The Loop

As we approach the end of the year, we’re entering what many call the “giving season,” when gifts to charitable organizations increase. But besides the time of year, what really motivates donors to give? Giving trends may shift in our ever-changing landscape, but the needs in our communities remain the same. That is why planned […]

Fox Valley Warming Shelter, Homeless Connections and Housing Partnership of the Fox Cities announced today the name of their new merged organization — Pillars. The new organization will better serve the needs of those who are homeless in the Fox Valley, by uniting key organizations at three levels of housing and increasing the effectiveness of the […]

Who’s hungry? One in seven people in eastern Wisconsin are. It’s hard to imagine that so many people who live in the Fox Valley region don’t know where their next meal is coming from. The Post-Crescent’s 2018 “Stock the Shelves Do It! Community Challenge” is aiming to raise $90,000 this year, to feed the hungry […]

Sometimes great ideas come in the middle of the night, or when you’re driving to work.  For Amy Flanders, the idea for a cutting edge sexual abuse prevention program came via a conference featuring Darkness to Light, a non-profit committed to empowering adults to prevent child sexual abuse. “The idea was to educate five percent […]

With the snip of a blue ribbon, a new Day Resource Center for the homeless officially opened Monday afternoon. The center is at the site of St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church on Mason Street in Appleton, in the rooms formerly used for classrooms. The school closed several years ago and the classrooms were not being used. […]

There is a good chance you know someone who has autism or is caring for an autistic child or adult.  The latest analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 68 children has autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The term “spectrum” means there are a wide range of symptoms and levels […]

By Tim Ewing, Director/Naturalist, Navarino Nature Center Navarino Nature Center in Shiocton is creating a new natural playscape designed to get children outdoors exploring the wonders of nature. Natural playscapes are interactive play areas that use natural items (music, art, water, trees, etc.) to offer endless possibilities for running, jumping, exploring and discovery in an […]

Kids and parents are excited for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)  through the Innovation Lab, the latest expansion at the Building for Kids Children’s Museum. Thanks to a $35,000 Bright Idea Fund grant from the Community Foundation, the Building for Kids added an Innovation Lab Coordinator, who is responsible for creating weekly interactive STEM  challenges, writing curriculum […]

Hurricane Florence’s only effect on the Fox Valley is going to be a week of warm weather, but warm wishes undoubtedly will flow back from our donors to storm victims in the Carolinas and surrounding states. You can use reliable relief agencies like the American Red Cross or Salvation Army or work through a community […]

Music is for everyone! Thanks to three-year, $30,000 Bright Idea Fund grant from the Community Foundation, Fox Valley Symphony has been able to expand its music outreach program, In Harmony, to eight different sites throughout the Fox Valley. In Harmony partners a Fox Valley Symphony orchestra string quartet with a licensed music therapist, volunteers and […]