PARTNERS in community | Fall 2018

ONE HUNDRED NEW PHILANTHROPISTS:

Nick Thole and Amy Turner-Thole WHY DO YOU GIVE? Nick and Amy give to make a difference in people’s lives.

In fact, that’s the first question they ask themselves when making giving decisions.

“We want to support efforts that lead to systemic change and advance equity,” Nick said. “Our family loves living in metro Grand Rapids, but we need to make sure this is a great community for everyone, a place where all children and families can thrive.”

“When we give, we get to live in a stronger community and feel like we had a role—even a small role—in strengthening it,” Amy added. “Individually, our gifts may not make a significant difference. Collectively, we can change systems and empower people who have historically been marginalized.”

Nick Thole and Amy Turner-Thole have been in the Grand Rapids community for almost 20 years. They now live in East Grand Rapids with their children—Alex, age 12, and Lauren, age 11. Nick is the CFO at Amway, and Amy works with nonprofits focused on early childhood and education. “We love that Grand Rapids maintains the close sense of community that you associate with a small town while still offering much of the culture, entertainment and restaurants of a big city,” Nick said.

WHY GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION? “The Community Foundation understands the diverse needs of the community and is in it for the long haul.

There are no quick fixes to longstanding, systemic problems. Because of the kind of work the Community Foundation does, we feel like our gifts will have a lasting impact. That impact is magnified tremendously when combined with everyone else’s gifts,” Nick said.

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A.R.L.

When they aren’t exploring Grand Rapids, they enjoy traveling with their kids. “We really got the bug to explore when we lived in Munich, Germany, for two years while Nick was working there with Amway,” Amy said.

Supporting the health, development and education of vulnerable children is most important to them. They believe all children should dream big and have the opportunity to pursue their dreams. “Far too many children in our community face barriers that keep them from reaching their full potential and ultimately realizing their dreams. We want all kids in Grand Rapids to have the same opportunities our own kids have,” Amy said.

B.+B.S.

As Grand Rapids Community Foundation moves toward its 100th anniversary in 2022, we want to recognize people’s philanthropy. That’s why we created our One Hundred New Philanthropists campaign. This outreach effort asks people to do just four simple things:

Make an annual gift to the Community Foundation; Volunteer in the community; Make a provision in your estate plan for the Community Foundation; Share your philanthropic story with us.

If you are interested in joining One Hundred New Philanthropists, please contact Jenine Torres at 616.454.1751 x126 or jtorres@grfoundation.org.