Our Mission: Strengthening and Transforming White County
“No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” – H.E. Luccock
At your Community Foundation of White County, we are dedicated to the vital task of strengthening and transforming the community. Through fostering charitable giving, philanthropic aspiration, and leadership, we aim to connect with people across the county, share legacies, solve community problems, and build upon the foundations laid by our ancestors.
Charitable Giving: Making Lasting Impact
Internally, we operate with a small team and a governing council of dedicated community volunteers who are committed to uplifting White County. However, our reach extends far beyond the walls of the Calvert Youth Center. Our community is filled with families and agencies whose passions and legacies bring our mission to life.
Charitable giving is one of the pillars that supports our mission. Over the past 25 years, we have awarded over $5 million in charitable dollars to support more than 40 nonprofit partners engaged in crucial boots-on-the-ground work. Through annual grant cycles, our community partners can apply for funding to support their important missions. Together with our grant funding, their efforts create lasting impact that strengthens our schools, youth, healthcare systems, conservation efforts, and much more. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our incredible partners for their hard work and dedication to the community.
Philanthropic Aspiration: Honoring Legacies, Creating Impact
Our second pillar, philanthropic aspiration, empowers individuals and families to actively participate in philanthropy and make a lasting impact in their community. By discovering passions and stories, we can help build funds that honor family legacies for both the present and the future.
If you have a passion for a particular area of interest, such as the arts, a field of interest fund can expand art opportunities across the entire county in memory of a loved one. Alternatively, if an agency has made a significant impact on your life, a designated fund enables you to directly support that agency. Additionally, if your family has deep roots tied to our community and simply wants to see it prosper, an unrestricted family endowment provides flexibility for addressing future needs. We express our deepest appreciation to our visionary donors whose passions and legacies enable this important work.
Leadership: Bringing People Together for Community Progress
Leadership takes many forms at the Community Foundation. With our wide-ranging involvement in White County, we possess a unique ability to bring together individuals from different backgrounds to help solve complex community issues. Through convening, we foster deeper understanding, broader awareness, and greater collaboration. We understand that only through collective action can we achieve community-wide impact. These efforts often lead us to collaborate with community leaders and stakeholders in various sectors to identify needs and opportunities, ensuring that our Community Foundation remains knowledgeable about the community we serve.
Our Grand Orchestra: Playing Together to Create Positive Change
Similar to a symphony, your Community Foundation relies on many parts to perform the work we do. Our governing council serves as the percussion section, providing a steady beat and solid foundation for our operations. Our nonprofit and community partners make up the brass section, driving the community forward with their robust efforts. And our donors act as the strings, sharing their melodies and uplifting the entire county.
We extend our deepest gratitude to every individual who plays a part in our grand orchestra. It is through your support that our song and mission remain strong. Serving White County for 25 years has been a true honor, and we believe our symphony is just beginning!
Contact Us to Strengthen White County
To learn more about how you can contribute to strengthening White County through the Community Foundation, please reach out to our director, Lucy Dold, at (574) 583-6911.