As the holiday season is all around and the warm memories of Thanksgiving are still lingering, there is yet one more reason to be thankful. In 1978, a group of community leaders had a vision of an organization that could reach out and help the entire community. With that far-reaching vision, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation was born.

 

The founders realized that the Chautauqua Region needed an entity to connect the charitable interests of the individuals in the area with a cause which they desired to support. The “bridge” for this to occur has been from that time in 1978 to the present accomplished with the establishment of endowment funds at the Community Foundation. These funds have been established in perpetuity to help provide financial assistance to the community to help make it a better place for generations to come. Endowment funds come in many different formats. Some have been established to provide the Board the ability to make the best decisions to address the needs of the community. Some were started to help the area non-profits better deliver their services and some were established as scholarships to help our area students get a boost on their way to a higher education. With each new endowment fund, there has always been one more reason to be thankful.

 

From the first gift to the Community Foundation from the Gebbie Foundation to the most recent donation, each, regardless of its size, is one more reason to be thankful. Over the years, thousands of individuals have contributed to the Foundation in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one. They have contributed to start an endowment fund or add to an existing one, because they wish to be part of those that can make a difference in the lives around them.

 

In a recent report issued in September 2007 by the Foundation Center, located in New York, New York, it was estimated that the nation’s 707 community foundations would give back a record $3.6 billion in 2006 to charitable efforts in their individual areas. In addition, gifts received by community foundations worldwide hit a record level of $5.6 billion in 2005, showing a significant increase from the previous year. Even though the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation cannot report huge gift and grantmaking activity compared to a

major metropolitan area, it has experienced a steady upward growth trend over its 29-year history.

 

The Community Foundation currently administers over 475 endowment funds with a variety of purposes as outlined earlier. At present, total gifts since 1978 total over $43,000,000 with approximately $26,900,000 being given back to the community in the form of grants and scholarships. With that grant and scholarship activity, the Foundation still has assets over $60,000,000.00. This is a true indicator of the fiduciary care the Board of Directors and the Investment Committee have used with these generous gifts. This is one more reason to be thankful.

 

As you are contemplating your year-end gifts, consider the many diverse opportunities you have through the Community Foundation. With the number of endowment funds in place, you can support your charitable interest, whatever it may be. If you are interested in a new fund for a specific charitable purpose, the staff can help you with the details needed to make it a reality.

 

For your convenience, a gift can now be made online through the Community Foundation website at www.crcfonline.org.

 

On behalf of the entire Board of Directors and staff at the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, we send you our thanks for all your support in this past year and hope you will join us in making one more reason to be thankful in the New Year.