For nearly 90 years, the Kenosha Community Foundation has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to city and county nonprofit organizations. This year alone more than $100,000 has been awarded.
In addition, in the last decade, more than $400,000 has been awarded in scholarships as it manages several area scholarship funds.
Founded in 1926 by civic-minded individuals, including Charles C. Brown, W.H. Alford, H.E. Barden and A.H. Lance, it was intended to create a permanent endowment fund to benefit the community.
It began as the Kenosha Foundation, changing its name in the 1950s to reflect that it extended throughout the county and became the Kenosha Community Foundation in the 1990s to clarify its role as one of more than 300 community foundations in the United States.
From its beginnings, the income earned would be used for grants to not-for-profit providers who would address a wide variety of social, cultural, educational and other charitable needs in the community.
The organization acts as a vehicle to serve its donors with specific and unique charitable interests. Governed by a board of directors with funds managed by professional investors, it administers a number of scholarship funds with criteria established by the individual donors.
In June, the foundation awarded grants totaling $56,000 to 11 nonprofits. Among them were these key projects:
The Boys & Girls Club, to support a program to provide free transportation for elementary school students who use the facility three or more times a week.
Hope Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, to support a “Community Resource Mapping” that will identify gaps, solutions and existing activities that build protective factors to prevent substance abuse.
Open Wings Learning, to support the needs of complex learners with disorders relating to communication, including pervasive developmental disorders, autism, ADHD and trauma-related delays.
The Sharing Center, to support programming that helps ensure that families living in rural Kenosha County have access to basic needs and services for mental health, domestic violence, drug addiction or chronic illness.
The Kenosha Literacy Council, to support the “My Community and Me” integrated English civics education project to increase participant literacy skills through hands-on experiences and to help literacy students learn about their community.
The foundation accepts gifts of any amount to advance civic, educational, health and welfare organizations and initiatives. It deserves consideration for our charitable dollars as it focuses on the needs in our community.
To donate: Cash gifts can be given by credit card or PayPal directly to the foundation or to a specific Field of Interest fund it administers. See kenoshafoundation.org for more information. Gifts are tax deductible for federal tax to the extent the law allows.
FOURTH OF JULY
Tracy Johnson holds her son, Gunnar, 2, as she and her daughters from left, Annika, 4, Mallory, 7, and Sonya, 6, run through the rain near the marina on the Fourth of July.
FOURTH OF JULY
Tracy Johnson holds her son, Gunnar, 2, as she and her daughters from left, Sonya, 6, Annika, 4, and Mallory, 7, run through the rain near the midway on the Fourth of July.
FOURTH OF JULY
David Mack and his daughter, Nevaeh, 3, sit in a bee at the midway on the Fourth of July.
FOURTH OF JULY
Brody, a 3-year-old Silver Lab, jumps off the platform in to a pool as his owner, Nicole Mueller looks on during Fourth of July festivities in HarborPark.
FOURTH OF JULY
Children walk across a bridge at the midway on the Fourth of July.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops band member Veronica Chairez decorated her bassoon for the Fourth of July concert at the bandshell Wednesday.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Steve and Melissa Marovich and their dog Cricket wait for the start of the Pops concert at the bandshell. Steve Marovich said, “It’s an excuse for a picnic,” while Melissa added, “And we just love a chance to get out with everybody and the band is terrific.”
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops concert band members Veronica Chairez, left, and Alexandra Gibson decorated their bassoons for the Fourth of July as they get ready for the concert at the bandshell Wednesday.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops concert band members Alexandra Gibson, left, and Veronica Chairez, right, decorated their bassoons for the Fourth of July as they get ready for the concert at the bandshell Wednesday.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
There were many in the crowd who enjoyed the nice weather for Wednesday’s concert.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops concert at the bandshell.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops concert at the bandshell.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Craig Gall, conductor of the Kenosha Pops Concert Band, directs Wednesday’s concert.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops concert at the bandshell.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
There was plenty of spirit among the performers in the Kenosha Pops Concert Band, including the ‘antennae’ of the timpani player.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops concert at the bandshell.
FOURTH OF JULY POPS
Pops concert at the bandshell.
FOURTH OF JULY CONCERT ELECTRO RETRO
The band Electro Retro with, from left: Q Kaiser, Zac Johnson, singer Frankie Giagkou, Tim O’Hara on drums and Tom Navarro, right, performs at the lakefront Wednesday.
FOURTH OF JULY CARNIVAL
Joycelynn McCoy, left, and Sophia Kolovitz zoom around on a ride at the carnival at Southport Marina on Wednesday.
FOURTH OF JULY CARNIVAL
First grill
“First bought, first put-together grill ever,” said April Adamson as she sets up camp with a tent with friends on the public grounds just east of the Civil War Museum on Wednesday. Adamson arrived in the early afternoon to stake out a space.
FOURTH OF JULY CARNIVAL
Biren Patel goes down the slide with Ishaan at the carnival at Southport Marina on Wednesday.
FOURTH OF JULY CARNIVAL
Lisa McArnarney calls out a winner as she works at the carnival at Southport Marina on Wednesday.
parade1
Her father, Jessie Rose of Kenosha, helps 2-year-old Zoey fill her bag with candy at the Somers Fourth of July Parade.
parade2
Reid Koroses, 2, with grandfather Scott Schoenfeld, watches the parade in Somers Thursday with Adam Charrady, 5, of Kenosha.
parade2
bikes2
Winners of the 2019 Paddock Lake Fourth of July bike parade were, from left, first place, Savannah Orozco; second place, Eliza Koski; and third place, Madelyn McCravens.
bikes2
SOMERS PARADE
The Somers Parade on the Fourth of July.
SOMERS PARADE
Olivia English, 8, front, reaches for a piece of candy thrown from a float during the Somers Parade on the Fourth of July.
SOMERS PARADE
Andrew Heusterberg, in eighth grade, plays with the Shoreland band during the Somers Parade on the Fourth of July.
SOMERS PARADE
SOMERS PARADE
Sen. Bob Wirch, center, and Rep. Tip McGuire wave during the Somers Parade on the Fourth of July.
SOMERS PARADE
Miss Kenosha Outstanding Teen 2019 Josephine Knight, left, and Miss Kenosha 2019 Lily Karnes wave at the crowd during the Somers Parade.
SOMERS PARADE
UW-Parkside Chancellor Deborah Ford, front, waves during the Somers Parade on the Fourth of July.
SOMERS PARADE
Rep. Samantha Kerkman waves during the Somers Parade on the Fourth of July.
bikes1
Part of the group of bike riders starting off from McAlonan Park in Paddock Lake. First place winner Savannah Orozco is in the front at right.
