Stay Connected
|
Please join us for our 2nd Annual Foundation Fiesta
What
: A party to celebrate the work of the Edina Community Foundation!
When
: Wednesday, May 4th, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
Where
: The home of Paul and Jean Mooty, 5320 Kelsey Terrace, Edina.
Details
: Join us for festive beverages and light snacks as we celebrate the work of ECF in the Edina community. Bring friends and kick off your Cinco de Mayo celebration a day early while supporting a great community cause.
|
|
Upcoming Edina Dialogue Programs
|
|
A Smart Energy Future
Thursday, April 14th
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM Action Resource Fair, 7:00 PM program.
Edina High School, Fick Auditorium
--------------
"Three Heroines of Myanmar"
Colin Nelson, Edina Author
Tuesday, June 7th, 7:00 PM.
Edina Library/Senior Center
---------------
"My Perfectly Pointy Impossibly Perpendicular Pinky"
Alan Page, Author, Former Minnesota Supreme Court Member and Minnesota Viking.
Tuesday, June 14th, 6:30 PM,
Edina
Library/Senior Center
This is an Edina Reads program designed for kids!
|
Would your business like to be in the Edina 4th of July Parade?
Would your business be interested in reaching
an audience of over 20,000? Consider being a sponsor of
the Edina 4th of July Parade! Sponsoring the Edina Parade is a fun way to show your community support and get valuable exposure as a local community-based business! For more information on Edina 4th of July Parade Sponsorship Opportunities please click here.
|
|
Interested in Establishing a Designated Fund?
|
If you'd like more information on the services ECF provides its designated funds as a charitable partner, please contact Dick Crockett, Executive Director or Edie Opdahl, Donor services here.
|
|
Foundation Board of Directors, 2015-16
|
|
Paul Mooty, President
Mamie Segall, Vice President
Scot Housh, Secretary
Steven McDonald, Treasurer
-----------------------------
Katie Aafedt, Ron Erhardt, Tom Gump, Michele Herring, Andy Matysik, Jeff Ohe, Rebecca Sorenson,
James Hovland,
Richard Olson,
Lana Slavitt, and
Maxine Wallin.
Staff representative Dick Crockett is Executive Director of the Edina Community Foundation.
|
|
 |
|
|
Edina Community Foundation named "Best Community Organization" by Edina Magazine
|
"If you care about
it, it's likely that
the
Edina Community Foundation
~
Edina Magazine, February 2016
Edina Magazine
recognized ECF as the Best Community Organization in its Best of Edina 2016 edition. Highlighting our charitable partnerships and our role in supporting public art projects, the magazine also featured pictures from ECF's annual 4th of July Parade.
In choosing ECF for this recognition, the magazine wrote, "The collaborative nature of this organization, its broad support of local causes and the simplicity of charitable giving provided to donors is why we believe the Edina Community Foundation is a treasured local resource." ECF is proud to be honored by
Edina Magazine, but even more proud of our work bringing people together to serve, strengthen and celebrate our community.
Click
here to read the article.
|
|
WE STRENGTHEN
Your Donor Dollars at Work:
One2One Mentoring Program
|
|
Edina is a great place for
children and families. But with 700 kids qualifying for free and reduced lunch, not all children are able to access the programs and resources that make Edina such a great place for kids. Children in disadvantaged circumstances often feel isolated and alone, struggling to make meaningful community connections. This is where the ECF-supported Edina Challenge One2One program is making a difference.
In partnership with the Southdale YMCA, the Edina Community Foundation uses donor dollars to fund the Edina Challenge One2One Mentoring program for Southview Middle School students. Partnering at-risk students with a committed young adult mentor, the One2One program meets weekly using an activity-focused engaging curriculum to help students build confidence, set goals, and make connections with caring adults and other students. The next step in the program is to help these students become better engaged in the fabric of community life by helping them access summer and extra-curricular activities through the new ECF Connecting with Kids Ready-Set-Connect program.
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."
Frederick Douglas
Every child in Edina should feel welcome and supported. Through the committed mentoring relationships and supportive environment of the Edina Challenge One2One program, ECF uses donor dollars to help all kids feel connected and valued.
If you would like to join our efforts to help strengthen at-risk youth
in our community, please consider making a gift to ECF and designating it for Edina Challenge. Donations to Edina Challenge support programs like One2One, summer recreation scholarships, and the Last Mile program of the Edina Resource Center.
|
|
WE CELEBRATE
Connecting with Kids Leadership Breakfast Celebrates Community Members for Outstanding Work with Youth
|
On March 4th, the ECF Connecting with Kids program held its Annual Leadership Breakfast to celebrate five outstanding community members who have shown a passion and dedication for working with youth in the Edina community. Belinda Jensen, Kare 11's Meteorologist, was this year's keynote speaker and highlighted the powerful influence positive mentors had in her life. The 2016 Honorees were:
- Ed Luterbach, Edina Boys Flag Football Organizer and Commissioner
- Ann Dickey, Head Coach, Southdale YMCA Sharks Swim Team
- Dulce Torres, Edina Family Center Pre-K Volunteer
- Cathy Cella, Retired Edina School Board Member and active parent volunteer
- Beggy Briggs, Access and Strive Volunteer
Owen Stidman, a junior at Edina High School, received the Think Bank Connecting with Kids 2016 Student Leadership Award. Owen is co-captain of the Edina High School Robotics Team, a Creek Valley Robotics mentor, a Writers Block Coach, an ACT/SAT tutor, track participant and high school band member.
 |
|
|
2016 Leadership Breakfast |
Edina is a special place because of the people who make an effort to build a community where all kids are engaged and encouraged. Congratulations to the 2016 Connecting with Kids Honorees.
|
|
WE SERVE
Edina Wrestling Comes Home
|
|
Imagine you are passionate about a sport, but that in order to play at the varsity level you have to drive to a different city to play on a team that doesn't reflect your school name? Until recently, this was the situation for Edina wrestlers. From 2010 to 2015, wrestlers from Edina were part of a co-op program with Richfield called the Rampage. And from 2005 to 2010, wrestling was not available to Edina athletes. But all that changed in 2015 when Edina Wrestling started its own Edina-based program.
When starting the Edina wrestling program, the wrestling boosters partnered with the Edina Community Foundation and opened a designated fund. Utilizing ECF's tax exempt status and having ECF hold the checkbook allowed the boosters to focus on building a wrestling program instead of being buried with legal and organizational details. The partnership with ECF also gave the wrestling boosters "instant credibility with donors and partners," say Edina Wrestling representatives.
One year later, Edina Wrestling has built a solid home in Edina. Over 65 athletes participate across grades K-12 with 25 wrestlers competing on the Edina High School team. As the program continues to gain traction, Head Coach Josh Burhans is very optimistic about the future of the program and what it brings home to Edina.
"The future of Edina Wrestling looks bright. We are continuing to grow numbers at all levels and are excited about the direction we are heading... Edina Wrestling is a program that can provide kids with structure, confidence, an energy outlet, and is a great way to cross train for other sports and activities. We are a dedicated group looking to establish and sustain a program that will be a mainstay in this community."
~Josh Burhans
Edina Wrestling Head Coach
The Edina Community Foundation is proud of serving the
Edina Wrestling Boosters as its charitable partner in bringing Edina Wrestling home.
|
|
One Last Thought:
An Easy Way to Give
|
Tax season can be a particularly hectic time of year and having to gather all of your charitable gift information is just one more thing to do. Many of ECF's major donors have simplified their giving by using a donor advised fund to designate charitable dollars.
Setting up a donor advised fund allows donors a flexible way to direct charitable giving dollars to a number of charities over time, often receiving immediate tax benefits at the time of the original contribution to the fund. A donor advised fund basically gives donors similar benefits to having a family foundation without the administrative burdens and costs of setting up and maintaining a private foundation. In addition to simplifying the giving process, using a donor advised fund is a way to involve family members in philanthropy and can be a great vehicle for discussing charitable values and passing on the tradition of philanthropy.
This fiscal year, ECF has received over $10,000 in gifts from donor advised funds held at the following institutions: National Christian Foundation Twin Cities, Schwab Charitable, Fidelity Charitable, In-Faith Community Foundation, Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund, and Vanguard Charitable. If you think a donor advised fund sounds like a good idea for your charitable giving purposes, contact your financial advisor. If you have a donor advised fund already, please consider giving a gift to the Edina Community Foundation. Your support will help us bring people together to serve, strengthen and celebrate our community.
|
|
|
|
