This belief has guided them in every part of their lives, but most importantly, in their own family. Harrel shared “We have a big family, and a lot of the things we’ve done are for the children to see that giving is important in our family. We want to establish an attitude that giving is a good thing and gives us a good feeling.” 

To put that belief into action, the Timmons have used two methods of giving at Galesburg Community Foundation. First, they established a Donor-Advised Fund, that allows them to direct funds to organizations as need arises, and secondly, they recently created three designated endowment funds to support Carl Sandburg College, Salvation Army, and St. Jude’s Children Hospital, all organizations they care deeply about.  

“If an organization has an emergency or needs something specific that we like the sound of, we can use our Donor Advised Fund to support that. The three endowment funds we created are for specific organizations, and what we really like about that is that they are forever. Endowment helps an organization use their money wisely, because it gives them a certain amount each year, which allows them to plan for the long term,” explained Harrel. 

“By establishing endowment funds, the Timmons built something permanent, something that will continue to give back to the causes and people they care about long into the future. Each year, the funds will provide steady support for students seeking opportunity at Carl Sandburg, families in times of hardship through Salvation Army, and children receiving life-saving care at St. Jude,” commented Josh Gibb, President & CEO.  

The couple’s giving was also benefited from the new Illinois Gives Tax Credit, which provides a 25% state income tax credit for gifts to eligible endowment funds at qualified community foundations. For Harrel and Judy, they explained that “The tax credit certainly was an added bonus, but it wasn’t just about that, we wanted to do something to support these organizations, and the Community Foundation made it simple to do that.” 

“We like that endowment doesn’t end,” Judy commented. “It just keeps helping people forever.”  

For Harrel and Judy, that simple idea of neighbors helping neighbors has been a guiding principle throughout their lives. Through their endowments at Galesburg Community Foundation, they’ve found a way to make that kindness continue, quietly, and steadily, for years to come.  

To learn more about establishing or supporting an endowment fund, contact Sarah Grant at Galesburg Community Foundation.  

The post Neighbors Helping Neighbors:  The Timmons Family Philosophy of Giving   appeared first on Galesburg Community Foundation.

As Anna crafted her estate plans, it was crucial that her passions be supported after her lifetime while maintaining her family farm’s dedication to production agriculture. Through careful estate planning and the assistance of the Galesburg Community Foundation, Anna’s wishes are being fulfilled.  

“A significant asset within Anna’s estate that Anna had was acreage here in Knox County. The Community Foundation has accepted that acreage and will maintain land ownership. We are honoring the tenant relationship that Anna had, and we will use the income from owning and operating that land to fulfill Anna’s charitable interests,” explained Joshua Gibb, Galesburg Community Foundation President & CEO.  

The income from the Johnson farm will directly support the not-for-profit organizations that Anna chose during her lifetime and give Galesburg Community Foundation the ability to make grants that support unknown needs within the region, specifically within the arts community.  

“When Anna was establishing her estate plans, she wanted to make sure that my family would be able to operate the farm and still support the causes she cared about after her lifetime,” shared Hennenfent. 

Anna’s gift, valued at approximately $8.5 million, represents the largest estate gift in the Foundation’s 20-year history. Her legacy inspires and sustains the organizations and causes she valued most, including the Knox-Galesburg Symphony. 

“Anna’s generosity is transformative for both our organization and the community,” said Lucas Wood, Executive Director of the Knox-Galesburg Symphony.  KGS is a local organization that will receive an annual grant from the Community Foundation because of Anna’s gift. 

To learn more about estate planning, visit yourgcf.org.  

View this link to hear more about Anna’s Story.  

The post A Legacy of Generosity and Impact appeared first on Galesburg Community Foundation.

Some of the projects that will be funded include forensic science lab materials at Knoxville High School, an outdoor learning oasis at United Junior High School, and an American Sign Language Curriculum at Monmouth-Roseville High School.

“By providing flexible funding directly to educators, mini grants not only bolster classroom learning but also foster a sense of support and appreciation within the local community for the crucial work teachers do every day,” said Sarah Grant, Director of Development at the Galesburg Community Foundation.

Mini grants receive funding from Community Funds, which are funds of Galesburg Community Foundation. Each Community Fund has a local advisory board that is empowered to award grants that positively impact their community and residents. Because they are endowments, Community Funds grow forever, creating a permanent source of financial support for local needs.

To expand funding for teachers in the United School District this year, the United 304 Foundation Fund co-funded grants with the Alexis Community Fund for United North Elementary School and the United 304 Foundation Fund co-funded grants with the Becky Carlson Teacher Mini Grant Fund for grants at United West Elementary School.

“Through collaboration, these funders are amplifying their impact,” said Joshua Gibb, President and CEO of Galesburg Community Foundation. “By pooling resources and expertise, they’re not just supporting educators; they’re investing in the future of our students.”

Below is a list of teachers, schools, projects, and funders of teacher mini grants for the 2024-25 academic year.

Knoxville CUSD #202

• Jennifer Black, Knoxville High School – Forensic Science Lab Materials (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Deborah Dunlap, Knoxville High School – Start German Program (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Jolene Parrish, Mable Woolsey Elementary School – Art Supplies (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Kaelee Potter, Mable Woolsey Elementary School – Building Academic, Creativity, and Functional Skills Supports (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Katie Smith, Knoxville High School – Life Skills Enrichment (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Ellen Shrader – Mable Woolsey Elementary School, Young Students Need Keyboarding Skills (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Katie Frey, Knoxville Junior High – STEM Recharge (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Amy Hopper, Knoxville Junior High – STEM Cricut Creations (Knoxville Community Fund)
• Terrah Myers, Mable Woolsey Elementary School – Math Professional Development Book Study (Knoxville Community Fund)

United CUSD #304

• Keeley Brinkmeier, United North Elementary – Flexible Workspace for Active Learning: Enhancing Collaboration and Creativity (Alexis Community Fund, United 304 Foundation Fund)
• Lynsey Temple, United North Elementary –Classroom Library Improvements (Alexis Community Fund, United 304 Foundation Fund)
• Melinda Fry, United Junior High School – Outdoor Learning Oasis (United 304 Foundation Fund)
• Nikki Robertson, United West Elementary – Classroom Materials (Becky Carlson Teacher Mini Grant Fund, United 304 Foundation Fund)
• United North Elementary – Operation Kindergarten Success (Alexis Community Fund, United 304 Foundation Fund)
• Mindy Murray, United North Elementary – If You Build a Library, They Will Read (United 304 Foundation Fund)
• Bethany Allen, United West Elementary – Classroom Library (United 304 Foundation Fund, Becky Carlson Teacher Mini Grant Fund)
• Chelsea Logsdon, United West Elementary School – SEL Sensory Room (United 304 Foundation Fund, Becky Carlson Teacher Mini Grant Fund)
• Anna Hinton, United Junior High School – Outdoor Learning Oasis (United 304 Foundation Fund, Becky Carlson Teacher Mini Grant Fund)
• Breanna Ryner, United North Elementary – SEL Learning (United 304 Foundation Fund, Alexis Community Fund)
• Kelsi Kleine, United West Elementary – Sensory Room/Office (United 304 Foundation Fund, Becky Carlson Teacher Mini Grant Fund)

Monmouth-Roseville CUSD #238

• Cammy Davis, Central Intermediate School – Flexible Classroom Seating (Monmouth and Roseville Community Funds)
• Nicole Trego, Monmouth-Roseville High School – American Sign Language Curriculum (Monmouth and Roseville Community Funds)

The post Enhancing Classroom Experiences: Community Funds Award Mini Grants to Teachers appeared first on Galesburg Community Foundation.

From a mini golf course upgrade to a robotics team to a summer reading program, Community Funds in Alexis, Knoxville, Monmouth, Roseville, and Williamsfield recently distributed 15 grants to organizations that serve their communities.

Community Funds, which are funds of Galesburg Community Foundation, are guided by local advisory boards that are empowered to award grants that positively impact their communities and residents. Because they are endowments, Community Funds grow forever, creating a permanent source of financial support for local needs.

This year, the Community Funds collaborated to co-fund grants to four of the organizations that provide services to multiple communities. “This collective approach to granting from multiple Community Funds offers organizations a unique opportunity to access diverse resources and expertise, amplifying the impact of their initiatives,” said Jillian Isaacson, Director of Grants & Program at Galesburg Community Foundation. “Co-granting fosters innovation, collaboration, and sustainability, empowering organizations to address complex challenges more effectively and create lasting change in our communities.”

Below is the list of organizations that received Community Grants and the Community Funds that awarded the grants.

• Buchanan Center for the Arts – Arts for All (Monmouth)
• CASA of West Central Illinois – CASA Volunteer Recruitment (Alexis, Knoxville, Monmouth)
• Knoxville Robotics Team – FIRST Tech Challenge (Knoxville)
• Junk 4 Jingles – Funding assistance for Knox County Salvation Army Angel Tree children (Knoxville)
• Knoxville United Methodist Church – Food for Knoxville Food Pantry (Knoxville)
• Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank – Diaper and Period Product Distribution (Knoxville, Monmouth)
• Roseville Kids Place – Early Childhood Operations (Roseville)
• Strom Center, Inc. – Expansion of Space for Programs (Monmouth)
• Village of Alexis – Main Street Christmas Decorations (Alexis)
• Alexis Museum – Repairs (Alexis)
• Warren County Public Library District – Summer Reading Program (Monmouth, Roseville)
• Warren Achievement Center – Achieving Greatness: slowing the progression, or onset, of dementia (Monmouth)
• Warren County YMCA – Camp Meskwaki Campus Pavilion (Alexis, Monmouth, Roseville)
• Williamsfield Area Food Pantry and Resource Center – Williamsfield Area Food Pantry (Williamsfield)
• Williamsfield Parks Association – Doubet-Benjamin Park Mini Golf Upgrade (Williamsfield)

The post Community Funds Across Knox and Warren Counties Empower Local Initiatives with 15 Grants appeared first on Galesburg Community Foundation.

“Our mission is to be a center of information and one of the ways that people get information and share information is through other people, whether that’s by celebrating cultural milestones, exchanging ideas, or holding public discourse,” said Galesburg Public Library Director Noelle Thompson. “The Community Room is a place where people can give and share information, either face-to-face or virtually.”

Galesburg Community Foundation worked with the Galesburg Public Library Foundation to make the Community Room at the new 68,000-square-foot library at the corner of Academy and Main Streets a reality by offering a 2:1 match grant challenge as an incentive for individual donors to give to the campaign. For every $2 donated, the Community Foundation matched an additional $1 up to $350,000.

 “We wanted to give the library a tool that would allow them to connect with members of the community,” said Joshua Gibb, President and CEO of Galesburg Community Foundation. “We also wanted to give members of the community a chance to see what can happen when they give together. The Community Room was our chance to do both.”

By the end of the campaign, more than $700,000 had been donated through the challenge, unlocking the Foundation match and resulting in a total gift of more than $1,050,000 that was used by the Galesburg Public Library Foundation to build out the library’s Community Room.

“I don’t know if we would have been able to complete this project without the Community Foundation’s involvement, not just because of the match, but because of the way they fired up the community to get involved,” said Thompson. “The library belongs to this community and was built by them, and we couldn’t have succeeded without the community’s investment and involvement in the process.”

The room comes equipped with a projector and screen, audio system with ceiling speakers, assisted listening device, two podiums, a mobile white board, and tables and chairs to accommodate 360 sitting or 500 standing. “It’s a gathering space meant to be as flexible and versatile as possible,” said Thompson. There’s even a serving kitchen with a large commercial refrigerator, microwave, and a limited supply of utensils and kitchenware. To be able to reach as many people as possible, the space is also available outside of library hours in the evenings and on weekends, as well as while the library is operating.

“The Community Foundation’s encouragement of community involvement was a catalyst for widespread support and enthusiasm for this project,” said Heather Sipes, Galesburg Public Library Foundation Executive Director. “We are excited about the future and the impact the new Community Room will have.”

The post Connecting the Community: Grant supports multi-purpose Community Room appeared first on Galesburg Community Foundation.

It’s probably been a while since you added in the “half” to your answer, but if you’re over the age of 70 ½, you can make a charitable contribution directly from your IRA to a fund at Galesburg Community Foundation tax free. If you’re 73 or older, this gift will count toward your required annual minimum distribution.

Steve Medhurst got a letter from his financial advisor, Dan Butler, reminding him that he had reached the age where he needed to make a required annual minimum distribution from his IRA. If he didn’t make the distribution, there would be a significant tax penalty. “He told me that we were going to have to start spending some money,” laughed Steve.

Steve and his wife, Doris, consider themselves financially comfortable and when Dan mentioned that they may want to consider allocating the distribution to local charities, the couple started looking at where the greatest needs were in the community. “There are lot of things we’d like to give our money to, so we started making a list and met with the Community Foundation to learn more about our options.”

In the end, the couple chose to give half of the annual distribution to their church and distribute the other half to local nonprofits.

One of those nonprofits is Christmas in Action. “They help individuals who are disabled and senior citizens remain in their homes by providing repairs at no cost to them,” said Doris. The couple has volunteered for the organization for many years and currently serve on the nonprofit’s board of directors.

“We have so much need in our community,” says Doris. “We have been blessed to be able to live comfortably. We don’t need that money. We’d rather share it with community organizations and people who do.” To learn more about Qualified Charitable Distributions and how you can use this easy, tax-smart way to support the causes you care about, reach out to Sarah Grant at info@yourgcf.org or 309.344.8898.

The post Qualified Charitable Distributions Make Giving Easy appeared first on Galesburg Community Foundation.

The Society recognizes individuals who choose to extend their charitable giving beyond their lifetime by including Galesburg Community Foundation in their estate plans. By making a planned gift during her lifetime, Naomi is ensuring that the causes she cares about today will be supported forever.

“The Bickerdyke Society exists to positively change our community. It uses a word that is bigger than a legacy. That word is “forever,” says Naomi. “It’s very likely that the name Naomi Law won’t be remembered. And that’s okay. However, by contributing to the Galesburg Community Foundation, what I believe in will continue to make a difference.”

“If you’re considering a planned gift, you don’t need to have everything figured out before you talk with us,” says Sarah Grant, Galesburg Community Foundation Director of Development. “We’ll sit down with you—and your family if you’d like—to talk about the causes you care about. From there, we can look at giving options that will have the greatest impact.”

There are a variety of ways to make a planned gift. “The people at the Galesburg Community Foundation have the expertise, wisdom, and experience to guide you in making the best possible long term decisions,” says Naomi.

Planned gifts are an investment in the place you call home and have a long-term, transformative impact on the people and nonprofits you choose to support. “When you leave something in your will to the Galesburg Community Foundation, you can be specific about how you want that money used,” said Naomi. “You can designate, for example, that funds go to  college students  or to a diverse population or whatever you choose. I give to the Galesburg Community Foundation because I trust them to help me make the best decisions now for the future.”

The Bickerdyke Society is named for Galesburg resident Mary Ann Bickerdyke—called Mother Bickerdyke—who is known for her generous and courageous service as Chief Nurse during the Civil War. “I think that Mother Bickerdyke was the type of person who would say, ‘You can do better.’ That’s my message. We can do better. No matter what we’re doing—do better.  By investing in the Bickerdyke Society, we are helping people do exactly that.”

Ensure that the causes you care about today will always be supported by making a planned gift through the Galesburg Community Foundation and joining the Bickerdyke Society. To learn more, contact Sarah at info@yourgcf.org or 309-344-8898.

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“I’ve seen so many small towns that have just shriveled up,” says Roseville Community Fund advisory board chair Carol Shaw. “That could have happened when we lost our elementary school, but people rallied.”

This spring, the Roseville Community Fund granted funds for a new sound system at the Roseville Community Center. In 2021, a grant supported the installation of accessible bathrooms at the center. The fund has also provided holiday turkeys and hams for Helping Hands of Roseville and resources for Roseville Kids Place, which are both housed at the center.

In the larger community, the fund has awarded grants for speakers in the livestock show ring for the Warren County Agricultural Fair and planters for the downtown area.

The Roseville Community Fund is an endowed fund of the Galesburg Community Foundation. The principal of the fund is invested so that it continues to grow while producing a spendable balance each year that a local advisory board grants to nonprofits in the community.

The Roseville Community Fund is a way for anyone who calls Roseville “home” to support their community. Since it was established in November of 2019, the fund has received more than 550 gifts of all sizes from people in 22 states. In fact, 39% of the gifts received came from outside Roseville’s zip code.

Shaw says that some people were initially hesitant about partnering with the Galesburg Community Foundation, but now that residents are seeing the impact of the fund, it’s an argument she doesn’t hear very often. “The Foundation takes care of the administration and makes sure that the funds are invested properly, but we get to determine where to grant the funds in our community. For me, that’s a win-win.”

In addition to Roseville, community funds have been established in Knoxville, Williamsfield, Alexis, and Monmouth. “Galesburg Community Foundation is proud to partner with communities in Knox and Warren counties to help them shape a better future and promote the wellbeing of all community members,” said Joshua Gibb, President and CEO of the Foundation. “It unites the tools of community, economic, and resource development, engaging everyone to come together with their voices, ideas, strategies, talents, and giving.”

To make a gift or to learn more about the Roseville Community Fund, visit yourgcf.org/Roseville.

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