June 2017 e  - Memorandum


Our Mission 

"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."

Upcoming Events
Tuesday, June 13
Watch & Discuss Dan Gilbert's "Surprising Science of Happiness" 
with do-over.me

June 15 - June 18
Oswegoland Park District's
PrairieFest

Saturday, June 17
African American Men of Unity's Juneteenth Freedom, Heritage & Unity Celebration

Saturday, June 17
TriCity Family Services' Great 
Lobster Fly-In

June 20 - June 25
Geneva's Swedish Days Festival

June 23 and June 24
Yorkville's Summer Solstice Festival

Monday, June 26
Fox Valley Park Foundation's
Golf For Kids Benefit Outing

Tuesday, July 4
Lazarus House's Great Western Freedom 4 Run/Walk

Tuesday, July 4
Fourth of July Celebration at RiverEdge Park
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Office Closure
american_flag.jpg
The Community Foundation offices will be close on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 in celebration of Independence Day.
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Alan A. Nelson Endowment Fund
Fund Recently Endowed 
to Celebrate Milestone

 
Established in 2013, the  Alan A. Nelson Fund  was recently endowed  on the occasion of Mr. Nelson's 80th birthday.  Alan A. Nelson was born in Aurora and graduated from West Aurora High School where he was a champion debater and the valedictorian of his class.  He went to Harvard College where he received an A.B. degree cum laude and then received an MBA degree from the Harvard Business School. His business career was in financial services, part of it spent on Wall Street. His area of expertise was strategic planning. Throughout his life, he was an enthusiastic, worldwide traveler. Mr. Nelson was a longtime board member of the Boston Biomedical Research Institute and the Boston Lyric Opera. He was a generous benefactor of Harvard College and the American Civil Liberties Union.  The New England Congregational Church of Aurora is the beneficiary of his fund.
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Grantee Spotlight
Equine Dreams

Equine Dreams is dedicated to improving the quality of life for children and adults with special needs.  Located in Newark, Illinois, on land that was donated, they serve over 100 participants a week with therapeutic equine assisted activities. 

 

The Community Foundation provided Equine Dreams with grant funds towards a tractor which allows them to manage their pastures and maintain their sensory trail as well as plow their drive in the winter. 



Equine Dreams started operating in 1996. For over 20 years they have provided their services at no charge.   All of their very qualified staff is volunteer; with 11 PATH International Registered Therapeutic Riding Instructors, 1 PATH Advanced Therapeutic Riding Instructor, including one physical ther apist, one occupational therapist and one audiologist.  


For more information on Equine Dreams, visit their website at:  www.equinedreams.org.
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Our Donors
We are deeply grateful to the individuals, businesses and organizations that commit to the charitable needs of the community. Follow the link below to view this year's donors. 


The lists of our donors are updated quarterly. They are available to view on our  website.
Congrats To Our Spring 2017 Grantees!
19 Organizations Receive CFFRV Grants
Congratulations to the nineteen agencies awarded a total of $378,208 in grants during the Community Foundation's Spring 2017 Grant Cycle! There are so many wonderful organizations in our region.  It is our honor as a Community Foundation to partner with these agencies in making a difference in our region in the areas of social services, education, health and the arts. 

Follow the links below to learn about each agency.
"It is an honor to be a part of the Community Foundation's grantmaking program," said Scott Voris, chairman of the distribution committee. "The agencies we fund do amazing work in the Fox River Valley. It is exciting to help them achieve their missions."

We offer a special thank-you to all of the agencies that applied this cycle. Your hard work and commitment to your missions make the Fox River Valley a great community in which to live!

If you are a nonprofit agency that is interested in applying for a grant this fall, Letters of Intent will become available on August 1, 2017 and close on September 30, 2017.

To  learn more about the Community Foundation's Grantmaking Program,  please   visit our website.
Announcing Scholarship Recipients!
Over 360 Students Awarded Scholarships


The Community Foundation is proud to announce its 2017 Scholarship Program recipients!

This year the Community Foundation received 575 applications. Thanks to our generous donors and the efforts of the scholarship selection committee, the Foundation was able to award over 360 students with scholarships.  The total projected awards for these scholarships over the next four years is nearly  $1.2 million!

Thank you to all the students who applied. The hard work that the applicants put into the thorough application process was impressive. " I am consistently impressed and amazed with the quality and caliber of the candidates in the scholarship program," said Austin Dempsey, chairman of the Foundation's scholarship committee.  The Community Foundation and its scholarship donors are proud to support local students with their educational journeys. We wish each of them all the best this fall.

Congratulations to the 2017 Scholarship Program Recipients! The list of recipients can be   viewed here. 
Lunch With Northern Illinois Food Bank
Northern Illinois Food Bank Wins CFFRV Pizza Party

Northern Illinois Food Bank in Geneva was the recipient of the Commu nity Foundation's most recent quarterly pizza party, held on May 24. These parties are a way for the Foundation to say "thank-you" to the agencies that serve our community.

The pizza party was a special perk for 20 Food Bank employees whose names were drawn at random from those that have participated in the "Employees4SSC" campaign. This 3-month campaign has rallied the employees of the Northern Illinois Food Bank to provide financial support towards the opening of a South Suburban Center later this summer. The SSC, which will be based in Joliet, will improve the Food Bank's ability to get fresh food to the pantries and agencies they work with in Kendall, Will, Grundy and Kankakee counties.  

During the pizza lunch, Foundation president Jeff Hartman spoke about the history between Northern Illinois Food Bank and the Community Foundation. In 1986, the Foundation awarded the Food Bank, known then as Bethlehem Center, a $2,000 grant for capital improvements. Since then, the Food Bank has received six additional grants, including $20,000 toward the construction of the Geneva facility in 2009. 

After the lunch, Steve Christensen, the Food Bank's Director of Individual Giving, gave the Foundation staff a tour of the facility, which included the expansive food storage warehouse, various volunteer stations, and a mobile food pantry truck.

Northern Illinois Food Bank is the source of nutritious food, innovative feeding programs, and hope for more than 71,500 people each week. Serving 13 counties, the Food Bank provides food through a network of 800 food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters. To learn more about Northern Illinois Food Bank, visit solvehungertoday.org.
Getting To Know Your Foundation Staff
Meet Sarah Herring!
Sarah joined the Foundation in August 2015 as an executive assistant based in the Geneva office. She oversees the Community Foundation's website, social media, and press releases, including these e-newsletters! Sarah manages the day-to-day operations of the Geneva office and assists with the grant and scholarship programs. Before joining the Community Foundation, Sarah worked as a special education paraprofessional in Indian Prairie School District 204.  Sarah is a lifelong resident of Aurora and an alumna of West Aurora High School, Waubonsee Community College and Northern Illinois University.

Q & A with Sarah Herring

What is your favorite season and why?
I love fall for the cooling temperatures, bonfires, Halloween, and my birthday!

What is your favorite condiment?
Mustard! Classic yellow, grainy stone-grounds, dijons - all varieties.

What is your least favorite food?
Cashews. I eat around those when I find them in a trail mix.

What are your favorite sports to watch/play?
I like to watch football and play in fantasy football leagues. No money is involved though - I'm not that good at it! 

What was your high school mascot?
I was a West Aurora Blackhawk.  

What radio stations do you listen to the most in the car?
I listen to the Mix for the morning show. Other than that, I switch around between the classic and alternative rock stations.

What is a skill you'd like to learn?
Painting. I like to play around with watercolors and acrylics, but I would love to learn some real techniques!

What is your proudest accomplishment?
I recently got my passport for my first trip out of the country. To me this is a an accomplishment and a big milestone because it symbolizes more opportunities and growth. 

If you could have any superpower, which would you choose and why?
Time travel. I love history, so I'd like to go back in time to visit different eras around the world. And I'd go to the future to see what I'll be missing generations from now!
                   
  111 W. Downer Place, Suite 312,   Aurora, IL 60506
  127 South First Street, Suite 215, Geneva, IL 60134
  Ph: 630-896-7800      Fx: 630-896-7811