Darl Hobson has been an active community member for decades. He has been a longtime volunteer and served on multiple boards of directors. He also supports nonprofits financially. However, Darl’s preferred method of gifting—through appreciated stock—has become increasingly difficult. Few organizations have a mechanism to receive stock, he explained.
Richard (Rick) and Molly Klau’s working years were full and busy. Their charitable giving came in the form of endowing college scholarships and responding to requests. “Our giving was more passive then,” said Rick. “We decided that retirement would be the time to deepen our philanthropic impact. It would give greater purpose to our post-work lives.”
Julie and Jonathan McVey have always believed in giving back. Their parents impressed upon them the importance of giving. Now the McVey’s want to model the way for their own two children.
Charitable giving comes naturally to JoKatherine Holliman Page, a third-generation Coloradan with a background in civil rights and social justice issues that impact marginalized people.
The Valencia Family Fund may be good news for at-risk youth and puppies.
Lynne Valencia set up a donor-advised fund in late 2014 as a way to help her son and her eight-year-old granddaughter understand philanthropy. “I’m really going to let them direct it. Knowing my granddaughter as I do it will go to some animal shelters. My granddaughter loves puppies and kittens,” Lynne said.
Through Joan Brennan’s donor-advised fund, a mentoring group got a much-needed boost that allowed it to grow into a state-wide collaboration.
Youth mentoring is a passion of Joan’s. When the Colorado Mentoring Partnership needed an executive director to take the fledging organization to the next level, the Brennan Family Fund paid for the position for the first year.
MaryAnn Franklin wants to help make sure Historically Black Colleges and Universities are around to nurture future generations of students, as she was nurtured by one years ago.
MaryAnn’s donor-advised fund at Community First Foundation is helping that happen. MaryAnn attended Fisk University, one of the nation’s top Historically Black Colleges and Universities which will receiver her support.
MaryAnn’s fund will also support groups helping women and girls of color become self-sufficient. MaryAnn supports the Women’s Foundation of Colorado because it builds resources and leads change so that women and girls in Colorado achieve their full potential.
“You don’t hear too much about their struggle but if you walk into any type of agency where there are childcare needs or training needs or rehabilitation needs in Denver, most of them would be women of color,” said MaryAnn. Without advocates, they struggle alone.
Community First Foundation helps individuals, families and groups support the causes they care about most. For years, a donor-advised fund created by the Leach Family has supported programs for seniors, the arts and education.
Most recently, Dan Leach, advisor to the fund, directed the Leach Family Fund to implement the first three years of a new initiative at Red Rocks Community College. The Red Rocks Institute for Sustainability in Education (RISE) is working to spark innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability in education.