Giving isn’t just what the Community Foundation does or what we help donors to do. Our staff is very generous as well, using their personal donor advised funds to give back to our community.

From church to animals, police to the YMCA and Mid City Nutrition… the Staff at the Community Foundation give each year to causes they personally care about.

This year brought extra challenges and crises with the pandemic and severe rain that led to major flooding in mid-Michigan. Several staff grants went to local organizations for supplies in providing COVID relief as well as flood recovery efforts.

With the added stress and emotional toll on community members, our youth were left particularly vulnerable and our local organizations forced to adapt their programs and services. Staff donor advised funds helped to provide support to some of those organizations including St. Clair County CAN Council, The YMCA, Lelito Legacy Foundation, and programs at Central Middle and Garfield Elementary Schools.

And Christmas wouldn’t be the same without the annual Shop with a Cop event, which thanks in part to funding from a staff grant, continued the tradition despite the pandemic. Although it looked a little different this year, law enforcement officers were still able to provide gifts to 70 local children.

In a year that brought so many difficult challenges and hardships, the Community Foundation staff was continually encouraged and inspired by so many in our community who stepped up to give to those who needed it most. We are so grateful to have been able to join all of our generous donors, in some small part, in such a big year of giving.

If you are interested in how easy and meaningful it can be to give through your own donor advised fund click here.