Voices from the Valley

Did you know that from 2010-2018, the suicide rate in Calumet, Outagamie and Winnebago counties increased by 66 percent? And among those at greatest risk are middle-aged men, individuals in certain professions (like farming, construction and law enforcement, for example), veterans, members of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color), and LGBTQ+ community members. In […]

Dental care is critical to a person’s overall health, especially in children. But the pandemic and financial constraints have been barriers to families trying to access proper care, causing decreases in visits. Organizations like volunteer-driven Tri-County Dental help fill the gaps and meet thousands of students where they’re at, offering preventive care to avoid emergencies […]

What is it like to learn your child has autism? And how do you find resources to give your child the best opportunities for learning and for experiencing all the joys and challenges life has in store? In this episode we take some time to consider how we think about Autism, a developmental disability that […]

In this episode we’re discussing the number of refugees from other countries who have recently resettled here in the Fox Valley. What is life like for them, and how can our communities be welcoming to our new neighbors? Most of them come from the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. Two years ago, […]

Imagine if all residents can live in a good home they can afford. Our region is composed of households across the income spectrum, and it’s getting harder to find these homes. High-quality, stable housing is central to the health and wellbeing of all families in our communities. A new Fox Cities and Greater Outagamie County […]

What happens when we uncover lost stories and tell them in new ways? And how might shared experiences, between people who are different from one another, bring us closer together? In today’s very special episode we’re going to take you back to a story that happened over 50 years ago. It’s the story of an […]

In many rural areas of the Fox Valley region, there are often serious gaps in services such as transportation, healthcare, and other services meant to help individuals and families that might be struggling economically.  Clintonville’s Compassionate Connection Center, a nonprofit we partner with here at the Community Foundation, is working to bridge those gaps. In […]

We’ve probably all faced an emotional crisis. Something that rocks our world and sends us into a feeling of despair. Just in the last two years alone, people have experienced increased feelings of anxiety, depression, and uncertainty. It’s that collective trauma of living in a world that is no longer predictable. The growing need for […]

The Fox Valley is renowned for our outdoor activities, from lakes and parks to more than 340 miles of trails for use year round. But many people might be surprised to learn that not every member of our community feels safe or welcomed in our outdoor spaces, especially people who are considered historically marginalized, such […]

The Building for Kids Children’s Museum opened in downtown Appleton in 1992 at the site of the former Prange’s building. Thirty years later, the Community Foundation is honored to celebrate being a part of “BFK’s” history! Generous gifts from donors with funds within the Community Foundation have supported the museum over the years. The museum […]