Blog
A grant that helps veterans find their way back
Foundation support strengthens outreach for the La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program A recent microgrant from La Crosse Area Community Foundation is helping the La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program reach more veterans in need — and the families who love them. With foundation support, the organization is upgrading its website, software, and training tools…
Measuring what matters: How a local sculpture connects Onalaska
Made possible through a grant from La Crosse Area Community Foundation, Onalaska Art Keepers brought “Calibration” — a graceful, light-catching sculpture by local artist Luke Achterberg — to life at the city’s southern gateway. The project celebrates creativity, community pride, and the joy that comes when neighbors join together to make something beautiful for everyone…
Building a better path
How the Mental Health Coalition is reimagining justice for people in crisis When someone in crisis encounters the justice system, the difference between care and punishment often comes down to understanding. For too long, people living with mental illness have been met with handcuffs instead of help — landing in jail cells that were never…
Building connection through investment
LACF’s first social impact investment in Haven on Main is helping create inclusive housing — and a stronger, more connected La Crosse Community is built in the spaces where lives intersect — where people find common ground and begin to understand one another. La Crosse Area Community Foundation exists to make those intersections possible. Every…
Putting the WE in Giving
How Wanda DuCharme and Edd Storey make generosity a way of life When Dr. Wanda DuCharme and Edd Storey sign a card, an email, or even a text, they typically end it the same way: WE. It’s more than a signature; it’s a statement of how they live. “We started using it early in our…
Big Brothers/Sisters make big difference in kids’ lives
Sometimes the biggest difference in a child’s life starts with something small — like an hour a week spent with a trusted adult. That’s the idea behind Big Brothers Big Sisters, which connects young people with caring adult mentors for steady, one-to-one relationships. Here in the Coulee Region, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7…
LACF welcomes new impact specialist
La Crosse Area Community Foundation has welcomed Keli Frigo as its new impact specialist. She succeeds Ellen Heydon, who recently transitioned to a new professional opportunity. Frigo brings nearly two decades of experience in communications, alumni engagement, and client management to her new role. Most recently, she served as an account manager with Vendi Advertising,…
Why funding nonprofit overhead matters more than you might think
Not long ago, someone asked me what percentage of their donation “actually goes to the cause” and how much is “just overhead”. I get that question a lot. Maybe you’ve wondered the same thing. The idea is that dollars spent on overhead are somehow wasted — money that never directly benefits the real work of…
‘Art in the Wild’ expected to come alive in October
This October, in the woods of La Crosse, a skeleton will ride a tall bicycle — powered not by ghostly energy, but by the laughter and legwork of passersby. It’s part sculpture, part playground, and wholly an invitation to slow down, look closer, and remember that art can be just as alive as the people…
Tax-smart strategies for year-end giving
Charitable giving always starts with a generous heart. As the year winds down, many people consider where they want their generosity to make a difference. If you’re among them, there are tax-smart strategies that can help your gifts go further — for the causes you value and for your financial goals. Why October is the…