President’s Message

Often, significant progress toward meeting community needs is the result of decades of financial support and volunteer leadership. That is certainly true for the Community Foundation, as $5,600 raised by volunteers in 1956 has grown to more than $100,000,000 in assets at the beginning of 2022. Families and businesses have contributed to this growth and the expanded impact we enjoy today. The expectation to give extends across generations, and new pathways for service are uncovered each year.

2021 was the beginning of a pivot out of desperate circumstances as we advance toward a brighter future. The Community Foundation completed its third $100,000 award to the COVID-19 Relief Fund. We continued to make grants from our discretionary accounts to address the crisis families experience when safe and convenient housing exceeds their modest budgets.

Last year, the Community Foundation and a handful of our Donor Advised Funds made $100,000 impact investments with the Greenville Housing Fund. Investments provide a rate of return, and when repaid, the money can be reinvested in more housing efforts or for any charitable purpose. This new tool for deploying resources has the power to accelerate the renovation and construction of budget-friendly dwellings.

In this report we feature a local artist, two families that have established Donor Advised Funds with us, and the executive director of a dynamic local nonprofit. All are servant leaders, demonstrating what author Bryan Stevenson describes as being proximate to the work. They are examples of people called to give time and money to change lives. Although their efforts reflect different priorities, they have in common a desire to serve and contribute. Another trait they share is a sense of optimism and hope.

The motivations for philanthropy remain constant across generations and cultures, yet the context of time and place gives rise to subtle differences. The whole community benefits as the landscape of charitable giving becomes more inclusive. For example, Roberto Cortez, the artist featured in this report, draws on the influence of the Mission District of San Francisco in his art and the cuisine he and his wife prepare at ASADA. Like many Hispanic families, their lives and work are colorful threads interwoven with the tapestry of a place that was once the textile center of the world. A highlight of 2021 was Greenville’s Wings of the City exhibition by worldrenowned Mexican artist Jorge Marín, sponsored by the Hispanic Alliance. Falls Park, championed by Carolina Foothills Garden Club, with its Liberty Bridge designed by Miguel Rosales is a dramatic testament to how Greenville celebrates its past while embracing new traditions. We are welcoming new residents from around the world who bring their own traditions of service and philanthropy.

It is inspiring to see the impact of past civic visionaries and the promise of new pathways unfolding around us.

Sincerely,

Bob Morris