By Sean Conway and Ashleigh Viveiros
Community foundations across Manitoba have the opportunity to significantly grow their endowment funds through next week’s Endow Manitoba Giving Challenge.
Donations made to the Morris Area Foundation (MAF), Altona Community Foundation (ACF), and Plum Coulee Community Foundation, among others, from Nov. 12 to 17 will be stretched thanks to matching support from The Winnipeg Foundation and the Government of Manitoba.
“During the Giving Challenge week, the MAF gets excited because Endow Manitoba increases the size of any gift made to the endowment fund,” said Morris foundation board chair Curtis Evenson. Access Credit Union and Rempel Insurance Brokers are also getting in on the Giving Challenge in Morris this year, which means every donation will be stretched even further. “If we can exceed $10,000 raised, the MAF receives $8,000 maximum in stretch money.”
The Morris Area Foundation is a charitable organization that builds permanent endowment funds. The earnings from those funds are used to distribute grants to a variety of community programs and projects each year. The foundation covers the town and RM of Morris, including the communities of Rosenort, Lowe Farm, Aubigny, and Sperling.
“The beginnings of the Morris Area Foundation started in 2011,” Evenson said. “We have granted $175,000 since 2015 to support local worthwhile projects.”
“Grants have covered enhanced lighting in the Sperling rink, roof repairs at the Lowe Farm Community Centre, enhancement to the Rosenort walking trails and parks, projects at the Morris Manor, Morris Community Gardens and Red River Valley Food Bank,” among many other local causes, noted treasurer Midge Anderson.
MAF volunteers will be out in the community drumming up donations next week.
“The board will be at a Pembina Valley Twisters game and at the Morris Bigway talking to people to generate interest,” Evenson said.
The Altona Community Foundation is also looking forward to the week ahead, as the Giving Challenge is their biggest fundraiser of the year.
“This would be our primary fundraiser for us on an annual basis,” shared president Haydon Friesen. “This is where the bulk of our donations come in, and we look forward to connecting with our donors during that time.”
Last year’s challenge brought in an impressive $40,000 for the organization.
“We hope to get to that mark again if possible, and hope that we can continue to grow on that number on an annual basis as well,” Friesen said.
Giving Challenge week really is the perfect time to really maximize your donation to the foundation.
“For every dollar received, it’s stretched by another $2,” Friesen said. “So it’s a great time to stretch those dollars as much as possible.
The foundation is hosting a special reception next week to mark its 30th anniversary in the community, bringing together past board members, donors, and recipients.
Over the past three decades, the organization has grown its assets to over $2.5 million and given back in excess of $1 million to projects in Altona, Gretna, Rosenfeld, and the Municipality of Rhineland.
“We have the opportunity to grant out to local charities and organizations throughout the community that will benefit the community,” Friesen said, listing in example organizations like Blue Sky Opportunities and the Kiddie Sunshine Centre, among many others.
To make a donation to your local community foundation during Giving Challenge Week, head online to endowMB.org, themafinc.com, or altonacommunityfoundation.com. You can also call the Winnipeg Foundation toll-free at 1-877-974-3631.
The Plum Coulee Community Foundation is also hosting a soup and pie fundraiser to mark the week and give people the chance to donate in person on Thursday, Nov. 14 at the Centre on Main from 5-7 p.m.
