Community Foundation to celebrate local philanthropy during Thursday event at Dick Brothers Brewery

QUINCY — Beginning Sunday, Nov. 12, community foundations across the country will join together to celebrate National Community Foundation Week and the impact of place-based philanthropy.

The Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri will be the host of its annual “Friends of Philanthropy” celebration at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16, in the Dick Brothers Brewery Museum Room to honor the people and organizations helping philanthropy grow.

National Community Foundation Week spotlights the vital role community foundations play in promoting local collaboration and innovation to address ongoing civic challenges and opportunities. For more than a century, community foundations across America have been at the forefront of philanthropic efforts, supporting and nurturing the communities they serve. They are independent, public entities entrusted with managing and distributing charitableresources from both institutional and individual donors to local nonprofit organizations, which are the lifeblood of thriving communities.

In a press release, Community Foundation CEO Catherine Bocke Meckes said, “November is an exciting month for our Community Foundation, and not only because of National Community Foundation Week. We also celebrate the anniversary of our founding and National Philanthropy Day. However, it is the gratitude we feel for our donors, volunteers, partners and nonprofits that makes it truly special in this season of Thanksgiving. These individuals are the heart of our work, and we look forward to celebrating their important role at our annual event.”

Former President George H.W. Bush established Community Foundation Week in 1989 to acknowledge the valuable work undertaken by community foundations throughout the United States. Their dedication to enhancing the quality of life in their regions and their ability to unite diverse sectors in the pursuit of common goals is a testament to their unwavering commitment.

The Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri builds permanent charitable funds to assist area nonprofits and communities. Its mission, “Connecting people who care with causes that matter,” is achieved by gathering funds, growing them through investments then granting to nonprofit organizations, causes or communities that mean the most to its donors. 

The Community Foundation has made more than $15 million in grants since 1997. It serves 12 counties: Adams, Brown, Hancock and Pike in Illinois, and Clark, Lewis, Marion, Ralls, Pike, Knox, Shelby and Monroe in Missouri. 

The Community Foundation has IRS 501(c)(3) status. Contributions made to the Community Foundation qualify for the maximum allowable deductions for income and estate tax purposes.  

For more information, call 217-222-1237, go to www.mycommunityfoundation.org or www.facebook.com/mycommunityfoundation.