May 2016 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."

In Remembrance:
Robert E. Brent

 

We are sad to announce that our friend and former director Robert E. Brent passed away on May 5, 2016. Bob served our organization from 2005-2013. He provided outstanding leadership and guidance throughout his tenure.

The family is requesting that all donations to the Community Foundation be placed in the Robert E. Brent Memorial Fund. The purpose of the fund will be determined by Mrs. Brent and her children at a later date.

If you wish to make a donation in Mr. Brent's name, please click here.

Upcoming Events
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Rush-Copley's "Joie de Vivre" Benefit for Waterford Place Cancer Resource Center

Wednesday, May 18, 2016
AID's Annual Meeting and 
Awards Night

Thursday, May 19, 2016
Fox Valley United Way's
Annual Recognition Breakfast

Friday, May 20, 2016
Fox Valley Hands of Hope -
Garden Party

Thursday, May 26, 2016
Marklund's Annual Golf Classic

May 21 - May 30, 2016
Aurora Veterans Advisory Council - Vets Week Aurora

Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Kiwanis Club of Aurora's Centennial Celebration Dinner

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Office Closure

In observance of Memorial Day, the Community Foundation offices will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2016 .
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2015 Annual Report

The Foundation's 2015 Annual Report to the Community has been mailed out. A PDF version of the report is available to view on our  website

If you did not receive an annual report by mail and would like to request a copy,
Please be sure to include your name and mailing address.
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Scholarship News

Scholarship applications are currently being reviewed. All applicants will be notified of the results of their applications via e-mail by  Wednesday,   June 1, 2016 .
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Grantee Spotlight
Oswegoland Seniors, Inc. received a Community Foundation grant this past year for a new sound system and organ, exercise  equipment and racking, and kitchen items, including a commercial stand mixer and coffee maker. 

Exercise equipment purchased 
with the grant

Oswego Senior Center Staff

The mission of Oswegoland Seniors  is to provide an environment that improves the quality of life and extends independent living for seniors in  the Oswegoland Community. To learn more, visit oswegoseniorcenter.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.
Pizza Party With Lazarus House
CFFRV Throws Lunch Party For Agency
The Community Foundation held its second Agency Pizza Party on Friday, April 29th.  Lazarus House was selected from a random Facebook drawing to receive the party.

The pizza party was held at St. Charles Free Methodist Church, the partnering church of Lazarus House. In attendance were Lazarus House staff, volunteers and board members, as well as Foundation staff. The event was an opportunity for the Foundation to say "thank you" to Lazarus House for all they do for our community. 

Lazarus House opened in 1997. The agency serves men, women and children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness and are connected to mid-Kane County. Their mission is to offer guests hope for the future by providing hospitality, food, safe shelter, and education - tools for life. Lazrus House has won numerous awards for its outstanding service the community.

At the party, Foundation president Jeff Hartman acknowledged the fact that Lazarus House  is t he only transitional housing program (Center for Transitional Living) in the Tri-Cities and western rural Kane County area.

"With Lazarus House being the only shelter in the area, the work you all do is that much more important," Hartman said to Lazarus House staff and volunteers. "If Lazarus House ceased to exist, the community in which you serve would have nowhere else to go." 

To learn more about Lazarus House and its excellent service to the region, visit lazarushouseonline.com.

Lazarus House staff, volunteers and board members gathered together for the pizza party.


A Tribute to West Aurora Leaders
Learn About Leaders of West Aurora Schools
A.V. Greenman
The Community Foundation has partnered with the A+
Foundation for West Aurora Schools in preserving the impressive history of the West Aurora Schools. 

Representatives of the Foundation (Sharon Stredde, Judith Iverson and Neal Ormond III) researched, wrote and edited biographical profiles of those individuals for whom the West Aurora Schools have been named. 

These profiles can be accessed on the webpages of each A+ Foundation Fund that is administered by the Community Foundation. Click here to read the profiles. 

Several special friends of the West Aurora Schools underwrote the expense for these profiles. Those individuals are Sherry Eagle, Gary and Mary Jewel, Neal and Mary Clark
Ormond, Frank and Char Voris, and Brent and Jean Wadsworth.

Coming in mid-May will be a video highlighting the 180-year history of the West Aurora Schools. This video was produced by the Community Foundation with the financial support of the A+ Foundation and the Dunham Fund. An announcement will be made when the video is available on the Community Foundation's website. 
Record Breaking Grant Cycle
Grant Proposals Set Foundation Record
All applications are in for the Spring 2016 Grant Cycle. The Foundation received a record number of applications for a single cycle - 32! These 32 applications totaled nearly $650,000 in requests - another record!

The following chart illustrates the number of grant applications the Foundation received during past spring grant cycles. As you can see, the number of applicants has doubled since this time last year!



Other community foundations are seeing a similar trend in the number of requests for assistance. It is remarkable that agencies continue to serve the most vulnerable citizens of our community with reduced or eliminated state funding.

We have been hearing countless stories from local agencies of the drain this has caused on their organization, board members, staff and families they serve. W e truly value the work of these agencies, and we wish them well in all of their fundraising efforts. 

The Foundation's Distribution Committee is currently reviewing these applications and grant recipients will be announced during the first week in June.
Knights of Columbus Establishes Fund
New Fund Supports Scholarship Program
The Knights of Columbus Matt Draper Scholarship Fund  was created by the Oswego Knights of Columbus to support its Matt Draper Scholarship Fund.
 
The Matt Draper Scholarship honors a graduating senior who has experienced an adversity during his or her high school years. Matt was injured in a diving accident, leaving him a quadriplegic for eleven years prior to his death at the young age of 33. Matt faced adversity and obstacles dealing with simple everyday tasks. He worked every day toward accomplishing his goals and dreams. Matt's courage inspired the scholarship.

The Knights of Columbus worked closely with the Oswego Community and the OHS Building Trades to build a handicapped accessible addition to the Draper Home for Matt. Over 100 Volunteers and many man hours, along with financial donations, made the addition possible.

To learn more about the Oswego Knights of Columbus, please visit their website.
                   
  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