Skip to content

70 Years of Giving: Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley Celebrates Grantees at Anniversary Reception

 

AURORA (July 16, 2018) – On June 28, the Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley (CFFRV) hosted its 70th Anniversary Reception at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove. Supporters gathered at the 1,800-acre golf course and country club to celebrate the 23 agencies who received grants from the Foundation in the spring of 2018.

The evening began with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as grantees, donors, past and present board members, and Foundation staff mingled in the club’s atrium. A display table bore photos and other artifacts from CFFRV’s early days as the Aurora Foundation, and vintage copies of the Aurora Foundation Memorandum painted pictures of the Foundation’s rich history.

Guests then moved to Rich Harvest’s car museum, which they were invited to peruse prior to the reception. CFFRV president and CEO Jeff Hartman took to the podium to recognize past chairs and the board of directors, share the Foundation’s growth in assets and number of funds, and honor the late community philanthropist William A. Greene. He then introduced Chairman of the Board John Diederich, who discussed his role at Rush-Copley as well as Rush-Copley’s role as a source of hope for the community.

Presentation slides highlighted the exciting growth within the Foundation as Hartman thanked those who shared the Foundation’s dedication to giving.

“From veterans’ organizations, to food pantries, educational and youth programs, and the fine arts, we don’t have to look too far these days to find an outstanding organization with a passionate staff providing exceptional service to our community,” Hartman said.

As the evening progressed, Community Foundation partners underscored the joy and importance of giving back to an organization that takes pride in its generosity toward others. Much of this generosity manifests itself in the form of scholarships. Scholarship Chairman Austin Dempsey shared that, in 1949, the Foundation offered four scholarships, each totaling $150. He then announced that, thanks to generous support, the Foundation awarded 381 scholarships this year, totaling nearly $836,000.

It was a scholarship like these, Dempsey said, that enabled West Aurora High School student Eric Whitaker to attend the University of Illinois for biology and community health education. After college, Whitaker served as a Peace Corps Volunteer and a Foreign Service Officer, and currently serves as the United States Ambassador of Niger. Inspired by the gift he received from the community decades ago, Whitaker started the Eric P. Whitaker Scholarship Fund for Aurora students seeking to attend a public university in-state.

“A son of the heartland, I seek to reinvest in the youth of the Midwest and am trying to do my small part to improve the future prospects of kids like me,” Whitaker said.

Darrell Jordan, former Community Foundation chair member, also spoke about giving back to the Foundation. Jordan currently serves on the Foundation’s Council of Professional Advisors.

Before recognizing this year’s grantees, Hartman walked guests through the history of the Foundation’s grantmaking program, adding that the annual discretionary grantmaking budget continues to increase thanks to the community’s generosity.

This upward trend has paved the way for countless success stories among the organizations the Foundation serves. Kids Golf Foundation, a junior golf association headquartered at Rich Harvest Farms, has been able to give more than 200,000 kids access to the valuable life lessons of golf by working with schools, churches, and other groups. Giant Steps, a Lisle-based organization dedicated to providing specialized services for individuals with autism and their families, enhanced their adult day program last year with important technology resources that streamline the adult learning experience.

In that spirit of positive change, Dempsey invited each of the 23 spring grantees to stand for recognition. The chosen grantees represent 10 cities within the Foundation’s service area and were awarded a total of $443,000. Grant purposes included a bus for easier distribution of winter clothes, three Paramount Arts Center projects, and expansion of a health center.

Dempsey said the Foundation’s goal is to meet the missional needs of these organizations, in addition to material ones.

“It is our pleasure to play but a small role in the overall mission of these organizations, building their capacity, and hopefully creating greater impact and more sustainability,” Dempsey said.

Education is important to us. We support causes that touch our lives and align with our values. We believe in paying it forward. We are here for a short time,, and it is the next generation that will take on what we leave behind.

Michelle Emanuel

Donor and Past Scholarship Recipient

YEP was a great experience to have in high school. I became a more confident person, someone with a lot more perspective. Coming from a small school, YEP allowed me to branch out into my community, meet students from other schools, and learn about their backgrounds. I made some great friends and still keep in touch with them today.

Abby Vagnoni

YEP Alumni

Grant funds from the Community Foundation helped provide updated technology. These upgrades were transformative. By creating new time saving processes, it turned us into a more efficient organization.

Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry

Grantee

Being a part of the Community Foundation scholarship committee is the highlight of my year. For many, a scholarship from the CFFRV is the reason they are able to continue reaching for their dreams and changing the future of our world. I hope each recipients knows just how inspirational they are to those of us who are lucky enough to read their stories.

Jessica Breugelmans

Scholarship Committee Member and Board Member

YEP has made me realize the importance of being involved in my community, and how to make a difference. There are a lot of problems in the world but if we can do everything that we can to help the world will become a better place. YEP has helped me realize this and encouraged me to help more people in the future.

Madi Porter

YEP Member

Give your gift of time and see what it means to the people you impact. Helping others is what life is all about.

Neal Ormond

Donor & Fund Advisor

I am incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Zari Foundation Scholarship and the Community Foundation in supporting my education. I am majoring in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace engineering at the Rose-Hulman Institue of Technology. In my spare time, I volunteer on campus, in the community and I’m also the principal violist in the symphony orchestra. I hope to make an impact on the next chapter of space exploration by eventually working at a groundbreaking aerospace company such as SpaceX or NASA.

Taytum Newell

Albert M. Zari Scholarship Recipient

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

Install Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley

Install this application on your home screen for quick and easy access when you’re on the go.

Just tap then “Add to Home Screen”

Accessibility Toolbar