Virtual Annual Meeting (2021)

A recording of the 2021 Annual Meeting is available above.

 

Thank you to everyone that attended the Community Giving Foundation’s virtual 2021 Annual Meeting on March 5th. Our hearts are full after hearing and sharing so many stories of community giving. In the midst of a difficult year and unexpected circumstances, our community has shown a resiliency through the kindness and generosity of each of you, our donors and stakeholders.

As presenters shared from many different perspectives and backgrounds, we were inspired by stories of unity, gratitude, and celebration. Thank you for amplifying the impact of our Foundation—our story carries on because of your role in our community.

Reflections on Unity and Gratitude

Holly Morrison, Foundation President/CEO, opened the virtual meeting with a reflection on gratitude—for our family of fundholders, donors, board members, and nonprofits that make what we do possible. “We look back at 2020 with gratitude. Although we experienced adversity, our re-branding has strengthened our presence in our region, and has provided us with the needed unity to ignite the essence of philanthropy as we turn the page in our story of giving.”

Foundation Board Chair, Nancy Marr, presented a year-in-review, including highlights on investments, gifts, grants, and new funds. She also reflected on the re-branding process and launch that brought a greater sense of cohesion and collaboration among our Foundation, affiliates, and programs.

March marks one year that our community has faced the loss and challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. John Kurelja, Foundation Board Vice-Chair, shared the ways the Foundation answered a need in the community through our Disaster Relief Fund, which distributed over $650,000 in grants to local nonprofits as they experienced increased demand for their services. Another Foundation Board Member, Harry Mathias, spoke on additional partnerships with local county commissioners as the Foundation used its existing processes to administer disaster relief funding to small businesses.

Bonnie Trump, Danville Board Chair and fundholder, told her story of establishing a family fund to honor a community her family has lived in and loved for seven generations. “I’m honored and always humbled by the giving spirit of individuals,” she explained. “I’m proud to be part of the Danville leadership for our newly re-branded Community Giving Foundation. We are doing good things and making real differences in our community.”

Tell Your Community Giving Story

The Foundation continues to focus on telling stories of community giving, which can be seen in our new Annual Report. Our Annual Meeting closed with five individuals who shared personal and professional experiences with the Foundation and the multitude of ways they have seen our communities impacted. As one person shared, “Alone we can do little; together we can do so much.”

2020 was a busy year for our Foundation—through disaster relief efforts, nine additional grant rounds, adjusting to a virtual workplace, the launch of a new name and brand, and much more. Thank you for the part you play in our story of philanthropy. The work that we do—through the generosity of donors and stakeholders like you—is changing lives right here in our region.