This year has been a remarkable one in advancing the health and welfare of our community and I would like to thank David Hessler, Chair of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors for their many contributions, our caring friends, and the staff of the Community West Foundation for their continued support.

This year we gave $5.2 million to our community, supporting Fairview Hospital, Lutheran Hospital, and 46 charitable agencies providing direct service to the needy. During these recessionary times our community grants have focused on basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and medical care. We saw a 20% increase in the number of grant requests and a 35% increase in the dollars needed. Unfortunately, we could not meet those increases with our limited resources.

In order to encourage additional philanthropy to meet those additional needs, we held two continuing Legal Education seminars, sponsored by our Chair, David Hessler, to encourage planned giving as a philanthropic tool. I am happy to say we will be conducting additional seminars for financial planners, investment officers, lawyers, and others to encourage them in helping their clients to meet their philanthropic goals.

Our Colleagues Program, which offers planned giving expertise to charities that can’t afford a planned giving officer, had its initial successes this year with the Foundation receiving planned gifts and agency funds for two of our Colleagues; the start of a growing service to local charities which will increase donations to them.

Our hope is to increase philanthropic giving in our community by providing the best in philanthropic services to our donors, charities, and clients. After all “a rising tide floats all boats,” and increased giving to help others in the most efficient, cost effective way, helps all of us.

Sincerely,

David T. Dombrowiak
President and CEO