Category: General

Teachers need to be certified. So do plumbers. Your hair stylist and you accupunturist are certified. You certainly would expect no less from your community foundation. Getting our certification renewed by the Council on Foundations as meeting the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations was a long and grueling process. We have been informed that our certification has […]

Art can spark creativity, inspire conversation, and bring people together. The Community Foundation’s latest rotating art display, “Chain Reaction,” does just that. The exhibit, featuring husband-and-wife artists Irineo (Neo) and Valerie Medina, is a testament to collaboration, perspective, and artistic transformation.  Neo and Valerie’s artistic process is a creative visual exchange—Neo begins each piece with […]

There’s nothing like a two-for-one deal to make you feel good about a shopping trip. Charitable giving has its own version of a two-for-one deal with challenge grants. For a challenge grant, a lead donor offers a given amount to support, but only if others contribute an equal amount. Contributors are motivated by knowing their […]

A total of 50 faith leaders from the Fox Valley gathered May 26, 2016, to learn how trauma affects mental health well into adulthood, and how they can minister effectively to those affected by trauma. Beth Clay of the N.E.W. Mental Health Connection, Paula Verrett of NAMI Fox Valley, and Doug Bisbee of Samaritan Counseling Center […]

Youth Go Neenah is back open today after a brief winter break, giving children and teens a chance to learn new life skills by working together in a brand new kitchen. The nonprofit’s kitchen remodel project transformed a small cramped space into a large space with room for all to wear the “chef’s hat.” “We […]

A good deed often leads to another. And another. In New London, the spirit of volunteering and charitable giving has been steadily growing. The community is benefiting from the generosity of Joe Van Alstine and his wife, Lori Dehlinger Van Alstine. Their passion for the community runs deep, and they’ve provided for legacy gifts in […]

Snow is falling, it’s getting colder, and your mailbox is full of year-end appeals from your favorite charities.  As you gear up for another busy holiday season, here are some charitable giving tips to consider: We are here for you! Share your stories and passions with us and let us help you find the right […]

It seems like season-ending cliffhangers have become as much a part of legislating charitable IRA distributions as they are for bad TV dramas. Once again this year, Congress waited for the final reel to save charitable distributions from IRAs from certain death. If you are at least age 70 1/2 and have a traditional (not Roth) IRA, you […]

When more information is needed for a major issue affecting the health and safety of people in the Fox Valley, CHAT (Community Health Action Team) digs deep. The group recently celebrated the contributions of Ray Durkee, one of those who has been digging since the start in 2002. ThedaCare’s Community Health Action Team (CHAT) brings […]

One of many story time activities at Fremont’s newly renovated Neuschafer Community Library, which held an official dedication ceremony last week. By Bob Cloud, Waupaca County Post Two weeks after taking the position as director of the Neuschafer Community Library in Fremont, Melissa Krause was overseeing a major remodeling project. “My role thus far has […]

When I moved to the Fox Valley in the early 1980s, one of the first things I encountered was a lack of childcare for infants and toddlers. Most of the programs in the area at that time were for children preschool age and up. With an infant son at home, I decided to do something […]

Today we are sharing our latest Voices from the Valley podcast episode about a complex topic: The childcare crisis facing many people in the Fox Valley. Finding quality childcare in Wisconsin is a challenge, with long waitlists. It’s also expensive. Many parents say they are paying more than their monthly mortgage or rent to have […]