What’s Inside:
- Giving Securities
- Upcoming Events
- Grant Impact Stories
- Huron Entrepreneur Fund makes first impact investment
One Year On – a Message from Board Chair Debra Gill
A lot can happen in a year. During 2021, the pandemic continued to rage, bringing us Delta and then Omicron. We came to know more about the horrors of residential schools. British Columbia suffered through heat waves, wildfires, and devastating flooding. The American seat of government was attacked by a mob. And William Shatner actually went into space. (Okay, that last one wasn’t very important!)
Here at the Foundation, we are marking one year since we re-branded as Sunset Community Foundation, signalling our willingness to support the growth of community funds throughout Huron County.
The move wasn’t without controversy at first but has come to be well accepted. The success of the Huron Entrepreneur Fund (see below) has shown us what can happen when we spread our wings. We will continue to grow, both within our traditional area and beyond. The result will be stronger, more just, and more inclusive communities throughout our region.
My sincere thanks to all those who contributed to our success in 2021, and especially to our donors, who embrace our vision and continue to move forward with us.
An Opportunity to Share your Experience, Expertise, and Wisdom
Sunset Community Foundation is seeking nominations for two upcoming Board vacancies. Click here to learn what SCF Directors do. To nominate yourself or another, contact Chair Debra Gill at john.deb.gill@hay.net by March 31, 2022
“Your grants make our community a better place to be, hands-down. Wherever your funds go, the things that are made possible by the funds from Sunset Community Foundation are simply awesome things. Whether the funds go towards supporting those who need help or care, or purchasing something needed, or funding programs and services, it’s like rays of sun touching all areas of the community, adding help in big and small ways where needed.” ~ Krista McCann, Executive Director, South Huron Hospital Foundation, thanking SCF for support during the early days of the pandemic
Lifelong Grand Benders Choose to Donate Securities
Paul and Marg Turnbull were both born and grew up in the Grand Bend area. As Paul puts it, “We feel fortunate, and have never seen any need to move away.”
The Turnbulls regularly transfer stocks to SCF, with instructions to distribute the proceeds to selected charities. A portion of the donation remains with SCF, helping to grow the community fund.
“We just find it’s an effective way to make charitable donations without directly affecting our normal cashflow needs,” says Paul.
When you donate stocks to SCF, the stocks are immediately sold. You receive a tax receipt for the full value realized and are not required to pay tax on the capital gain. You can then direct SCF to make “flow-through” donations to charities of your choice. For the Turnbulls, that usually means supporting organizations that help children and youth.
The Turnbulls are pleased that this strategy also adds to the Foundation’s endowment. Says Paul, “We have benefited from this community all our lives, so it’s important that we have an opportunity to give back.”
Upcoming Events
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZ0ufuGhrTorH9ZQVcnFFCJ… After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
A Conversation about Affordable Housing in the Grand Bend Area
March 10, 2:30 to 4 p.m., Grand Bend Place, 25 Main Street, Grand Bend, and on Zoom.
The housing crunch is being felt across Canada, and the Grand Bend area is no exception. It’s hard for employers to find the staff they need, and for young singles, young families, and seniors to find places to live. Inspired by innovative solutions developed in other communities, the Foundation and our partner the Chamber of Commerce want to explore how we can build partnerships to create affordable rental housing in our community.
South Huron Vitality Fund – Application deadline April 1
Applications are now being accepted for grants from the South Huron Vitality Fund.
The Fund was created through the generosity of the South Huron Municipal Council and many community members. It provides small grants to organizations offering community programs, events, and activities in South Huron. “After two years of pandemic, there are many needs in our community,” says Tom Prout, Chair of the South Huron Community Fund Committee. “This is an opportunity to get financial support for innovative ideas to strengthen our community.”
Information about how to apply is available on the Foundation’s website at https://sunsetcommunityfoundation.ca. The first step is to contact Pat Morden, Executive Director, at sunsetcommunityfoundation@gmail.com to discuss your organization’s idea.
In previous years, South Huron Vitality Fund grants have supported Big Brothers Big Sisters South Huron, the Huron Waves Music Festival, Noah’s Ark, Winterfest, and Friends of Pinery Park.
For more information, contact Pat Morden, 519-619-8630
Sunset Community Foundation Annual General Meeting
May 18, 7 to 8 p.m.,
Grand Bend Place, 25 Main Street, Grand Bend, Ontario
Ready to learn more about Sunset Community Foundation and how you can make a difference in our communities, now and forever? Join us for a look back at 2021, and a look forward into our dynamic future.
COMING SOON
Grand Men and Grand Women events, spring 2022 — plans are being hatched, stay tuned!
Or at least give like a millionaire philanthropist!Learn about all the different ways you can make a difference to your community and favorite causes, even if you’re not rich!
Meet the Sunset Community Foundation and the South Huron Community Fund. Find out about making charitable bequests, giving life insurance or stocks, creating a named fund, and much more. You’ll be amazed at all the ways you can give more than you ever thought possible.
Via Zoom, Date TBD
Algarva Reaches Out During Pandemic
The Foundation recently received a lovely letter of appreciation for a grant made in 2020.
“The Algarva 168 Caravan of the Order of Alhambra would like to express our gratitude to you for the very generous donation of $5,000.00, to be used to assist our community members with intellectual disabilities, their families and caregivers during this period of global pandemic. As the Algarva Alhambra is a small local chapter, a donation of this size makes a great impact on the help we are able to offer our community especially as our usual fundraising has also been greatly impacted by the pandemic.
As you may be aware, our biggest event is our annual Fun Day which we have held in Lambton Shores now for 51 years! 2020 would have been 52. We generally have over 385 local persons with intellectual disabilities, their service providers, and caregivers, attend. It is usually a much-anticipated event so, when things had to shut down and we started isolating and social distancing this year, it sadly became clear that we would have to cancel our June 2020, Fun Day. There was great disappointment among our members and those we serve.
I am happy to let you know though, that because of your generous donation to the Alhambra, we were able to provide our guests who would have been at Fun Day with their usual annual t-shirts, 214 of them, (we have been told they are collectors items) and arranged some fun Zoom Karaoke led by Healing Tones Entertainment, which is our usual entertainer at the Fun Day event. We were able to let our community with disabilities know we had not forgotten them! Thank you. Those in Community Living and St. Francis and other care homes have been very isolated. Clients, service providers, and caregivers very much appreciated this outreach.”
Helping Seniors Cope with Covid
The Foundation was thrilled to support an innovative project by OneCare during 2020. Here’s what they told us about it:
“As COVID took hold in 2020 it became apparent that many ONE CARE clients were struggling. Their concerns about the virus and forced isolation was causing undue stress on this vulnerable population of seniors and individuals with compromised health.
Huron County is a primarily rural area, and access to resources is limited and particularly challenging for those who are aiming to reduce their exposure in the community. With this in mind ONE CARE created COVID resource kits for those in the most need. The kits provided supplies, resources, and supports for seniors to reduce their exposure to COVID-19.
Funding from the Sunset Community Foundation helped to purchase supplies for 100 kits. The kits included sanitizing spray, wipes, hand sanitizer and nonmedical masks. The kits also included additional information about local services, gift cards and donated hand knit blankets.
Kits were delivered to higher needs clients and caregivers throughout Huron County. These individuals have been affected by the pandemic both financially and socially through isolation and the closure of many of the programs and services they count on. The kits, activity resources and caregiver support resources were appreciated by both clients and their caregivers.
Sue is one of the seniors who received a COVID kit. Sue has struggled through COVID as she lives alone and has health issues including vision loss. She doesn’t leave the home often and receives help from ONE CARE with personal care, home help and a regular friendly visitor telephone call. Sue is also supported by her daughter, who also has her own health issues. Due to Sue’s poor vision, her daughter needs to go to Sue several times a day to assist with meds and meal prep.
Sue said that the delivery of the COVID resource kit brought her great comfort. As she is on a limited budget, she doesn’t have money to buy supplies and she appreciated having the disinfectant wipes and sanitizer for added infection protection. Sue had not been out of her home in a long period of time and the masks that were provided allowed her to do some errands with her daughter.
COVID kits were successful and ONE CARE’s partnership with local agencies to deliver kits ensured that vulnerable seniors and people with health challenges had access to the PPE, activities, resources and supports necessary to keep them safe during the pandemic, and many caregivers in crisis from burn out and lack of supports.”
Grand Bend Art Centre is cooking up great stuff in its new pottery kiln, supported by the Foundation. (clockwise from top right, Peter Phillips, Kelli Phillips, Teresa Marie Phillips, and Sunset Community Foundation treasurer Doug Hurst.)
Huron Entrepreneur Fund Makes First Impact Investment
Between December 2021 and January 2022, the Huron Entrepreneur Fund grew by more than $15,000. The growth was due to two gifts – a gift of securities from Committee Chair Bryan Vincent, and an anonymous gift of $10,000. The total now stands at almost $40,000. “That’s a remarkable achievement in a short time,” says SCF treasurer Doug Hurst. “We are so pleased by the commitment and arduous work of this group.”
In early February, the Fund made its first impact investment, transferring $25,000 to Community Futures Huron, a non-profit that supports small businesses in the County. The money will be used to make loans to entrepreneurial businesses. Community Futures Huron will pay interest to the Sunset Community Foundation, which in turn will be used for grants to local charities.
“We’re on our way,” says Vincent. “It’s exciting to see our vision become reality. I’m confident that other donors will be inspired by this innovative approach that benefits our communities in two ways.”
https://mailchi.mp/383c96f2c69f/sunset-community-foundation-news-february-2022