Community foundations crucial amidst pandemic

Many organizations were hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Greene County has been affected. One such organization was the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce, led by Cheryl Hamilton. The pandemic necessitated the cancellation of the Freedom Festival, which resulted in a loss of 60% of their revenue. Despite a subsequent staffing loss, Cheryl did not slow down. She stayed busy keeping local businesses updated on applying for Small Business Loans or PPP Loans, and keeping members informed throughout the pandemic.

During the Greene County Foundation’s September COVID-19 grant cycle, the Chamber was awarded a grant for $19,566 for operational support.

This story—along with the countless others like it—demonstrates the importance of community foundations in this country, which are uniquely situated to improve their regions through supporting innovative solutions and creating powerful partnerships. From Nov. 12 to 18, we celebrate Community Foundation Week, a time when we can share and reflect on the stories of impact over the last year. Though you may not yet know your local community foundation, you’ve likely felt its impact.

That’s because Greene County Foundation and 900+ other community foundations worldwide help bring donors and residents together. Community foundations work to support the efforts that will help the places we call home continue to flourish and grow.

Recently, the Greene County Foundation, along with the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce, Greene County Economic Development Corporation, and Purdue Extension have teamed up to sponsor Leadership Greene County. The program focuses on building confident, skilled, and knowledgeable leaders in Greene County. More leaders are needed to step up to the plate, get involved, and create more productive communities. The leadership development training program is geared for the interested community volunteer who wants to make a difference in the community.

As we enter the giving season, millions of people from every background will be looking to give back or pay it forward. They’ll also look to ensure that their heartfelt giving—however they choose to give—will have the most impact. That’s why so many of them will choose to give to a community foundation.

A gift to your local community foundation is an investment in the future of your community. We like to say that community foundations are “here for good.” At the Greene County Foundation, the focus is not about the next election or business cycle; they think about the next generation and the next after that.

During Community Foundation Week, our own Foundation team hopes citizens will recognize our collective impact and the difference we can make together. For more information on Community Foundation Week visit www.cof.org/cfweek and follow #CommunityFNDWeek on Twitter.

View article on Greene County Daily World website. (Subscription required.)