Expanding philanthropy can be as simple as sharing your passion
by Sue Hafkemeyer, President & CEO
Recently, I had the chance to meet with community members at a gathering hosted by Jean Moran, one of our board members and a long-time volunteer. She invited her friends together to share why she and her husband Matt give through the Quad Cities Community Foundation, and she offered the opportunity for me to facilitate a conversation around our work and how her friends can be part of it.
Just like Jean, her friends are curious, caring, and genuinely eager to know what’s going on in your life. Many of us have small circles like this—I was grateful that Jean and her friends welcomed me into theirs. I went along with Joscelyn Rowe, the Community Foundation’s gift advisor and director of engagement, to enjoy warm coffee and a casual conversation. Plus, Jean was kind enough to bake a breakfast casserole!
It was a joy to sit with this group for an hour and discuss something both Jean and I are deeply passionate about: the work of philanthropy. Jean told me the group regularly talks about the challenges and issues that confront our community and the roles we can each play in making the world just a little bit better—in our neighborhoods, in our schools, and in our broader region.
So, they were excited to hear about the Community Foundation, but I was just as interested in listening. I heard what matters to them, their families, and the people in their circles. We talked about volunteering, the different ways families organize charitable giving, and the legacy we hope to leave behind for our kids and (maybe someday) grandkids.
“Sometimes hosting feels like a lot of responsibility, but this small gathering was anything but that. We created new connections, and the opportunity to share my passion with those close to me was so rewarding.
It’s conversations like these that will move philanthropy forward and bring more people into our region-transforming mission. For me—and for so many of you—this mission is close to my heart. And that makes it worth sharing.
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Questions came up, from the nuts and bolts of what a Community Foundation even is to broader questions about our mission. “Can I use an endowment fund for charitable contributions to my church?” (Yes.) “Can the Community Foundation help organize international giving?” (Yes!) “Are there any local nonprofits focused on the arts?” (Definitely, yes!)
Many of the friends in this group have children, so we discussed Teens for Tomorrow and Community Foundation scholarships. Here, the conversation moved organically. We were excited to talk about how the Community Foundation is supporting local students. As parents, we were thinking of our own children, and as a group of passionate Quad Citians, we started to think about how supporting and engaging young people is so critical to supporting our community today and for generations to come.
I’ve thought a lot about the conversations since that morning—particularly about how important it is to bring people together to talk about the important role generosity and the nonprofit sector plays in our region. And then, to take action. As we gather to celebrate upcoming holidays and the end of the year, know that we welcome the opportunity to sit with you, to listen, and to support the actions you take to make our community stronger.
Do you have a circle of friends who would like to learn more about philanthropy? Contact Joscelyn Rowe (JoscelynRowe@QCCommunityFoundation.org) to discuss opportunities for engaging your network with our mission.