The Community Foundation of Johnson County marked its 25th year of serving residents of Johnson County by awarding $250,000 in grants to several community organizations and nonprofits. The grants will be used to address community needs and further the mission of each individual organization.
The recipients this year were the Domestic Violence Intervention Program & Rape Victim Advocacy Program, Early Explorers Childcare Center, Healthy Kids School, Houses Into Homes, Iowa City Bike Library, Open Heartland, Shelter House, Table to Table, The Housing Fellowship, and United Action for Youth.
The nonprofit also named four winners for their Legacy Leader awards, which are meant to honor individuals, businesses, families, and organizations that the foundation claims are “outstanding” in their philanthropic efforts. This year’s winners were Greater Iowa City, Inc., Todd Jacobson, 5224GOOD, and Dick Schwab and Katherine Burford.
The nonprofit foundation said its mission is to connect communities that care with causes that matter to support sustainable change. According to their website, the nonprofit donors help support almost 200 different charities and causes in Johnson County each year.
The foundation was founded in 2000 by several “Visionary” leaders who believed that by bringing together passionate, generous people from all walks of life to meet the needs of the community, all residents would benefit, according to their website.
Since its founding, the nonprofit has distributed over $29 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in Johnson County, overseen $67 million in charitable assets, and supported several local organizations.
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Former Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder and Community Foundations director of philanthropy, Kathryn Wittneben, unveiled the Heart of Johnson County Legacy Society.
The society is an initiative that encourages potential donors to consider including donations to Community Foundations in their estate planning. Bluder and her husband will serve as honorary co-chairs in the campaign.
“Legacy gifts are among the most powerful ways to create lasting community impact,” Bluder said. “They ensure that the causes we care about today continue to thrive for generations to come.”
The foundation held an event at the Hy-Vee Center at Centennial Park in North Liberty on Nov. 3 and invited the community to participate in the celebration.
The foundation’s president and CEO, Shelly Maharry, praised the nonprofit for the work it has been able to do in Johnson County over the past 25 years.
“Tonight, we celebrate more than a milestone,” she said, “We honor a grassroots effort, set forth by caring community leaders and nurtured through collaboration to build a stronger, more connected community where everyone belongs and thrives.”
Mary Palmberg, the former director of the Iowa City Free Lunch Program, was also in attendance at the celebration and praised the event for what it represented.
“The CFJC’s Community Celebration was a celebration, indeed, of how so many groups in our community provide help to others,” she said, “The CFJC celebration highlighted the bounty of all kinds of critical help in our generous community.”