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Scholarships, Community Grants and Donor-Advised Giving

Posted on May 1, 2012 by admin

This is a very busy time for many of our tremendous volunteers at the Community Foundation. Last week our Scholarship Committee met to review the applications for the six scholarship programs that the committee oversees and selects recipients.  Many of our volunteers agreed that there were a number of very qualified applicants and that the decisions made were tough.  Last year the over 150 scholarship funds managed by the foundation provided scholarships totaling over $137,000 to area students.

Our grants committee meets this week to review the 76 requests we have received for our annual Community Grants program. After reviewing these letters of interest, the committee will then determine which organizations they want to submit a full grant proposal.  Last year our Community Grants committee awarded 40 grants totaling $166,252. These resources are from 14 different funds that are primarily created by estate gifts that funded endowments that have been entrusted to the foundation to oversee.

A reminder for our Donor Advised Fund Donors that  now that tax season is over it’s really a good time for you to ensure you have a plan in place for your 2012 charitable giving. Remember that one of the advantages of your Donor Advised Fund is you can make a  charitable contribution now and have an immediate tax deduction, then make decisions later in the year regarding which charities you would like to support through your fund.  Contributing appreciated assets is one of the best ways to make a gift to your fund because of the additional capital gains tax saving and the future growth of those funds invested by the foundation will be tax sheltered.  We would be happy to talk with you about adding to your fund and answer any questions you may have.

Mark your calendar for our upcoming Behind the Scenes Program on May 31st at 5:00 PM. We will be meeting at the Blue Springs School of Economics and focusing on Non-Profit organizations making an impact in Blue Springs. You will be receiving an invite with additional details.   As special thanks to members of the Blue Springs Advisory Board for helping to organize this effort.

Thank you again for partnering with the Truman Heartland Community Foundation, as together we strive to improve area communities. It’s our pleasure to serve you.

Posted in News - Announcements |

Youth in Philanthropy, Social Service Update, and Toast to our Towns: “Celebrating Three Decades”

Posted on April 2, 2012 by admin

Where did the first quarter of the year go? Particularly with our amazingly warm weather this year it seems like time is flying. Before we know it graduation season will be upon us.

Speaking of graduation, earlier this month I had the opportunity to be with over 80 of our current and prospective Youth Advisory Council Members (YAC) at their monthly meeting held at Blue Springs High School. It’s always an uplifting experience to be with this group of student leaders. They are both energetic and diverse, and represent a number of high schools throughout Eastern Jackson County with the goal of improving their community through charitable giving. There are not very many opportunities for students from various high schools to come together and work on a common goal. Usually their interaction is limited to a competitive setting, like a sporting event, or debate tournament.

On Saturday April 21st and Sunday, April 22nd the entire Council will be volunteering as part of Global Youth Service Day at Hillcrest Transitional Housing’s new thrift store that will be opening soon in Lee’s Summit. Over the summer, they will be working alongside our grants committee to make decisions on how best to spend the dollars we have available for grants this year. The adult committee members consistently value the insights of the YAC representatives who are assigned the review of proposals that focus on youth serving programs. The students provide a perspective that always enhances our process. Throughout the year, our students do fundraising activities to build their own endowment fund that allows them to make their own grants. These students are our future leaders and philanthropists, and as I left that evening, I left feeling very positive about that future. We are very grateful for the incredible contribution of Henri Goettel who volunteers her time and talents each year to make this program possible. We could not do it without her leadership and commitment. In May, we will have a special YAC Senior Recognition Dinner, to thank and recognize those students who will be graduating from High School this spring. Yes, graduation season will soon be upon us.

Last week we had our first Behind the Scenes Event for 2012 that was focused on the growing social service needs in the Lee’s Summit Community. A number of you were at this event that was attended by over 70 people at the Legacy Park Community Center. Susan Coffman who chairs the Human Services Advisory Board in Lee’s Summit made an informative presentation regarding the growing social services needs in Lee’s Summit, one of our most affluent communities. Then we heard from a panel of eight nonprofit leaders: Jackie Knabe, Coldwater; Cotton Sivils, Hillcrest Transitional Housing; Mary Anne Metheny, Hope House; Roby Little, Lee’s Summit Cares; Jerry Keimig, Lee’s Summit School District; Geneva High, Lee’s Summit Social Services; Roberta McArthur, One Good Meal; and Alan Flory, Rediscover. The challenges they face with the increased needs for services may seem overwhelming, however, their commitment to working together to best meet the needs of people they serve was very evident. We heard several examples of how this group is effectively collaborating to serve people. We want to thank Susan and the panel and we also want to thank our Lee’s Summit Advisory Board, chaired by Sherri Lozano, for promoting the event and inviting their friends and neighbors to attend.

Earlier this week at our Board of Directors meeting our 2012 Toast to Our Town Gala Honorees were selected. We are pleased to announce that our Humanitarians of the Year are Dave and Shirley Wurth. On this 30th anniversary of the Foundation we will be honoring the Community of Christ as our “Community Partner” for the important role the church has served in our history. We will also be recognizing our founding volunteers who incorporated the organization in 1982. We are also pleased to announce that Jim Stilley will be recognized as the Paul Thomson Professional Advisor of the Year. Please see the article in our e-Newsletter for more details on each of these very deserving honorees.

It’s been an exciting month at our Community Foundation. Thank you for partnering with us, as together we strive to improve area communities. It’s our pleasure to serve you.

Posted in News - Announcements |

A Spring Friend-raising Event at the Mavericks

Posted on February 24, 2012 by admin

This winter will probably go in the record books as one of our warmest in history. I am enjoying the great “winter” weather but I still keep thinking in the back of my mind we are probably going to have snow on April Fool’s Day.  

Speaking of snow and ice, on Friday March 2nd we are having a friend-raising event at the Mavericks Game. The Independence Events Center has graciously donated the use of their 46 person suite for the evening. Tickets are $50 each and this includes food and beverage in the suite thanks to some generous sponsors.  It’s going to be a fun evening and a great way to introduce your friends to the community foundation, so bring them along. If you are interested in purchasing some tickets please let me know right away. We have only 12 left.  If you have not been following the Mavericks, they have been playing very well at home lately and this will probably be a crucial game to keep their playoff spot secure and sure to be a sold out crowd that night.

One of our primary goals this year is to enhance our services to Donor Advised Fund (DAF) holders and increase the number of donors who have funds. If you have a DAF you should be receiving an invite in the next couple of months for a breakfast meeting here at our offices to get your input and provide you with an update on your community foundation.  We truly value your input and hope you will join us for one of these discussions. In the meantime please give me a call if you have feedback you would like to provide, or if you have friends that you think might benefit from having a DAF.  I would be pleased to visit with them to explore if having a DAF would be valuable for them.

Our first Behind the Scenes event is coming up on March 22nd at 5:00 PM. The focus will be the Social Service Needs in Lee’s Summit. Watch your mail for your invite to this event and see the article below in this newsletter for more details. Behind the Scenes are just one way we strive to provide valuable information for our supporters and fund holders.

Thank you for partnering with the Truman Heartland Community Foundation, as together we strive to improve area communities. It’s our pleasure to serve you.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Contributions up 4% in 2011; Announcing 2012 Board Members

Posted on January 27, 2012 by admin

I don’t know about you, but personally I am glad 2011 is done and we are well into the new -year. I think I have finally past the point where I have to consciously remember to write 2012 when dating a document.  

This past year certainly was challenging given the state of our economy and the investment market volatility, however, there were some real bright spots for your Community Foundation. We are pleased with our year end numbers on contributions and Grants. Contributions to the various funds at the foundation totaled over $3.2 Million for the year, up 4% over 2010 and grants made from funds totaled $3.1 Million, up 11% over 2010.  This clearly indicates that despite our challenging economy and the investment market volatility, individuals like you continue to be generous in your support of charities. Thank you for your steadfast commitment and generosity.

We are pleased to announce we have four new members of our Board of Directors who began their term this month.

  • Cindy Cavanah
  • Barbara Koirtyohann
  • Helen Hatridge
  • Sherri Lozano

We are very pleased that they have joined the Board and each of them are already actively engaged in our work and serving on various committees.  Sherri Lozano is an ex-officio and voting member of the board as the Chair of our Lee’s Summit Advisory Board.  Please see our latest Examiner article for additional details.

Our other three Advisory Board Chairs were re-elected by their members to serve another year as chair and their representative on the Board of Directors.

  • Jeff Quibell         Blue Springs Advisory Board Chair
  • Eileen Weir         Independence/ Sugar Creek Advisory Board Chair
  • Shirley Wurth    Raytown Advisory Board Chair.

We also are pleased to announce our Board Officers for 2012:

  • Ron Bruch, Chair
  • Chuck Foudree, Vice Chair
  • Martha Cockerell, Treasurer
  • Doug Hammer, Secretary

Follow the link for a complete list of our 2012 Board of Directors. 

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of your community foundation. It was created in 1982 as the Independence Community Foundation and in 1996 became the Truman Heartland Community Foundation. We have a rich history which will be highlighted throughout this year. We will be featuring stories about individuals and organizations at key points in our history. I look forward to learning more about our history as we retrace it this year and if you have a particular story you would like to share with me please give me a call. I would enjoy hearing from you.

Thank you for partnering with the Truman Heartland Community Foundation, as together we strive to improve area communities. It’s our please to serve you.

Posted in News - Announcements |

Special Thanks to Centerpoint Medical Center, and to all our supporters for a GREAT 2011!

Posted on December 22, 2011 by admin

It was great to see many of our supporters and friends at our December 1st Holiday Party with over 100 attendees.  We want to give a big thanks to Centerpoint Medical Center for hosting our holiday gathering again this year and providing all the wonderful food and beverage for our celebration.  They are one of our great community partners and support us throughout the year in numerous ways.  

We want to wish you a holiday season full of wonder, a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year. Hopefully each of you will get the opportunity to enjoy family and friends at this special time of the year. We will be closed for the holidays on Friday Dec 23rd, Monday Dec 26th and Monday January 2nd.  

As we approach the end of the year and I reflect back on 2011, here are just a few highlights I would like to share that were made possible by your tremendous support.

  • Your community foundations was certified by the Community Foundations National Standards Board as meeting the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations (their Good Housekeeping Seal)
  • The Heartland Legacy Society was created with 85 Founding Members
  • We have four energetic Advisory Boards serving in Blue Springs, Independence/Sugar Creek, Lee’s Summit and Raytown
  • Our Community Grants program awarded over $140,000 to 38 area charities, our Scholarship Funds provided nearly $100,000 of support, and total grants from all funds will be over $2.7 Million
  • Our 16th Annual Toast to Our Towns Gala was a big success with over 700 in attendance
  • Community for All Ages Coalition for Eastern Jackson County was created and now has nearly 50 members
  • We moved into our great new offices on the Third Floor of the Blue Ridge Bank Building on Little Blue Parkway  

We greatly appreciate the support of the community and the many people who have Donor Advised Funds, Scholarship Funds, Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Remainder Trusts, or other funds with your community foundation. We also are very thankful for our great volunteers including our Board of 28 Directors and the nearly 60 members of our Advisory Boards. It’s gratifying that we can serve as the way for so many in our community to come together with the common mission of “Improving area communities.”  We are honored to serve you and our great community.  Have a wonderful holiday season!

Posted in Uncategorized |

Season to Give Thanks

Posted on November 22, 2011 by admin

Happy Thanksgiving! It’s hard to believe that the Holiday Season is officially here. Personally I’ll be avoiding the shopping craze on Black Friday and will still be counting my blessings while I finish up my leaf raking for the season in my yard. We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your support of your community foundation and your commitment to improving our community through private giving. Your support, care and involvement truly make a big difference.

On November 10th we had our 16th annual Grants Luncheon where we awarded grants to 38 community organizations totaling $140,000. We had over 100 participants including some of our Founding Members of our Heartland Legacy Society who have made plans to leave a portion of their estate to a fund at the Community Foundation to benefit the community. The funds that make our community grants process possible were given by similar supporters in the past that left a legacy and created or contributed to a fund at the Foundation. For a list of recipients and to see a copy of the program for the event go to http://www.thcf.org/grants/index.asp?pageid=recipients.

At the luncheon we were also pleased to announce that we achieved from the Community Foundation National Standards Board the National Standards Seal indicating we have met the most rigorous standards for community foundations. An article in our recent eNewsletter provides further details.  I want to thank Beverly Powell on my staff for her leadership of this comprehensive process.

I would like to also thank Mark Newcomer and Annette Seago, members of our Blue Springs Advisory Board.  Annette made arrangements for Mark to do an interview regarding our Community Foundation on Blue Springs School District TV. Mark did a great job with the interview as you will see if you go to http://bit.ly/rKmdFQ.

We recently added some great pictures for our Gala this fall to our website. You can find them at our photo gallery http://www.thcf.org/celebrate-giving/index.asp?pageid=photo.

As you are thinking about your year-end giving, don’t forget about your Donor Advised Fund or Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation.  Your Donor Advised Fund is a great place to make that year end gift and then decide in the New Year which charitable organizations you wish to make grants to.

The Community Foundation is please to be one of the sponsors this year of the Mayors Christmas Concert benefitting Community Services League.  Please come and enjoy this admission free event on Sunday December 4th at 2:30 PM at the Community of Christ Auditorium. It will feature the Spirit of Independence Band, the Fort Osage High School Choir, William Chrisman High School Choir and 4th graders from Independence, Fort Osage, Center Place Restoration School, Nativity of Mary and Messiah Lutheran schools. It’s an event that will certainly put you in the Holiday spirit.

At the Truman Heartland Community Foundation we have many things to be grateful for and at the top of that list is the support of people like you who partner with us to make a difference in your community. Have a great Thanksgiving Holiday.

Posted in News - Announcements |

Announcing a New Coalition, upcoming Grants Luncheon and Heartland Legacy Society Members

Posted on October 28, 2011 by admin

Have you heard the news that Baby Boomers (like me) aren’t getting any younger?  In fact the first Boomers started reaching age 65 on January 1st of this year and nationally we now have 8,000 a day reaching that milestone. Today 1 in 8 Americans is 65 or older. By 2020, 1 in 6 will be 65 or older and by 2030, 1 in 5.This demographic wave of Boomers maturing will have a dramatic impact on our Eastern Jackson County Community in many ways.  Your Community Foundation has created a coalition of key individuals from the region to ensure that collectively, we can ride this demographic wave and not be washed away by it.  To continue to thrive in the future we need to be working together today.

On Monday October 24th we had our first meeting of the “Community for All Ages Coalition for Eastern Jackson County”. We had 39 of the 45 Coalition members in attendance with representatives from local governments, chambers of commerce, nonprofits, the faith community, health care, senior care, developers and civic organizations from each of the communities that we serve. It was a great kickoff meeting with a lot of great sharing of information, discussion and input about key items we need to address.  The coalition will reconvene in early December to chart out our next steps. I’ll keep you posted on our progress in future blogs.

On November 10th we will have our annual grants luncheon where 38 organizations in our community will receive grants totaling $140,000.  At this luncheon, we will also be recognizing the 81 Founding Members of our Heartland Legacy Society. These are individuals who have made plans to leave a portion of their estate to a fund at the Truman Heartland Community Foundation. The funds that make our community grants process possible were made by similar supporters in the past that left a legacy and created or contributed to a fund at the Foundation through their estate plans. So, we feel this is a very appropriate setting to recognize our Founding Members of the Heartland Legacy Society.

And don’t forget, it’s not too early to begin thinking about year-end giving and making an additional contribution to your fund at the Foundation!

Thank you for your support of your Community Foundation. It’s our please to serve you as together we improve area communities by promoting and serving private giving for the public good.

Posted in Uncategorized |

A Great Event for 700 Philanthropists!

Posted on October 3, 2011 by admin

Our 16th Annual Toast to Our Towns Gala on Saturday September 24th was once again a great community celebration with over 700 attendees. Thanks to everyone who attended and supported the event.  My congratulations once again to all our honorees for their well deserved recognition for their commitment to making our communities a great place to live, work, play and raise families. And a big thanks to each of our sponsors and our great Gala Committee Co-Chaired by Joy Hobick and Judy Forrester. The Independence Events Center was transformed that evening from an arena to a festive ballroom thanks to the creative genius of Vicki Digby and her team at MeraVic. It’s a one night event but it takes a year-long commitment by a dedicated team of volunteers to make it a fabulous event.

On September 12th we had our official ribbon cutting for our new office at the Blue Ridge Bank Building at 4200 Little Blue Parkway, Suite 340. Five area chambers participated and their members were out in force. We had a great crowd helping us celebrate our new facility and truly appreciate all the community support. And thanks again to Blue Ridge Bank for their commitment to your community foundation and to the community which enabled us to be in this great facility. If you have not seen our new home and are in the neighborhood please stop in. We would be pleased to show you around.

In October we will have our first meeting of the “Eastern Jackson County Coalition for A Community for All Ages”. We are bringing the leadership of our community together to plan for the Silver Tsunami (Baby boomers maturing) so we can ride that demographic wave and not be washed away by it. We will have representatives from local governments, nonprofits, businesses, churches, health care, and civic organizations to explore how our Eastern Jackson County community can work together to create a Community for All Ages. I’ll have more to report next month in this newsletter.

Mark your calendar for our Grants Luncheon on Thursday November 10th where we will be awarding $140,000 in grants to nonprofits making a difference in our community and also recognizing the Founding Members of our Heartland Legacy Society which now has 81 members. We hope to see you at the luncheon.

Thank you for your support of your Community Foundation. It’s our pleasure to serve you as together we improve area communities by promoting and serving private giving for the public good.

Posted in Uncategorized |

Exciting things happening at Your Community Foundation!

Posted on August 26, 2011 by admin

We survived the move to our new office on August 5th and are thriving in our new space in Suite 340 of the Blue Ridge Bank Financial Center at 4200 Little Blue Parkway.  I continue to develop each day an even greater appreciation for the convenience of our location having driven to both Raytown and Lee’s Summit earlier today. It’s a great location and we are very appreciative of the support of Blue Ridge Bank and Trust and their providing a well below market arrangement so we can be in our great new facility.  

On Monday, September 12th at 4:00 PM we have an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony scheduled with 5 area Chambers of Commerce. Please plan on joining us for this celebration if you are available.  If you are not able to join us but are in the neighborhood sometime, please feel free to stop in and we would be happy to show you around.

On August 12th we had a great reception to recognize Rick Henks as our Dr. Paul M. Thomson Professional Advisor of the Year. Rick, who has worked with clients to generate over $20 Million in Planned Gifts for funds at the Foundation, was very gracious in his remarks and had great things to share regarding how the Community Foundation can be an important tool for charitable-minded people who want to leave a legacy to benefit their community. Rick will be one of the honorees at our upcoming gala.

Our big event, the 16th Annual Toast to our Towns Gala is coming up soon on Saturday September 24th. If you have not received your invitation yet please give us a call. It’s a community celebration that you don’t want to miss (See my earlier Blogs for details).

Please see our eNewsletter article regarding the great news on our Heartland Legacy Society. We have exceeded our membership goal and look forward to recognizing the Founding Members at our November Grants Luncheon on Thursday, November 10th at 11:30am at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Exciting things are happening and we want to thank you again for your support of your Community Foundation. It is our pleasure to serve you as together we improve area communities by promoting and serving private giving for the public good.

Posted in Uncategorized |

We’re Moving! and…Announcing Outstanding Citizens of the Year

Posted on July 29, 2011 by admin

Do you remember the last time you moved? Moving generates a lot of excitement but also a lot of work with the many logistical balls to juggle.  On Friday, August 5th, we are moving all our staff members to the Blue Ridge Bank Financial Center at 4200 Little Blue Parkway, Suite 340. This will be the first time we will have all five of our staff team at the same location. The plan is to move on Friday, get settled over that weekend and be back in full swing on Monday August 8th.   I want to thank Beverly Powell our CFO who has been doing a great job of coordinating all the logistics of the move which include a new phone system, additional furniture, purging unneeded files, setting up new computer network, etc. It will be great once we get there and will be a much more efficient space and location.

After our reception on August 12th honoring Rick Henks as our Paul M. Thomson Professional Advisor of the Year, we will be offering a tour of our new space. We may not be ready for prime time yet after only one week but this will give us incentive to get all those boxes unpacked.  Later this fall, we’ll be hosting an open house in conjunction with area Chambers.

Amidst the excitement around the office, we are also pleased to announce the Citizens of the Year for our Eastern Jackson County Communities. They were selected by their mayor and will be recognized at our 16th Annual Toast to Our Towns Gala on Saturday September 24th.

F. Mark Hissong & Steve Mokosak, Mayor Carson Ross from the City of Blue Springs

David “Scott” Hedger, Mayor Mike Todd from the City of Grain Valley

Jerry Mackey, Mayor Don Reimal from the City of Independence

Dr. Jim Elias, Mayor R.L. Scharfen from the City of Lake Winnebago

Dr. Emmanuel Ngomsi, Mayor Randall Rhoads from the City of Lee’s Summit

Danny & Dottie Hughes, Mayor Mark Fulks from the City of Oak Grove

Ben & Barbara Carmack, Mayor David Bower from the City of Raytown

Robert & Debbie Ray, Mayor Stanley Salva from the City of Sugar Creek

Make your plans today to attend this community celebration and learn more about the impact these Citizens of the Year have made in their community.  Invitations will be in the mail next week.  In addition, a special reception will be held early September at the home of Ken and Cindy McClain to honor their contributions.

As always, we are pleased to serve you and help you to make an impact in our community through your charitable giving. Thanks for your support of your Community Foundation!

Posted in Uncategorized |