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December 2015 - In This Issue:
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"To provide effective and rewarding ways for donors to fulfill their philanthropic objectives."
Our Vision
"To be recognized as a trusted philanthropic leader in the communities we serve through the delivery of the highest quality donor services, customized and unique grant and scholarship programs, and bold initiatives to address community needs."
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It's hard to believe that December is
here. While the weather outside seems more like October, the holiday music and decorations in just about every store let you know that Christmas is just around the corner.
Each December, as I'm sure you do, I take time to reflect back on the year. This year has been filled with many blessings - both personally and professionally. In April, my wife and I celebrated the birth our second daughter; easily the greatest personal blessing of the year!
2015 has been a big year for the Community Foundation as well. In April, the Scholarship Committee awarded more than $1 million in scholarships over the next four years - the most ever by the Foundation. To date, 21 new funds have been established. And, just last month, the Distribution Committee awarded $153,070 during its fall grant cycle, totaling $447,439
in discretionary grants for the calendar year. Most recently, after thirty years of tireless service to the Community Foundation, Sharon Stredde retired and the Board approved the hiring of two new staff members.
With all that has happened in 2015, our mission remains the same: "To provide effective and rewarding ways for donors to fulfill their philanthropic objectives." The staff remains committed to providing the highest quality service to all of our donors, agencies, and community partners.
The Community Foundation would not exist without your generosity. We thank you for all that you do to make our communities better places to live and work. Many blessings to you and your family this holiday season.
Jeff Hartman
President & CEO
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Now Showing
A Christmas Story: The Musical at the Paramount Theatre
Sunday, December 13 - 30
Aurora Historical Society's Annual Tanner House Holiday Showcase
December 19-23
Santa Visits at Phillips Park
Friday, December 25
Lazarus House Community Christmas Brunch
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Holiday Hours
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In celebration of Christmas, our offices will be closed Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25.
Our offices will also be closed New Year's Day (Friday, January 1, 2016).
We wish a happy and safe holiday season to all of our Foundation friends!
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Memorandum
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 The Community Foundation's Fall/Winter Memorandum Newsletter has been mailed out. An electronic copy of the Memorandum is available to view on our website. If you did not receive a Memorandum in the mail and you would like to receive one, please contact Sarah Herring at [email protected]
or 630-896-7800.
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Our Donors
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We are deeply grateful to the individuals, businesses and organizations that commit to the charitable needs of the community. Follow the links below to view our donors from the past year.
The lists of our donors are updated quarterly. They are available to view on our
website.
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Pizza Party
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Congratulations to the winner of our first agency pizza party, the
Humane Society of Aurora
! The Humane Society partners with Aurora Animal Control and Care to increase adoptions and rescues, improve shelter conditions, and to educate and assist the community in responsible pet ownership.
Each quarter we will randomly select an agency that follows the Community Foundation on Facebook. The winner will have lunch delivered to their organization by the Foundation. We will meet with the agency to learn about their organization and discuss its projects and goals.
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Congratulations to Our Grantees!
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Fourteen Grants Were Awarded This Fall
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The Foundation is proud to announce its fall 2015 grant recipients. Of the nineteen agencies that applied, fourteen received grants - the most in Community Foundation history! A total of
$153,070 was awarded to help the following local organizations fulfill their missions:
(Click on an agency's name above to visit their website.)
Congratulations to all the agencies who received a grant this cycle. Due to the large number of requests, the Community Foundation was not able to fund all of the agencies that applied. We recognize the difficult fiscal situation that many agencies are currently experiencing, and we truly value the services that are being provided to make our communities better.
We wish all organizations well in their fundraising efforts and encourage agencies to apply again during the Foundation's spring cycle in February, 2016.
For more information on our grantmaking program, please visit our
website.
If you any have questions regarding the Community Foundation's Grant program, please contact Julie Christman, director of community involvement and partnerships,
at
[email protected]
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CF Receives Philanthropy Day Award
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Award Given for Outstanding Community Service
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Sharon Stredde accepts the
award from Stephen Taylor. |
On November 12, the
Fox West Philanthropic Network (FWPN) hosted a Philanthropy Day event in Elgin. The all-day event featured training sessions and guest speakers on the topic of non-profit leadership and strategies.
Each year on Philanthropy Day, the FWPN gives out an award to a person or agency who shows outstanding charitable service to their community. This year, Sharon Stredde and the Community Foundation received the honor. The award was presented by FWPN president Stephen Taylor.
"The Community Foundation experienced significant growth during Sharon's thirty-year career," Taylor stated. "Sharon is an involved and giving servant leader. She was the obvious first choice to be this year's honoree."
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The Tom and Cris Anderson Colonial Advisory Fund was created by Tom and Cris Anderson of St. Charles to support their philanthropic objectives.
Cristina Anderson
is currently on the Community Foundation's board of directors.
Colonial Ice Cream is family owned and Tom's partner for thirty years was his father. His son Clinton now is a partner in the business.
To learn more about Tom and Cris Anderson, pleas
click here.
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| Maureen and Robert Granger |
The Robert C. and Maureen A. Granger Scholarship Endowment Fund was established to assist graduates of East Aurora High School or West Aurora High School who are furthering their studies in a four-year college or university, seeking a degree in chemistry or chemical engineering.
This fund was established by Maureen Granger to help aspiring chemists earn a degree in the profession that her husband loved.
Robert (Bob) Granger was a graduate of East Aurora High School where he developed a lifelong interest in chemistry. He worked for the Burlington Railroad as a chemist/chief chemist for fourteen years. He then took a position with Sears Roebuck in Chicago as a chemist/product engineer until he passed away in 1990.
Maureen (Avery) Granger was a graduate of West Aurora High School. She taught for twelve years for the West Aurora School District and was principal of McCleery Elementary School (West Aurora) for sixteen years.
To learn more about Robert and Maureen Granger, please
click here.
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| 2016 Scholarships Now Available! |
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Apply Online Now Through February 1, 2016
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Student loan debt has become a plaguing issue for college students. Scholarships are a valuable option for students looking for financial help during their education. According to a December 1, 2015
article by Yahoo Finance, student loan debt reached an all time high this year at $1.2 trillion. Yet millions of scholarship dollars go unclaimed each year. Scholarships are available - students just need to know where to find them.
There are nearly
200 scholarship funds within the Community Foundation. The Foundation offers one-year and multi-year scholarships. For the 2015-2016 academic year,
320 scholarships were awarded for a total of more than
$1 million in funding over the next four years.
The Community Foundation offers scholarships to students who are planning on attending an accredited institution of higher education on a full-time basis, and who live in the Foundation's service area (the Greater Aurora Area, the Tri-Cities, and Kendall County, Illinois).
The deadline to submit an application is February 1, 2016. We encourage applicants to begin the scholarship process early to allow time for submitting all supporting documents. Visit our website for complete details.
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The Community Foundation's 2016 scholarship applications are here! Visit our website 
