The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation was established in 1978 by a group of community conscious citizens who believed the people of the Chautauqua region needed a charitable organization established by the people for the people. Twenty-eight years later, the Community Foundation is strong and growing and continues to thrive, based on the support of a very philanthropic community. In celebration of past and the present day, today marks the start of National Community Foundations Week. 

 

National Community Foundations Week is celebrated every year in November and provides the nearly 700 community foundations nationwide an opportunity to highlight the positive impacts they have on their respective communities. While each community foundation is unique to their own community, all community foundations exist to serve the public in an effort to create better communities. 

 

The Chautauqua Region Community Foundation has annually celebrated National Community Foundations Week with an Open House and Remote Radio Broadcast with WJTN’s Jim Roselle. This year is no different, as the Open House and WJTN Remote Broadcast will take place on November 16^th from 9:00 AM to noon. In addition to highlighting some of the good works of the Community Foundation, the Open House also gives the CRCF Board and staff the chance to say “thank you” for all the assistance we have received over the past 28 years. Indeed, National Community Foundations Week is a celebration of the CRCF but dually a celebration of the people who have made CRCF what it is today. 

 

There are many exciting things taking place at CRCF that you will hear about during National Community Foundations Week. First, the Foundation has hired a new development coordinator, Tammy Bakewell. Tammy has returned to the area after living in New York City for nearly 20 years. In her new role at the Foundation, Tammy will work to strengthen the relationships already established by CRCF, while striving to build new ones. 

 

Secondly, Congress has recently passed the Pension Protection Act of 2006. This new act contains a provision on IRA Rollover Charitable Reform, which allows individuals over 70 ½ years of age to transfer a charitable gift up to $100,000 from their IRA to charity tax-free. This provision is yet another resource that provides charitably inclined donors the opportunity to give to the Community Foundation.

 

Third, CRCF was confirmed as compliant of National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations in August 2006. This compliance to the National Standards represents the highest measure of accountability and transparency in philanthropy. This is due to the fact that community foundations are the only philanthropic organizations that have gone through such a process. In addition, compliance with National Standards is not a requirement and was done so on a voluntary basis by CRCF.

 

You can see there any many things taking place at CRCF and even more we hope to share with you. If you wish to stop in and say “hi” on November 16^th, the Community Foundation Board and staff welcome you to do so. We hope the entire Chautauqua region celebrates National Community Foundations Week because while this week focuses on the good works CRCF, it is truly a week for the entire community. Community citizens believed in this idea 28 years ago, and that continues today.