Category: Donors’ Stories of Giving

Before Bob and Mary Karisny’s five grandchildren could start tearing apart their presents this past Christmas Day, they had some charitable business to attend to. This has been the routine at grandma and grandpa’s house for their two children, their spouses and the grandkids for the past 10 or so years. The Menasha couple’s Bob […]

As a new message of hope goes up in the form of a mural on the side of a garage at the Harbor House domestic abuse shelter, the person who financially made it possible knows the result will be art proving its power to uplift and empower people. Katherine Westover is supporting the project from […]

The first grants from the Marilynn W. Taylor/Wohlt Cheese Fund within the Community Foundation will be announced later in the summer. Marilynn Taylor was president of Wohlt Creamery LLC of New London, a manufacturer of processed cheeses and one of the 10 largest employers in the city. Taylor left her entire business in the care […]

February 11 is national Make a Friend Day! The Wild Women in the Kitchen Fund within the Community Foundation is an example of how people can become friends and create an even deeper impact in our communities. Above: Serving lunch at a Habitat for Humanity site. Guest Loop Author: Beth Bax Back in 1998, nine […]

Kelly Nelson, a lover of true animal stories since childhood, was inspired to write her first book, “Brownie the War Dog: Veterans’ Best Friend” after a visit to the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King when seeking care for her father, a veteran of the Korean War. During her tour that included the museum in the […]

There were some jaws figuratively bouncing off the ground at the Grignon Mansion in Kaukauna Tuesday when the Community Foundation announced it had received an estate gift of more than $100 million to create a donor advised fund that will benefit causes important to the late David and Rita Nelson and their family, primarily in […]

Two farm kids from northeast Wisconsin who worked hard to succeed at their careers have left behind a $2.4 million gift to a Shawano Area Community Foundation (SACF) charitable fund that, by 2019, will be awarding $100,000 a year in college scholarships to six Gillett High School graduates and five from Suring High School. Loraine […]

It has been a generous time for charitable giving in the area, with the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region awarding a record $26.8 million in grants to charitable organizations in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2017. The grants – which come from 1,490 permanent endowments and other charitable funds the Community […]

The Tim and Joy Neuville Family Fund within the Waupaca Area Community Foundation is offering a Forward Together Grant of up to $50,000 to encourage nonprofit organizations serving communities in Waupaca County to think big and propose visionary projects that will make a significant, long-term difference. Applications are due May 1. “We are doing this both […]

The Brillion Area Family of Funds was established in 2013 as a collection of charitable funds to actively preserve, strengthen and improve the quality of life in the Brillion area. Bob and Pat Endries want to leave a legacy by helping shape the future of Brillion today. From now through October 31, 2023, they are […]

Chad Hershner and Jeff Amstutz don’t sit on the sidelines when needs arise for their favorite causes – giving of their time, their money and their considerable talent. Only in their early 40s, they have already outlined in their estate plan how their philanthropy will live on after them. Those plans include a gift to […]

Donors are the heart of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. Here are how some donors make a difference in their community. Making positive changes Retired educators Kathy and Richard Block believe small steps in learning can make a real difference in someone’s life. The Blocks established the Small Steps Scholarship within the […]