Willmar, Minn. – The Willmar Area Community Foundation (WACF) announced today the kickoff of their 25th anniversary celebration. A longstanding tradition of the WACF is to present a Founder’s Day grant to a local program on anniversary years. This year, the WACF has awarded $10,000 to Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota to support home delivered meals across Kandiyohi County to seniors, those recovering from illness and homebound residents. (Pictured below right to left, Kevin Dietrich, WACF Director of Donor Relations, Nora Frye site director for LSS, and Sara Carlson, WACF Executive Director commemorating the Founders Day grant investment)
The first ever grant made in 1998 from the brand-new Willmar Area Community Foundation was to support senior dining in Kandiyohi County. It was $500 to assist in buying a stove for the Spicer congregate dining site.
“The Willmar Area Community Foundation began in the spring of 1998, led by a very forward-thinking group of local leaders. Those leaders saw the potential for how a community foundation could serve Kandiyohi County’s donors, non-profits and large-scale projects well into the future. What began as an idea is now a robust, vibrant community foundation that has granted over $12 million to local non-profits, serves over 150 fundholders and partners in the region to ensure good happens right here at home,” notes Sara Carlson, WACF Executive Director. “We are so pleased to be able to honor the foresight of our founders and the guidance of every WACF Board member in the past twenty five years with this special Founders Day grant investment.”
WACF looks forward to celebrating this milestone with our communities and supporters as the presenting sponsor of the July 11 Rockin’ Robbins Concert at Robbins Island Park, at the July 13th Kids Day Game with the Willmar Stingers and a few other fun surprises this summer and fall. We will host our 25th Anniversary Celebration on October 12, 2023 at the Willmar Conference Center. Follow the Willmar Area Community Foundation on Facebook to learn more about how you can get involved with WACF and join the celebrations!
