Celebration Honors Philanthropists and Introduces Social Justice Fund – ClarkCountyToday.com
The Community Foundation has established 377 charitable funds to assist individuals, families, and businesses in their philanthropic goals
The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington (CFSWW) hosted their Virtual Philanthropy Celebration Tuesday, June 1st. The event included a philanthropy award ceremony, a keynote speech by Eric Liu, and the unveiling of a new fund for social justice and resilience.
The event honored local philanthropists such as Vancouver-based Gary and Christine Rood who were named Philanthropists of the Year 2021 for their outstanding charitable leadership. The Roods spent their careers in the medical field, where they saw the immediate need and life-changing implications of health care.
Gary and Christine Rood accept the 2021 Philanthropist from the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington ahead of the Virtual Philanthropy Celebration. Photo courtesy of the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington
In addition to supporting health-related organizations, the couple also strive to improve the lives of future generations through youth development organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington and Friends of the Children.
Janie Spurgeon, executive vice president and chief development for the Community Foundation, presented the award, noting that Roods’ efforts “have employed and benefited thousands and will affect countless others in the future.”
Anna Cruz and Merril Firestone also received the Lifetime of Giving Awards. Spurgeon said the award was created to “recognize those who make deliberate sacrifices to give more generously to others”. Anna Cruz has campaigned and organized to expand access to arts, cultural events and health care for Latinos in southwest Washington. She currently directs the Vancouver Ballet Folklórico and is a board member of ARTSTRA. Merril Firestone is actively committed to education, hunger and faith. He went in with other neighbors and gave up a piece of his farm to run a school in the Fruit Valley neighborhood – an area his family has lived in for five generations. His support for the students who attend the school is continued on a permanent basis through a foundation he set up.
Anna Cruz received a Lifetime of Giving Award 2021 from the Community Foundation for her commitment and organization to improving access to arts, cultural events and health care for Latinos in southwest Washington. Photo courtesy of the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington
Merril Firestone received a Lifetime of Giving Award in 2021 for dedication and service to Clark County, particularly the Fruit Valley community, which his family has called home for five generations. Photo courtesy of the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington
An annual review by Jennifer Rhoads, President of the Community Foundation, highlighted relief efforts for COVID-19. She said the organization’s funders had allocated more than $ 17.8 million to meet growing needs, and the SW Washington COVID Response Fund raised more than $ 8.5 million in emergency grants to 113 in 14 months Organizations distributed.
“Everyone invested extra hours and went the extra mile to ensure local philanthropy stayed strong at a time when charitable programs and services were most needed,” said Rhoads.
The Community Foundation has established 377 charitable funds to assist individuals, families, and businesses in their philanthropic goals. With these funds and additional donations, the foundation has increased its charitable assets to $ 320 million and donated $ 249 million to nonprofits over its 37-year history.
Rhoads also announced the next phase of its regional reconstruction effort to be carried out through the Social Justice and Resilience Fund. Donations can be made at cfsww.org/donate and will support organizations led and served by marginalized communities who are experiencing greater impact from the pandemic.
“By focusing on these segments of our community, we can improve people’s lives and the path to our recovery together,” said Rhoads. “We believe that this way we can do the best with the resources available.”
The event also included a talk by Eric Liu, Co-Founder and CEO of Citizen University. Liu is also a national bestselling author and touched on topics from his latest book, Become America: Civic Sermons About Love, Responsibility, and Democracy. He explained that people define culture through their actions, which ultimately shapes what is possible within the structure of any society. In this way, and to varying degrees, he said, everyone in the United States had and could use power to make change.
“You have to find ways every day to consciously state your power and use your power to promote civic character,” said Liu. “It’s about us taking responsibility; not individually, but collectively. The real rule that should define our coexistence is that we are all better off when we are all better off. ”
Liu’s remarks were tied to the event theme, “Together We Can,” which was created to show the impact of people finding a common purpose. A recording of the celebration is available online at event.cfsww.org/. The program was made possible thanks to the generous support of its gold sponsors: Columbia Bank, Columbia Trust Company, and Leslie Durst.