Blog
From Conversation to Connection: Introducing the “For Good, Forever” Podcast
Hello, friends. At La Crosse Area Community Foundation, our work has always been rooted in connection. We connect people to causes they care about. We connect generosity to opportunity. And more often than not, we connect those things through stories. Because stories are where the work becomes real. They’re how we understand why someone gives,…
Come for Supper feeds more than hunger
A weekly community meal in La Crosse By the time the doors open at 4 p.m. Tuesdays, people are already waiting outside Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in La Crosse. They come for a meal, yes, but also for something harder to name. They come for a place where they are greeted, respected, and welcomed exactly…
Al Wieser: So they aren’t forgotten
For Al Wieser Jr., the goal was never simply to give back. It was to make sure two people would be remembered, not just now, but long into the future. To do that, he established two endowed funds at La Crosse Area Community Foundation. One fund carries the name of his wife, Karen, who was…
$25,000 grant supports diaper access for area families
La Crosse Area Community Foundation has awarded a $25,212 grant to The Parenting Place to support its community diaper bank, helping meet a growing and urgent need among families across the Coulee Region. The grant comes as demand for diapers continues to rise. Nationally, one in two families with young children struggles to afford enough…
Chariots4Hope-WI
In garages and parking lots across our community, something steady and practical is happening, and it’s changing lives in ways most of us rarely see. Chariots4Hope helps people move forward by providing reliable vehicles when transportation stands in the way. What begins with a set of keys grows into something larger: education, mentorship, accountability, and…
Jan Brock’s five decades of community service
For nearly five decades, Jan Brock has simply shown up for the community she calls home. A longtime resident of Onalaska, Jan’s story is one of consistency — working with others, contributing where she can, and being part of the many groups that make community life richer and more connected. From arts and education to…
Celebrating a Trusted Partner in Philanthropy: Maureen Kinney
La Crosse Area Community Foundation is grateful to partner with professional advisors who help clients turn charitable intentions into meaningful impact. These partnerships are essential in ensuring philanthropy is thoughtful, effective, and aligned with the needs of our community. One such partner is Maureen Kinney, whose long-standing relationship with LACF has strengthened charitable giving across…
Donor-Advised Funds vs. Private Family Foundations
Whether a client is considering establishing a private foundation or is currently managing one, donor-advised funds (DAFs) can offer meaningful advantages. For many donors, a DAF delivers the core benefits of a private foundation — strategic philanthropy, family engagement, and long-term impact — without the administrative burden, cost, and regulatory complexity. Donor-advised funds operate much…
Breast cancer survivors find strength in La Crosse Mississippi Sisters
On the waters of the Black River in La Crosse each summer you’ll find a boat with a fierce-looking pink dragonhead, its paddlers rising in unison. They are the La Crosse Mississippi Sisters — a thriving sisterhood of breast-cancer survivors who’ve discovered that shared effort, in training and in life, builds its own kind of…
Thousands unite for Rotary Lights’ mission of sharing light and food
Each winter, the Rotary Lights display at Riverside Park in La Crosse, Wisconsin, draws diverse visitors from many states to experience more than 3 million lights, a 140-foot Christmas tree and a host of festive events — all free of admission. Its true brilliance, though, lies in what it makes possible: thousands of community members…