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Aurora, IL - The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is proud to announce that nine local nonprofit agencies were approved a total of $116,798 in grants from the Community Foundation this past fall for various capital projects. Combined with the spring cycle, the Foundation awarded a total of
$495,006.44 in discretionary grants to twenty-eight agencies
in 2017.
The nine fall agencies were celebrated at the Community Foundation's Grantee Recognition Ceremony on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 held at the David L. Pierce Art & History Center in Aurora.
Over fifty community members attended the ceremony including Community Foundation board members John Diederich (Chair), Duncan Alexander, F. Keith Brown, Rick Guzman, Rob Hollis, Duane Suits, and Scott Voris. Oswego Village President Gail Johnson, Mayor Richard Irvin and Deputy Mayor Chuck Nelson of Aurora were also in attendance. Board members, executive directors and key staff of local agencies were present to be recognized for their ongoing service to our community.
Jeff Hartman,
Community Foundation President & CEO, welcomed the guests to the event and spoke of the important roles the attendees play in our community.
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This room is full of staff, board members, donors and other volunteers," Hartman said. "Your support of and dedication to these agencies is instrumental to the growth and success of the vital programs and services they provide to our local community."
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John Diederich
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Hartman also mentioned the 70th anniversary the Community Foundation is celebrating in 2018. "During this year of celebrating the Foundation's 70th
Anniversary, I ask you to join in recognizing the efforts of the donors, volunteers, and agencies who have contributed to the Foundation's success," he said. "If you see a donor or volunteer, or are associated with an organization supported by the Foundation, please consider 'thanking' them for their efforts and contributions to our community."
Community Foundation Board Chair John Diederich reflected on his time spent volunteering on the scholarship committee, and as he became more involved with the board, he was impressed by all the ways that the Foundation positively impacts the community. He acknowledged how much the Foundation has continued to grow as they approach the milestone of $100 million in total assets. Diederich remains inspired by all of the organizations powered by individuals doing great work for our communities.
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John Jaros |
Other speakers included John Jaros, Executive Director of the
Aurora Historical Society. Jaros outlined the history of the Historical Society, highlighting the Tanner House property in Aurora.
Built
in 1856, this historic home belonged to the William Tanner family until 1936 when it was donated to the Aurora Historical Society
. The Community Foundation recently gave a grant to the Historical Society for exterior renovations to Tanner House and other buildings on the property. The interior of the house received security upgrades and a new radiator. Jaros also discussed the history of the David L. Pierce Art & History Center. It was a privilege for the Community Foundation to hold it's ceremony in this historic building, in the Aurora Public Art Commission's third-floor gallery. Attendees were able to preview the Art Commissions upcoming exhibition, "Nevertheless: Women Depicting Women," which will be on display from February 2 through March 11. Thank you to the Art Commissions Director Jennifer Evans for hosting us in the gallery. Guests were also able to tour the second-floor museum which houses hundreds of artifacts from throughout the city's history.
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Rebecca Christiansen |
Rebecca Christiansen, Founder and Executive Director of
Celebrate Differences
in Oswego, shared her story of her twin sons, Ryan and Kyle. Ryan has Downs syndrome, and Christiansen realized that there were not many resources for families of children with special needs in Kendall County. She founded Celebrate Differences in 2007 to create a supportive community for people with disabilities and their families. Celebrate Differences is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities in reaching their fullest potential by providing positive resources and information to families, communities and health care providers while promoting a competent level of awareness and understanding. Christiansen spoke of the Community Foundation grant Celebrate Differences received last year to provide training equipment and other tools for their spice shop. "We opened A Pinch of Happiness Spice Shop to give people with disabilities an opportunity for employment," she explained. "Only one third of people with disabilities are employed despite their willingness and desire to work. We employ people with disabilities and focus of job skills training."
Scott Voris, President of Fuse LLC, spoke on behalf of the Community Foundation's Distribution Committee, of which he is chairman. "
We are thankful to have the support of many generous donors that continue to fund the Foundation's grantmaking program," he said. "
We are seeing the great work that is being done, and the generosity of donors who truly want to make a difference in our communities."
Voris then introduced the nine agencies receiving grants and outlined the projects they support. The funded capital projects include furnishings and renovations, security equipment, website development, educational materials, and more. Each of the following agencies were then presented with a certificate of recognition.
The Community Foundation is grateful to John Jaros, Jennifer Evans, the Aurora Historical Society and the Aurora Public Art Commission for graciously hosting our ceremony at the Pierce Center. We also thank Rebecca Christiansen for speaking at the event and showcasing the mission of Celebrate Differences.
Thank you to our event partners. Floral arrangements were provided by Schaefer Greenhouses of Aurora. Refreshments for the ceremony were from the following local vendors:
Click here
to view more photos from the ceremony.
If your nonprofit agency is interested in applying for a grant, Letters of Intent for the Spring 2018 Grant Cycle are now available. For more information about the Community Foundation's Grantmaking Program, visit our website.
About the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley
The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a non-profit, tax-exempt, philanthropic organization that administers individual charitable funds from which grants and scholarships are distributed to benefit the citizens of the Greater Aurora Area, the TriCities and Kendall County, Illinois.
Founded in 1948, the Foundation provides a simple and powerful approach to charitable giving. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations have the opportunity to custom design their own named funds that reflect their charitable goals and interests. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has grown to nearly $89 million in assets and has awarded more than $64 million in grants and scholarships.
For more information on the Foundation, visit www.CommunityFoundationFRV.org.
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