The Loop

Thirty years ago, in November of 1992, the Building for Kids, Inc., originally called the Fox Cities Children’s Museum, opened its doors to the public for the first time. Located in the heart of downtown Appleton, the museum’s founders, Paula Meyer and Rochelle Lamm, sought to revitalize the downtown district while also providing kids and […]

On Nov. 17, philanthropists, philanthropic corporations and fundraising professionals will gather at The Howard in Oshkosh for National Philanthropy Day (which is celebrated nationally on Nov. 15). This day serves as an opportunity to celebrate philanthropy and the impact that comes from the giving of time, talent and treasure — all happening right here in […]

Think for a moment about the last time you encountered someone experiencing homelessness. What did you feel? Did you ask yourself what the person experiencing homelessness might feel? During National Hunger and Homelessness Week, I hope we’ll take the answer to heart. Together, we can become a compassionate, creative Fox Cities that collectively solves homelessness. […]

New London residents Joe Van Alstine and Lori Dehlinger Van Alstine noticed the nearby communities of Shawano, Clintonville and Waupaca had an affiliate of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. Shared Lori: “We looked around and thought, why doesn’t New London have a fund in place to support its local nonprofits in forever?” […]

“Period Poverty” is a startling reality in the Fox Valley. Did you know that a lack of access to menstrual health products can cause students with periods to miss or be late to class, or feel anxious about period care? Menstrual products are expensive in the U.S., which makes it difficult for people, especially teens, […]

The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region awards hundreds of scholarships annually to high school graduates and college students. Lucie Spanbauer, a 2021 high school graduate, received the Jackie Johnson Fox Communities Credit Union Scholarship and recently shared her gratitude: Dear Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, I was this year’s recipient of […]

Jarred Ellman and his family found their way to Brillion in 2014, a long way from what used to be home – Mason City, Iowa. When he graduated from high school in 1999, he found there wasn’t a lot of financial assistance available for technical school students like himself. “Looking back to when I was […]

When Mary Grist passed away in 2020 at the age of 91, her family knew they wanted to continue her passion for giving. More than two decades ago, Mary and her late husband Jim Grist established an endowment fund, the Jim and Mary Grist Family Fund within the Community Foundation. Last year their five children […]

Today we discuss the Fox Valley’s changing workforce and some new initiatives in the works to make sure we’re building and retaining a thriving and diverse workforce. There are lots of job openings, but we’re learning that not everyone who wants to work is able to access the jobs we know are open right now. […]

A recent report from Northwestern University, “The State of Local News 2022,” painted an alarming picture of the loss of local journalism in communities across the United States, calling it a “crisis for our democracy and our society.” The annual study noted the country lost more than a quarter of its 2,500 newspapers since 2005 […]