How We Give: Caring for the Place that Raised you

Generations of donor partners have built Grand Rapids Community Foundation through gifts of many shapes and sizes. In the “How We Give” series, we highlight those carrying this legacy into our second century and helping our community thrive.

MEET DR. RALPH E. MATHIS. When he talks about this community, it’s easy to hear the fondness and responsibility Dr. Ralph Mathis feels. In his career as an obstetrician-gynecologist he cared for multiple generations of Grand Rapids families. As a philanthropist, with his late wife Yvonne, Ralph sees a responsibility to encourage the next generation. A gift from Ralph and Yvonne helped establish the African American Heritage Fund in 2006. Alongside support for education, opportunity and dignity, the Mathis family’s giving has focused on the wellbeing of children and underserved communities. Ralph recently shared more about his motivations and approach to giving in our community with LaSandra Gaddy, president and CEO.

LASANDRA: Why is giving back to our community a priority?

RALPH: When my father brought us here from Mississippi, our family did not have much. When it was time for me to go to college, I received an undergraduate scholarship to Aquinas College and later support while attending medical school at the University of Michigan. Without that help, I honestly would not have been able to afford higher education. Those experiences stayed with me.

My father always taught me, “Whatever success we have is not ours alone. It is built on the support of others.”

LASANDRA: Describe how you make giving decisions. Why has the Black Legacy Fund been part of your philanthropy?

RALPH: For me giving isn’t complicated. I try to support efforts that come from within the community and are meant to last, not just fix something for the moment. We have a responsibility to help strengthen the institutions that are working to make a difference for marginalized communities. For my wife and me, the Black Legacy Fund felt like a meaningful way for the community to invest in itself and in future generations.

One of the most lasting things we have been able to do is help establish the Dr. Ralph E. ’60 and Mrs. Yvonne L. Mathis ’79 Endowed Scholarship Fund at Aquinas College. Because it is an endowment, it continues year after year, creating opportunities for African American students long after we are gone.

My wife Yvonne and I always felt that if a community helps raise you, it is only right to give back to it. So we stayed involved where we could.

-Dr. Ralph E. Mathis

LASANDRA: Can you share your memories of when the African American Heritage Fund (now known as the Black Legacy Fund) was established?

RALPH: I remember when it was first being discussed. Jonse [Young, a former Community Foundation staff member] reached out to me and several others about being part of that early support. There was a real sense that a better way to engage and partner with the African American community was needed. It was key for the community to invest in its own future. The idea was to encourage a more structured, community-led approach, something that could grow and make a difference over time. I respected what it represented. Yvonne and I were already donors at the Community Foundation, and it was a natural fit for us.

LASANDRA: What is your hope for how future generations engage in philanthropy?

RALPH: I have always hoped the next generation would see giving back as something that is a normal part of life, not something you wait to do. One of the things I appreciate most now is seeing the next generation, our kids and their spouses, carry those same values forward in their own way. Every generation has a responsibility to help make sure someone else gets a chance too. My hope is that we have shown that blessings and opportunity mean more when you use them to open the door for someone else.

LASANDRA: Why do you choose to partner with Grand Rapids Community Foundation?

RALPH: The Community Foundation is made up of people who know this community and care about it for the long haul. For me, it has been a way to make sure what we give continues to do good even after we are gone. It really comes down to trust, and they have shown that they are dedicated to moving our community forward.

Grand Rapids Community Foundation is honored to support donor partners in discussing, establishing or adapting their philanthropic plans. To start a conversation, contact the development team at 616.454.1751.