Blog
What to do with that nagging desire to help
Are you the type of person who feels drawn toward positive action when faced with big challenges? Us too. All too often, though, the problems are so much easier to find than the solutions. Then we’re left feeling stuck with a desire to do good, but we’re not sure how to do it. I’m sure…
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of La Crosse Legacy Fund
After serving the La Crosse community for nearly 150 years, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church had to make the difficult decision to dissolve in August 2019. The St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of La Crosse Legacy Fund was established later that year with the proceeds from the sale of the church’s building at 420 West Avenue in…
Tina Schwier Memorial Scholarship Fund
Tina (Garves) Schwier passed away in May 2018 after a long battle with breast cancer. This fund was established as a tribute to her by Dale Walter, a friend and colleague with whom she worked for more than 15 years. Others have given to the fund in Tina’s memory, including a generous gift from Bremer…
Forever Society Member Spotlight: Jean Gitz Bassett
When Jean Gitz Bassett passed away in 2018, she left part of her estate to La Crosse Community Foundation with directions to support her Jean Gitz Bassett Fund and create the new Jean Gitz Bassett First Presbyterian Church of La Crosse Fund. The first is a field of interest fund used in LCF’s competitive grantmaking…
Shelterbelt Fund: Gabe & Annie Berendes
Gabe and Annie Berendes are passionate, inspiring young philanthropists who are actively engaged in the local community. Gabe grew up in La Crosse and Annie in Dubuque, Iowa, and both credit their parents for shaping their philanthropic views by encouraging them to use their time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of others. Annie’s work…
An experience with Bill Miller at Northside Elementary
[new] Thanks to a 2019 grant from the June Kjome Justice and Peace Fund, students at Northside Elementary School in La Crosse were able spend meaningful time with Bill Miller, a Grammy Award-winning musician, songwriter, activist, painter, and Native flute player, originally hailing from La Crosse. The purpose of the project was to promote awareness…
RFP – Emergency Survival Grant
[new] Announcing the continuation of the Emergency Survival Grant program This grant opportunity was created over the summer to help charitable organizations in La Crosse County survive the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Emergency Survival Grant will provide unrestricted funds to nonprofits to offset pandemic-related revenue losses and expenses. This new grant…
2019 Annual Impact Report Now Available!
LCF’s 2019 Annual Impact Report has been hitting mailboxes all over town the last few days. I invite you to review the report to see how LCF and its fund holders and donors have been ‘Protecting Our Community’s Greatest Assets‘ since 1930. The progress we made in 2019 highlighted in this report is the result…
Top ways the CARES Act will affect your tax-deductible donations
Philanthropy is playing a major role in supporting how nonprofits respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonprofit organizations are working on the front lines in our community, offering critical services and providing a safety net of essential resources. Our government recognized the crucial and vital role nonprofits funded through philanthropy are playing in helping our country…
We have incredible news to share!
In the two months since LCF and Great Rivers United Way (GRUW) jointly launched the La Crosse Area Emergency Response Fund, hundreds of community members and businesses have made incredible contributions that now exceed ONE MILLION DOLLARS! Gift sizes range from $5 and a lucky quarter from a local eight-year-old, to the $500,000 gift from…