by Holly Allen
The Valley Falls Community Foundation has announced it has been awarded access to the Patterson Family Foundation grant for the third year in a row, with a couple new caveats.
To start, the 1:1 maximum match amount has been raised from $70,000 to $100,000 this go-round. Secondly, 50% of the match monies will go back into the community foundation to build a fund for the future and to facilitate ongoing fundraising endeavors.
This year’s in-person Match Day event will be held Saturday, Sept. 20, during the town’s Grasshopper Falls Day celebration.
Without an idea as to how long the Patterson Family Foundation will continue to award this type of grant to the VFCF and its funds, the organization at Valley Falls has started a committee to create additional fundraising opportunities for its community funds.
“Basically, the foundation will need to have fundraisers and seek additional donations to build the Give Back to Valley fund to be able to provide match money for future Match Day events,” stated VFCF president Lori Glissman.
The Give Back to Valley fund currently has just under $2,000 in its coffers. The first such fundraiser for this fund the committee has advertised as a shoe drive through Florida-based Funds2Orgs, which will pay out to the foundation based off pounds of shoes donated.
The foundation is collecting new or gently worn used shoes which may be dropped off at City Hall, The Vindicator, K4 Ag and Services, USD 338, the Delaware Township Library, and Kendall Bank.
A “Fill the Truck” with shoes event will be held at the Valley Falls ballfields Saturday, March 22.
Students and staff at USD 338 will be challenged to collect a total 500 pairs of shoes through April 11 with the VFCF sponsoring an ice cream treat celebration when the goal is met or exceeded.
The fundraiser goes from now through the next 60 days — in June Funds2Orgs will have a truck come pick up the shoes.
All donated shoes will then be redistributed throughout the Funds2Orgs network of micro-enterprise partners in helping them create, maintain, and grow small businesses in developing countries where economic opportunity and jobs are limited. Proceeds from the sales of the shoes collected in shoe drive fundraisers are used to feed, clothe, and house their families.
“We are excited about our shoe drive,” said Glissman. “We know that most people have extra shoes in their closets they would like to donate to us. By doing so, we raise money for the Give Back to Valley fund and we have the chance to help families in developing nations who need economic opportunities. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
The Patterson Family Foundation grant has supplied a total of $140,000 in grant money over the past two years to the funds of the Valley Falls Community Foundation. Combined with the donations given from the community, a total $360,063.44 has been raised during the previous two Match Day events for the community of Valley Falls.
A fund spotlight highlighting one of the current foundation funds can be found elsewhere in this edition of the newspaper. More spotlights will follow in later editions. A list of the foundation’s 52 funds can be found at valleyfallscf.org. To donate money or to start up a new fund, contact the VFCF by email at info@valleyfallscf.org or by phone at 785-806-0915.
