the second Fantasy of Trees event occurred at the East Point First Baptist Church. Pittman solicited businesses and individual supporters who were called, “Friends of East Point”, to sponsor the event because the East Point Fire and Police Departments were no longer sponsoring the distribution of Christmas toys. The second Fantasy of Trees event was more successful financially than the first event and provided toys, games and other gifts to 33 children most of whom were being reared by a grandmother.

In the summer of 2007, Pittman called upon her trusted friends, Delories Epps Horton, Ernestine Dearing Hogan and Sarah Merritt Finley, to help sponsor future Fantasy of Trees events and other benevolent endeavors to assist “at risk” youth residing primarily in South Fulton County and young children and seniors residing in the City of East Point, Georgia.


The Name – “E.D. Cubed, Inc.”

The first and/or surnames of Earnestine Dennis Pittman, Delories Epps Horton and Ernestine Dearing Hogan begin with the alphabets, “E” or “D”. The three “E. D.’s” were incorporated into the name for the non-profit group (E. D. Cubed, Inc.). E.D. Cubed, Inc.’s slogan, Everlasting Educational Experiences, was also derived from the three E’s in the initials in their first and/or maiden names.