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The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore has broken new ground with your new facility, literally and figuratively. The resources you have made available to the nonprofits here are invaluable.
-- Kate Patton, Executive Director, Lower Shore Land Trust.
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-- Kate Patton, Executive Director, Lower Shore Land Trust.
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Press Releases
Foundation Awards Record $3.3 Million in Grants
August 12, 2009
The Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore (CFES) recently celebrated achieving a record $3.3 million in grants to the community for fiscal 2009. During the past 12 months the Foundation distributed 884 grants to nonprofit and faith-based organizations to help improve the quality of life for citizens in our region. Pictured (l to r) are CFES board members: Don Taylor, Jay Bergey, Joe Ollinger, Jim Morris, Jackie Cassidy, Charles Goslee, Art Cooley, Chairman; Jeff Turner, John Stern, Susan Purnell, Lou Taylor and Melody Nelson.
By Greg Latshaw
SALISBURY --- The Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore doled out $3.3 million to nonprofits this year, mustering up a record level of dollars for its fellow nonprofits in harsh economic times.
Gee Williams, director of development and marketing, said CFES funding comes from endowments that for yers have been earning money. Tough times called for tapping deeper into their fund balances, using the proceeds to distribute almost 900 grants to nonprofits and faith-based organizations in the region.
"It's like having charitable savings to help a community. It's a community asset," Williams said.
The Salvation Army views the $2,000 grant it received to help people pay their oil, propane and gas bils a a life-line, said Mike Eusebio, the business manager for the Salisbury branch. "It's huge this year because demand for the services is almost unprecendented," Eusebio said.
Joseph House Crisis Center, also the recipient of a $2,000 grant, will also put the money toward assisting those with utility bills --- especially those who are on the edge of having their power cut-off, said David "Dave" Heininger, director of the Salisbury-based nonprofit.
"Any relief we give to the poor comes from donated funds. Without them, we can't help people who have bills, such as utility cutoff or evictions," Heininger said.
To make sure dollars go to those in greatest need, the CFES created a fund last fall called the Help Your Neighbor Fund. It has garnered "wonderful support," Williams said.
In addition to the money the CFES has granted out to nonprofits, the organization deserves credit for the excellent job it does in managing the endowments of other nonprofits, said Kathleen Momme, executive director of the United Way of the Lower Eastern Shore.
The United Way, similar to the CFES, raises money to then give to other nonprofits it deems in need. Its success would be hampered without the CFES doing such a splendid job of keeping its endowment in good financial order, Momme said.
"The Community Foundation does a wonderful job of managing endowments," Momme said.
