Pasadena Community Foundation Gives Away $687,000

Giving away money may not be as easy as you think.  That’s the conclusion of the 13-member Pasadena Community Foundation Board of Directors (PCF) who are entrusted by local donors to see that every penny is well spent.  This year, the Board selected 43 local nonprofit organizations from among 66 applications.  These agencies will share in the $687,000 that the Foundation will award at its annual Local Heroes Celebration on June 7th.   This invitational breakfast event at the University Club of Pasadena shines a spotlight on the community’s real local heroes, those who manage the day-to-day operations of local organizations that serve the sick, feed the hungry, provide housing for the homeless, nourish the arts and protect the environment  

But making decisions about who gets what is never easy.  The PCF Board has discovered that giving away contributed money involves a lot of time and effort and brings with it enormous responsibility.  But the personal rewards make it worth every hour spent.  Whether it involves touring the new Urgent Care Center in Pasadena or visiting the homeless shelter at Union Station, the PCF Board is up to the challenge.  “What impresses me most,” says Dr. Arnold Mulder, Chairman of the Foundation Board, “is how dedicated are the people who work for our local nonprofit agencies.  I feel privileged to see them in action and to be able to help them help others.”  For Board member Wendy Munger, it’s all about seeing that “resources are spent where they are most needed.”  And for Board member Michael Schneickert “it’s simply inspiring.”  His site visits to 22 of the grant applicants, convinced him that it was a “real opportunity to see how exceptional is the compassion and effort put forth by the people working for these community-based organizations.   I now understand why we call them our Local Heroes.”