SPRING 2020
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF BROWARD MAGAZINE
MATTERS
MATTERS
MATTERS
BOLD RECOVERY POWER OF ENDOWMENT:
Immediate Response, Long-term Commitment
NIMBLE RESOURCES:
Pivoting To Tackle Pressing Needs
SIGNS OF HOPE:
New Bright Spots Created Amid Crisis
About this issue: Local Philanthropy Is Key To Broward’s Recovery It happened so fast. Thanks to the power of The coronavirus threat that once seemed so far away found its way to Broward – and our lives haven’t been the same since. Shuttered businesses. Closed schools. Empty store shelves. Food bank lines. For a while it seemed hard to recognize the community we love. Yet just as fast as wearing masks and social distancing have become our new normal, local philanthropy has been ready to help Broward face this crisis – and whatever lies ahead. Since the onset of this crisis, support from Fundholders at the Community Foundation of Broward has been helping feed people in need, stabilize families facing unemployment, engage isolated seniors and much, much more. Endowed charitable Funds are fueling this immediate relief. And this is just the start. Recovery won’t happen overnight. The far-reaching effects of this unprecedented crisis are still unfolding.
endowment, the Community Foundation will be there every step of the way to drive real change and support the solutions Broward needs the most. The health of our residents. The economic future for our young people and struggling families. The frayed safety net of services for our booming elderly population. Even future support for the arts and the environment. These are among the Issues That Matter most to Broward’s future and they have all become more daunting because of the coronavirus crisis. The pages of this magazine provide a glimpse at how the Community Foundation’s leadership and our Fundholders’ support are helping Broward face this crisis. And these stories of BOLD impact fueled by endowed charitable Funds show how – now more than ever – local philanthropy can create a brighter future for Broward.
PRESIDENT/CEO
CONTRIBUTORS
2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Linda B. Carter
Annette Bauer Sheri Brown Carol Dorko Andrea Gregory Amanda Kah Mark Kotler Justine Morgan Jennifer Powers Angelica Rosas Abigail Symonds Nancy Thies Nancy Walton
James Donnelly – Chairman Juliet Murphy Roulhac – Vice Chairman Cynthia Borders-Byrd – Treasurer Kurt D. Zimmerman – Secretary Paige Hyatt – At Large Thomas R. Oliveri – At Large J. David Armstrong Jr. Doria M. Camaraza James B. Davis Louise F. Dill
VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Kirk Englehardt 910 East Las Olas Boulevard Suite 200 Fort Lauderdale Florida 33301 954.761.9503 cfbroward.org 2 Community Matters | Spring 2020
MANAGING EDITOR
Andy Reid DESIGN
Kind Design Advertising
Edward T. Hashek Marcell Haywood David W. Horvitz Steven W. Hudson Susanne Cornfeld Hurowitz Alice Lucia Jackson Anne K. Joyner Dara Levan Peggy Hogan Marker Dev Motwani
Inside: PAGE 6 PIVOTING TO TOP NEEDS How grant flexibility is getting food and needed supplies to hard-hit residents.
PAGE 10 BOLD RESOURCES FOR RECOVERY Why the BE BOLD Leadership Campaign is vital to Broward’s recovery.
PAGE 12 ESTATE PLANNING SURGE DURING CRISIS Expert answers to creating a legacy of impact.
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BROWARD BRIGHT SPOTS The ongoing work of local philanthropy brings good news amid crisis.
BOLD RESPONSE Endowed Funds are helping Broward recover from a pandemic that closed beaches and shuttered businesses. cfbroward.org
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Bold Response. Long The Power of Endowment Is Helping Broward Overcome The Coronavirus F
ood deliveries to isolated seniors. Rent assistance for families struggling after layoffs. Help to connect more Broward residents to crisis response services. These are just a few examples of the bold, immediate impact coming from the Community Foundation of Broward’s response to the crippling local effects of the coronavirus. The power of endowment makes this swift response possible. Thanks to forward-thinking philanthropists with endowed charitable Funds at the Community Foundation, we had resources ready to spring into action. Already about $2 million in immediate Foundation support is helping provide food, medication, housing aid and other essentials to address the dire needs of some of Broward’s most vulnerable residents.
“It’s going to be a long journey for our community to recover from this crisis. Endowed charitable Funds provide the critical, long-term support Broward needs to thrive.”
That immediate Foundation support includes easing grant restrictions so nonprofits on the front lines of this crisis have the flexibility to - Edward T. Hashek pivot and tackle Foundation Board Member residents’ most pressing needs. Also, as nonprofits themselves struggle with economic uncertainty from cancelled fundraisers, this grant flexibility helps sustain and grow the much-needed community services nonprofits provide. “Just when our community needs help the most, the endowed charitable Funds of visionary philanthropists are helping face this unprecedented crisis,” Foundation President/CEO Linda B. Carter said. To identify the most impactful ways to put endowed resources to use during this crisis, the Community Foundation’s philanthropy experts are doing the legwork and outreach to determine what is needed most and where. They are identifying strategically located projects able to deliver the biggest community impact – while avoiding duplicative efforts. As a result, a new wave of emergency grants that the Foundation’s Board of Directors approved in April has launched seven projects to provide critical services for residents at risk 4
Community Matters | Spring 2020
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2 Amid stay-at-home orders, the Community Foundation has stepped up outreach through phone calls and mailings as well as online strategies such as (1) video-conference board meetings, (2) frequent updates to our website, cfbroward.org, and (3) a weekly email newsletter.
of missing out on other crisis relief. This includes relief for seniors, the disabled, victims of domestic violence, residents who recently lost jobs and others who don’t qualify for federal assistance. These seven new projects and all of the Community Foundation’s ongoing coronavirus response efforts are focused on furthering our longstanding commitment to Broward’s Issues That Matter – 10 challenges that affect us all and are vital to our community, during this crisis and beyond.
g-term Commitment. BOLD IMPACT $500,000 for seven new crisis-response grants include: • Habitat for Humanity of Broward - Mortgage relief, emergency assistance, counseling and other outreach for families facing layoffs and other hardships. • 2-1-1 Broward - Added staff and technology enhancements to help this community services information and referrals phone line respond to increased calls. • PIRC (Parent’s Information & Resource Center) - Financial assistance and a food bank available to children and adults who receive mental health services at PIRC. Also provide ongoing mental health care for PIRC clients. • Women In Distress of Broward County - Safe housing and counseling for people who experience domestic violence. Help for domestic violence survivors who face job loss and reduced wages. • Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida One-time help to pay rent, mortgages or other housing fees for low-income families affected by the coronavirus. • Community Based Connections, Inc. – Help with rent, food, medication and other supplies for families in neighborhoods hardest hit by this crisis. Also care packages that include masks, hand sanitizer, grocery store gift cards for South Broward seniors. • H.O.M.E.S., Inc. – Create and deliver care packages of items such as food, toiletries, masks and grocery store gift cards for residents in severe need.
Support for the seven new grants came from the following Funds:
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More philanthropy that supports Economic Independence, Dignity in Aging, BFit and all of the Issues That Matter are crucial during this immediate crisis relief, and it’s only the beginning. The local consequences of the coronavirus are still unfolding and will be with us for years to come. Because endowed resources last forever, the Community Foundation is in this for the long haul.
Kearns Family Foundation Fund August Urbanek Family Fund Marlene Holder Fund for Broward Jan Moran Unrestricted Fund David and Francie Horvitz Family Fund Barbara and Michael G. Landry Fund for Broward Herschell and Margo Lewis Fund Drial Foundation Fund Mary N. Porter Community Impact Fund Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund Bank of America Unrestricted Fund Community Impact Fund cfbroward.org
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Grant Flexibility Helps Feed Browa Endowed Funds Enable Door-to-door Deliveries, Food Pantries And More Shuttered businesses. Lost jobs. Bills piling up. As the coronavirus began to make life harder for Broward residents already struggling to get by, innovative nonprofits sprang into action – with help from the Community Foundation of Broward. For example, the FLITE Center – dedicated to helping Broward’s young adults transition from foster care to life on their own – has launched an emergency pantry stocked with food, baby supplies, toilet paper and other much-needed essentials for day-to-day living. The FLITE Center is also providing rental assistance, utility assistance and other emergency aid to help young people who can’t rely on family support during this crisis. “Within the first two weeks of starting the pantry, we served over 100 youth with basic necessities,” said Maria Vo, FLITE Center Director of Business Development. “This pandemic is just hitting Broward County and the worst is yet to come.” To help other struggling residents, H.O.M.E.S., Inc. has started delivering care packages of food, toiletries, cloth masks and grocery store gift cards to hard-hit Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods. This immediate, door-to-door relief is going to people recently laid off from their jobs, people who are ill, the disabled, elderly residents isolated from vital services and others struggling to adapt to the effects of the coronavirus. “People are in need now,” said Katharine Barry, president of H.O.M.E.S., Inc., which promotes economic development and helps residents of lower-income areas become self-sufficient. “We are just doing what we can to help people who are in need.” All across Broward, nonprofits like the FLITE Center and H.O.M.E.S., Inc. have been pivoting to respond to the damaging effects of the coronavirus, thanks to grant flexibility provided by the Community Foundation.
“People are in need now. We are just doing what we can to help people who are in need.” - Katharine Barry president, H.O.M.E.S., Inc.
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Community Matters | Spring 2020
The FLITE Center has opened an emergency pantry to help young adults struggling
The Community Foundation provided more than $1 million in immediate crisis support by releasing restrictions on existing grants to help nonprofits facing the local effects of the coronavirus. It’s because of Fundholders who create flexible, enduring resources for the community they love that the Community Foundation is able to quickly direct support where it’s needed the most. And because these endowed Food, toiletries and grocery store Lauderdale residents, thanks to a resources last for generations, the Community Foundation will be able to fuel the long-term solutions struggling Broward residents need to overcome this crisis and stand on their own two feet. Before the current economic crisis, about half of Broward’s workers already struggled to afford housing costs that far outpaced local wages – making it difficult to pay monthly bills and also save for emergencies. For many, a car repair, medical bill or other unexpected expenses threatened to push them into economic despair. And then along came the coronavirus. Philanthropy that supports more affordable housing, job training, emergency expenses and other efforts to help
ard During Crisis
Collaboration Connects Nonprofits to Coronavirus Relief With local nonprofits facing an uncertain future, the Community Foundation used the power of collaboration to deliver fast answers to important questions about new federal coronavirus relief opportunities. Just days after the $2 trillion CARES Act was signed into law, we joined forces with the region’s other major philanthropic organizations for an exclusive webcast. It connected local nonprofits to financial experts who could help them navigate complicated rules for getting federal loans to fill budget shortfalls and keep people employed.
to get needed supplies during the coronavirus crisis.
More than 1,000 people participated in the first-ofits-kind webinar, produced in collaboration with Berkowitz Pollack Brant Advisors and CPAs. The firm’s experts explained how to apply for paycheck protection program loans, and how to ensure loans are forgivable through the CARES Act. With this help, the nonprofits that participated in the webinar have received nearly $5 million in federal relief. More webinars and other outreach are planned as needed. They are examples of how the Community Foundation creates bold impact through collaboration and partnerships. “We’re all in this together,” Community Foundation President/CEO Linda B. Carter said. “And together we’ll help Broward through this crisis and beyond.”
gift cards are among items included in care packages being delivered to struggling Fort project started by H.O.M.E.S., Inc. with support from the Community Foundation of Broward.
The Community Foundation of Broward teamed with these South Florida philanthropic organizations to help nonprofits access federal coronavirus relief opportunities.
hardworking residents become self-sufficient are among the ways Community Foundation Fundholders tackle Economic Independence – one of Broward’s top Issues That Matter. More support for programs that promote Economic Independence will be key to overcoming the immediate and long-term local effects of the coronavirus. It’s how local philanthropists can help neighbors in need get through this current crisis – and be better prepared for future economic challenges. cfbroward.org
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Philanthropy Family Tradition The Kearns Family’s Relationship With The Community Foundation Fuels Coronavirus Relief The Kearns family steps up during times of crisis. They do it with philanthropy that provides a hand up, so struggling people can become self-sufficient. It’s a family tradition of giving that Dick and Ginnie Kearns nurtured during their six decades of marriage. It’s a lesson they passed down to their children. And it’s a family legacy of philanthropy that Dick and Ginnie cemented through the creation of their endowed charitable Fund at the Community Foundation of Broward.
KEARNS FAMILY FOUNDATION FUND
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION of BROWARD
Support from the Kearns Family Foundation Fund is a big part of the $500,000 in new Community Foundation crisis-relief grants to get food, rent assistance, counseling and other much-needed help to isolated seniors, the disabled, residents who recently lost jobs and others at risk of missing out on other aid. Our team knew the Kearns Family would want to be part of this vital coronavirus relief for Broward. It’s the result of a close relationship between the family and the Community Foundation, nurtured over years of helping them find the best ways for their Fund to make the biggest impact. While Dick and Ginnie have passed and their children, Tom Kearns and Nancy Albury, have moved away, the Kearns Family’s commitment to Broward endures through their endowed Fund and their ongoing relationship with the Community Foundation.
Today, the Kearns Family Foundation Fund is stepping up in a big way to help Broward residents face the coronavirus crisis. More than $83,000 in support from the Kearns Family Foundation Fund is helping fuel new Community Foundation grants that target the dire needs of some of Broward’s most vulnerable residents. “The Kearns Family has entrusted us to find ways for their Fund to make the most impact for residents of Broward,” said Sheri Brown, Foundation Vice President of Community Impact. “Broward is close to their heart and they want to do what they can to help in such a critical time of need.”
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Community Matters | Spring 2020
Dick and Ginnie Kearns
Support from the Kearns Family Foundation Fund is a big part of the new Community Foundation crisis-relief grants
Nancy Albury said she and her brother grew up in Broward and they want to help their community through a very tough time. They trust the Community Foundation to help make it happen. “So many residents, suffering from the loss of jobs and cuts in pay, are struggling to make ends meet. Seniors are especially isolated at this time. Sadly, the list goes on,” Nancy said. “But we feel that the Community Foundation of Broward will respond effectively to this crisis and provide the greatest impact where it is needed most.”
FINDING DYNAMIC SOLUTIONS During Stay-At-Home Orders
The Slow Burn Theatre Company has launched new online Elder Arts Workshops to keep seniors engaged with the arts during the coronavirus stay-at-home orders.
When the coronavirus threatened to close the curtain on an So the Fort Lauderdale-based theatre group launched its online Elder Arts Workshops. These engaging videos are a fill-in for preshow workshops that were cancelled, along with the shows, by coronavirus stay-at-home orders. The new online workshops feature singalongs, name-that-tune challenges and dance lessons (that seniors can do while seated), all inspired by the theatre group’s musical productions.
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At a time when seniors especially aren’t supposed to leave their homes, the Slow Burn Theatre Company found a way to keep them connected to the arts.
These nonprofit groups and many more are able to pivot and provide dynamic online services like these thanks to help from Fundholders at the Community Foundation of Broward.
“Although we are currently all experiencing social isolation, we feel that seniors in our community are perhaps the forgotten group,” said Julie Valent, of the Slow Burn Theatre Company. “Staying involved in the arts will help them stay active while continuing an activity that they are familiar with and enjoy.”
In response to the coronavirus, the Community Foundation is modifying existing grants to free up support they can use for coronavirus relief. Fundholders with endowed charitable Funds at the Community Foundation make it possible to provide this flexible support for nonprofits on the front lines of the local coronavirus response.
Slow Burn Theatre’s new website videos are just one example of how local nonprofits are finding innovative ways to provide online services that help Broward residents face the local effects of the coronavirus. For example:
“The grant flexibility and support from the Community Foundation of Broward has allowed the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County to do whatever it takes to continue shaping futures,” said Chris Gentile, of the Boys & Girls Clubs. “While our service delivery model has changed, supporting families will continue. We are working hard to meet the current challenges and the many more that lie ahead.”
arts program that breaks through senior isolation, the Slow Burn Theatre Company decided the show must go on.
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Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital: The Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital posts educational videos on its Facebook page and offers to collaborate with teachers to craft virtual field trips. Junior Achievement of South Florida: As schools have switched to online learning for the rest of the school year, Junior Achievement is offering free
online resources to parents and teachers. They include money management lessons, career planning tools and more created for students from elementary through high school. Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County: When the clubs had to close, the organization began posting virtual lessons and activities for kids stuck at home. How to make puppets, an online exploration of national parks and a celebrity read-along are examples of the fun and educational online activities available through the clubs’ website.
As nonprofits have to cancel fundraisers and deal with a dip in donations during these uncertain times, the lasting resources that come from endowed charitable Funds at the Community Foundation are a source of enduring support they can rely on to help sustain their important work.
cfbroward.org
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BE BOLD A bold new movement to shape a brighter future for
Broward started long before a devastating pandemic reached our shores.
The far-reaching effects of this crisis will be with us for years to come. Our community requires more endowed resources to fuel the long-term solutions Broward needs during this crisis and beyond.
Since 2018, the Community Foundation of Broward’s BE BOLD Leadership Campaign has fueled innovation and inspired new thinking. Through the power of endowment, the BE BOLD Leadership Campaign continues to create permanent resources to tackle Broward’s biggest challenges.
Here’s why two of Broward’s most dedicated philanthropists say the BE BOLD Leadership Campaign – which they have both stepped up to support – is now more important than ever.
Thanks to local philanthropists who have created endowed charitable Funds at the Community Foundation, we were ready to respond when the coronavirus struck. Their Funds are making it possible to: • Help struggling families become self-sufficient. • Empower residents to get healthier. • Create a greater safety net of services for isolated seniors. • Provide forever resources – available during good times and bad – for the arts, the environment and all of Broward’s Issues That Matter.
Community Foundation of Broward Board Chairman James Donnelly and Foundation Board Member Steven W. Hudson, who is chairman of the BE BOLD Leadership Campaign, have both created endowed charitable Funds at the Community Foundation.
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Now more than ever! JAMES DONNELLY Community Foundation Board Chairman
“Housing, hunger and mental health are examples of the community needs that are increasing during this crisis. The BE BOLD Leadership Campaign provides the resources to tackle these challenges and to help to fill the other gaps exposed by the coronavirus.” “Most nonprofit organizations fundraise each year for that year’s needs. When a crisis occurs, their revenue often slows, making it difficult to meet the community’s current need.” “What makes the Community Foundation of Broward different is its focus on creating endowed charitable Funds. Endowed Funds are insulated from year-to-year fluctuations in economic circumstances. They ensure vital resources are there for our community, when our community needs them the most.” “The BE BOLD Leadership Campaign is empowering leaders in our community to make a difference in the community they love – today and forever.”
STEVEN W. HUDSON
Community Foundation Board Member and BE BOLD Leadership Campaign Chairman
“Our community is suffering in so many ways due to the coronavirus crisis. It reinforces why our community needs the BE BOLD Leadership Campaign, now more than ever.” “I don’t believe anyone truly believed that our entire country, and most of the world, would end up in complete lockdown. Locally, this has been devastating to many individuals in our community.” “The Community Foundation is a trusted community partner, uniquely suited to respond to unforeseen events by deploying dollars from endowed charitable Funds where they are needed the most.” “Creating an unrestricted endowed charitable Fund at the Community Foundation is a powerful way to ensure your philanthropy can address whatever happens in our community.”
To learn more, visit www.cfbroward.org/be-bold cfbroward.org 11
Americ
ans scramble to s a u p s d a e te g w r ills amid coronfiale and u s s l l i w r virus crisis Demandirfous has ‘focused coronav minds’ Coronavirus leads to surge in wills: people’s ‘Everyone is thinking about their mortality’ .com
USA Today
ABC NEWS ONLINE
Crisis Triggers Estate Planning Surge Q&A with Estate Attorney Kurt Zimmerman
As the number of people infected by the coronavirus began to grow, lawyers in Broward and across the country had a huge increase in requests to prepare wills and update estate plans. In this Q&A, estate attorney Kurt Zimmerman shares his insights about the importance of estate planning and how to leave a positive legacy. Kurt is a Community Foundation of Broward Board Member and Chairman of the Foundation’s Professional Advisors Council.
Q: Why does it take a crisis to inspire more
people to create a will or update estate plans?
A: “It’s human nature for people to delay their estate
planning. We’re all usually busy with our day-to-day lives and have more immediate things to think about and do. It usually takes a significant life event to get people to stop and think about what will happen with their assets once they’re gone, as well as the legacy they leave behind. For many, this coronavirus crisis is the significant life event that’s pushing them to get organized. That’s because this pandemic isn’t something happening thousands of miles away, it’s happening right here, right now in our community.”
Q: Why is having a will and an
updated estate plan so important?
A: “Creating a will and estate plan is one of the most
important things a person will ever do. You’ve worked hard for the money and assets you’ve accumulated over the years. Your estate plan is your chance to be thoughtful about your legacy. It’s an opportunity to ensure ongoing support for your loved ones. It’s also a chance to include charitable estate gifts that lock-in support for your community and the issues and organizations that are important to you. Wills and estate plans are more than just divvying up assets. They help shape how you will be remembered. They help you create a bold impact.”
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Q: How can collaborating with the Community
Foundation of Broward help people create a bold, lasting impact with their wills and estate plans?
A: “Many people want to include charitable gifts in their
wills and estate plans, but they don’t know which individual charities to choose. They want to know that their gifts will make a real difference and create a lasting legacy. That’s where the Community Foundation of Broward provides a real value.” “The Community Foundation has a more than 30-year track record of fostering philanthropy that moves the needle on the issues that matter most in Broward. Many of my clients are delighted to learn how the Community Foundation’s philanthropic expertise and unmatched local knowledge can help them get the most out of their charitable giving – and create a legacy of bold community impact.” “Through the Community Foundation, my clients can establish endowed charitable Funds, in their name, that fuel solutions to Broward’s big issues. They can create their endowed charitable Fund with a gift through their estate plan or they can go ahead and create a Fund today – so they can start to have an immediate impact and enjoy seeing their resources in action. In both cases, they have peace of mind knowing that the Community Foundation is a leader in our community, financially strong and stable, and will be here forever.
How Lesley Helps Broward Today And Forever The Community Foundation of Broward’s Fundholders and Legacy Society members believe in the power of endowment to change lives and transform the community they love. Here’s why Lesley Mitchell Jones of Fort Lauderdale says she “became a believer” in the Community Foundation of Broward:
Lesley Mitchell Jones
“I needed a partner who could help organize my giving today – and ensure my estate continues making a difference for the community long after I’m gone.” “At first, I thought the Community Foundation of Broward’s reputation of helping philanthropists create a bold, lasting impact sounded too good to be true. But learning more about the Community Foundation’s strength, expertise and community leadership made me a believer.” “The Foundation’s expert team helped me create three endowed charitable Funds, in my name, so I could start having an impact on the community right away. And when I’m gone, my remaining assets will pour into these endowed Funds to amplify my support for this community I love.” “During this current crisis and whatever new challenges lie ahead for Broward, I know my philanthropy will make a real difference.” “It feels good to BE BOLD!”
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BOLD LEGACY, LASTING IMPACT How An Endowed Fund, Created A Decade Ago, Tackles Coronavirus
MARY AND ALEX MACKENZIE COMMUNITY IMPACT FUND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION of BROWARD
Mary Mackenzie didn’t know the coronavirus was coming when she established her unrestricted endowed charitable Fund at the Community Foundation of Broward more than a decade ago.
The important short-term help from Mary’s Fund is just the beginning. Unrestricted endowed Funds like Mary’s will also be here to provide the lasting support Broward will need once the crisis ends and our community moves down the long road to recovery.
Mary did know she wanted to create a bold and lasting impact for the community she loved. She wanted her philanthropy to fuel solutions to Broward’s biggest needs of the day – as well as the unknown challenges that would come our way. So, Mary created her endowed Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund with no restrictions – able to evolve with Broward. She didn’t keep her Fund narrowly focused to one issue because she knew the community’s needs would change over time. She wanted her Fund to help make a difference, come what may. And today, when Broward needs local philanthropy more than ever, Mary’s Fund is at the forefront of the local response to the coronavirus. Her Fund is helping: • Feed people in need. • Stabilize families facing unemployment. • Engage isolated seniors. • Boost access to online mental health counseling for those struggling with anxiety. • And much, much more! This is exactly the kind of flexible and responsive philanthropy Mary envisioned.
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Mary Mackenzie
“Mary had the utmost confidence in the Community Foundation of Broward and I am sure that she would be very happy with the state of her Fund and proud of the good that it is providing,” - William Sullivan Mary’s estate attorney and a former Foundation Board Member
Since it was established, the Mary and Alex Mackenzie Community Impact Fund has boldly tackled Broward’s biggest issues, which have grown even more daunting due to the coronavirus. Over the years, her Fund has: • Helped boost Broward’s high school graduation rate. • Moved hundreds of struggling families to financial stability. • Furthered acceptance and inclusion of Broward’s LGBT residents. • Enabled children aging out of foster care to transition to independence. • Improved the quality of life and reduced isolation for Broward seniors. • Invested in efforts to tackle climate change. • Found forever homes for thousands of shelter animals. • Fueled clinical trials for cutting- edge cancer treatments. Mary, who died in 2008, had said she wanted her gift to the Community Foundation to do the most good for the longest time possible. Because she created an endowed charitable Fund, Mary’s legacy of impact will last forever.
Good News Amid Crisis As the Community Foundation takes on the far-reaching challenges the coronavirus brings, our Fundholders’ bold philanthropy continues to create new bright spots in our community. Here are two examples.
Inspiring New Mosaics at Birch State Park
New Fitness Attraction in Lighthouse Point
Colorful signs of the sea now welcome beachgoers to one of Fort Lauderdale’s best new selfie destinations – which also provides safe passage to Hugh Taylor Birch State Park.
Support from the Elaine Krupnick Fund for the Arts made it possible to create these inspiring mosaics.
Lighthouse Point residents can now enjoy new park improvements, thanks to support from the James C. Acheson Fund at the Community Foundation of Broward. That’s because Jim Acheson’s philanthropy through the Community Foundation continues to make a bold impact in the community he loves, even amid the coronavirus crisis. This time, support from his charitable Fund has transformed Frank McDonough Park. The park project removed two worn out racquetball courts that weren’t getting much use and turned that space into a new outdoor fitness destination for residents. The new features include body-weight resistance workout equipment such as a sit-up bench, chest press, pull-up bars, leg press, push-up station and more. It’s an ideal spot for adults to squeeze in a workout while they keep an eye on their children or grandchildren playing nearby.
They add to the natural beauty of the area and entice people to use the tunnel, which has become a showcase for Art of Community - public art projects that unite and inspire residents and make Broward a more vibrant place to live.
Jim has a long history of supporting the community he loves. Emergency equipment for the fire department, restoration of the Hillsboro Lighthouse, scholarships and more are all made possible by Jim Acheson’s endowed Fund at the Community Foundation.
Vibrant mosaics depicting seaside images enliven the once-barren entrances to the park’s pedestrian tunnel under A1A, just north of Sunrise Boulevard, thanks to a newly completed Art of Community project. Sea turtles, crashing waves and waving sea oats now sparkle in the sun at the entrance to the 70-year-old tunnel. And visitors lured by this beachfront tableau can go into the tunnel and find an under-the-sea mural – with sharks, manatees and schools of fish spread across a concrete canvas – that started this tunnel transformation last year.
ELAINE KRUPNICK FUND FOR THE ARTS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION of BROWARD
JAMES C. ACHESON FUND
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION of BROWARD
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473 charitable Funds $212 million in assets u 35 years of experience u $119 million in community grants u Ranked in top 100 community foundations u u
The CARES Act Can Boost Your Philanthropy! New tax incentives can increase your giving power in 2020!
Learn more at: cfbroward.link/CARES-Act-Incentives