During the week of November 12-18, 2012, Porter County Community Foundation will join more than 700 community foundations across America for Community Foundation Week in celebrating lives changed, jobs created, and communities transformed through philanthropy’s partnership with private and public community leaders and organizations.
“The Porter County Community Foundation works every day to help address the most pressing issues facing our community, including homelessness, substance abuse and literacy,” said Barb Young, Foundation President. Most recently, the Foundation sponsored the first Porter County GIVE Day to raise awareness and over $185,000 to address homelessness.
"Community foundations impact lives, solve problems, and improve futures,” said Young. As a member of the Coalition of Affordable Housing, the Foundation helped create the 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness this year.
Community foundations are independent, public entities that steward philanthropic resources from institutional and individual donors to local nonprofits that are the heart of strong, vibrant communities. “It is the generosity of our donors and the dedication of our nonprofit partners that make it possible for us to help build a stronger community,” said Young. “We envision Porter County as a community where everyone has the opportunity to achieve their full potential.”
Community foundations represent one of the fastest-growing forms of philanthropy. Every state in the United States is home to at least one community foundation—large and small, urban and rural—that is advancing solutions to a wide range of social issues. The 2011 Columbus Survey found that despite the recession, giving by the nation’s 100 largest community foundations actually increased slightly in 2010 to $3.7 billion and exceeded prerecession levels seen in 2006 and 2007.
The Porter County Community Foundation leads, unites and supports giving to make a difference in Porter County today, tomorrow and forever. The public is invited to learn more and join the staff for the next Foundation Hour tour on November 13, 4 p.m. Preregister by contacting the Foundation at (219) 465-0294.