Valley Community Foundation's 2015 Annual Report
Eleven new funds were established and over $1.5 million was distributed by VCF in 2015.
As you know, the Valley community is blessed to have so many
engaged and civic-minded members who have cared deeply about our region for generations. A rich heritage of manufacturing and collaboration are the hallmarks of our five towns. Much like this year's theme, our strength is in working together to achieve more.
At the Valley Community Foundation (VCF), we are partnering with our nonprofit community by providing resources, strengthening and empowering our local organizations to make a more measurable impact in the Valley. Thanks in part to the collective knowledge from nearly 50 community members and representatives from local nonprofits, school administrators and local officials, we released The Valley Now: A 2015 Snapshot. This Snapshot serves as a timely baseline report on the socioeconomic trends apparent in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton, including Beacon Falls and Naugatuck.
In the next phase of our continued effort to build an informed
community, we are convening work groups consisting of dozens of representatives from more than 30 organizations in support of the 2016 Community Index. This Index, which will include wellbeing phone survey data, represents the start of a multi-year commitment to learn about the changing needs and opportunities in the Valley, culminating with the release of a comprehensive, single-source report in the fall of 2016.
We also proudly released the Your Valley - Your Legacy brochure, the first step in our Valley Gives Back initiative. We hope this publication inspires our readers to take action by remembering their favorite Valley charities or the causes that matter with a gift in their estate plan. This piece provides simple examples of legacy giving and shows how planned gifts can fit into everyone's financial plan.
Imagine the impact on the Valley if we each gave as little as 5% of our estate!
Lastly, after three years as the VCF Board Chair, John Zaprzalka
is turning the gavel over to Alan Tyma. Alan brings a wealth of
experience to the Foundation. Now in his second seven-year term, Alan was a founding VCF Board Member and has served as both a Board Member and Chair for our partner in philanthropy, The
Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.
As you read this annual report, we hope you will see that, together, we are all making great strides to create a stronger, more vibrant community today and for generations to come!
| John Zaprazalka, | Sharon Closius, |
| Chair | President |
