October 1, 2023
The Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation (GPCF) and the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation (CDAF) will kick off the end of year giving season with their annual “We GIVE” campaign. From October 1 through October 31, GPCF and CDAF are encouraging people across Poweshiek County to unite in supporting a variety of community initiatives.
The “We GIVE” campaign invites everyone to learn about the more than 60 charitable funds and initiatives hosted by the partner foundations that serve a wide variety of needs. Educational awards, emergency financial assistance, mental health resources, access to childcare services, nutrition initiatives, and much more are made possible by generous contributions to “We GIVE.” “The impacts of ‘We GIVE’ last far beyond the timeframe of just the campaign,” notes Nicole Brua-Behrens, Executive Director of Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation. “October is when we draw attention to the many needs our charitable funds address throughout the year.”
Several matching challenges are set to inspire donors to increase the impact of their gifts. The six challenges include: Gifts that Grant: The GPCF Board will match $1 for every $1 donated to the Instant Impact Fund up to $100 per donor; Gifts that Keep on Giving: The GPCF Board will match $1 for every $1 donated to the Community Fund for Poweshiek County up to $250 per donor; Gifts to Give Opportunities to Tigers: The Grinnell -Newburg School Foundation board is matching gifts given to the GNSF STRIPES fund up to a total of $1,000; Gifts That Educate Our Future: GreenState Credit Union and the Grinnell-Newburg Dollars for Scholars Board will match dollar for dollar gifts given to the Grinnell-Newburg Dollars for Scholars Fund up to $100 per donor; Gifts to Meet Student Needs: Glenn and Ginger Sterk will match dollar for dollar every gift to the Dr. Kevin W. Sterk Elementary Student Needs Endowed Fund up to a total of $2,000; and Gifts to Enrich the Brooklyn Community: An anonymous donor will match $2 for every $1 given up to a combined total of $50,000 to the following endowed funds benefitting the Brooklyn community: Brooklyn Community Foundation, Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department, Citizens Scholarship of BGM-Dollars for Scholars, Michael J. Manatt Community Center, and East Poweshiek County Ambulance funds.
GPCF and CDAF believe that focusing on the work happening within the area will contribute to bettering our community and ensuring its longevity for the future. Julie Gosselink, President and CEO of the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation, notes, “A thriving community should mean that everyone feels cared for, and when you bring together passionate people invested in promoting collective wellbeing, you are one step closer to building that reality.” With GPCF’s and CDAF’s guiding principles of “Growing Community Through Giving” and “Leaving It Better Than You Found It” propelling their work forward, they invite you to engage in the spirit of giving this October and join “We GIVE.”
Donors may specify which fund or project they wish to support when sending contributions to GPCF, P.O. Box 344, Grinnell, IA, 50112, or CDAF, P.O. Box 284, Grinnell, IA 50112, donating online at www.greaterpcf.org, www.ahrensfamilyfoundation.org or contacting the Foundation Offices at 641-236-5518. GPCF and the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation partner through the Community Support Services program to provide back-office services for programs and donors.
