Hillsdale County Community Foundation The Blessing of Giving Back

By Molly Mason

As the leaves flutter down and the calendar creeps closer to the holidays, local nonprofit organizations are ramping up their efforts to serve Hillsdale County with critical programming and services. The Hillsdale County Community Foundation partners with many of these important groups and also helps raise funds to support their programs and operations.

“We receive gifts from members of our community all year long and distribute those gifts back through grants and scholarships,” said Sharon Bisher, president and CEO of the Hillsdale Community Foundation. “The foundation also actively partners with Hillsdale County educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government units.”

The foundation hosts an annual fundraising event, The Great Give, providing almost 20 local nonprofits with the opportunity to tell their stories and share other needs with the community. This year’s event will be held Tuesday, November 28, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the HUB Activity Center, 1300 South Hillsdale Road. The Community Foundation also collects early gifts by mail or drop off at the office located at 2 South Howell Street from November 6-27, 2023.

Another popular initiative occurring every fall is the Warm the Children program, a donor-driven partnership with the Community Action Agency and Walmart. Over 100 children every year receive warm winter clothing through the program facilitated by the Community Action Agency. Seventy-five dollars provides clothing for one child but any donation amount is encouraged.

“Giving is really a personal choice and we try to connect what someone is passionate about with an agency in the community serving in that area,” said Bisher.

There are a number of options for donating through the foundation. Residents can set up a payroll deduction or give gifts of cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, or personal property. Some residents choose to establish a fund in their name or the name of a family member they wish to honor. Others give back to their community by a donation made through a will, trust, or life insurance. “We work with our donors to ensure their contribution is supporting projects or programs they are passionate about,” said Bisher.

The foundation not only encourages monetary gifts but also volunteering as a way to give back. “Many of our nonprofits are in need of volunteers to help with their programming and services,” said Bisher. “I think we’ve all been blessed in various ways and when you have been blessed, the next step is to bless someone else.”

“Giving is also about time, which is why we are excited to partner with Hillsdale College’s GOAL program in the spring,” said Bisher. “We’ve financially supported the GOAL program for several years, but we are trying to bring together some key players to participate in this day of service for the first time.”

Hillsdale College’s Great Opportunities for Assistance and Leadership (GOAL) program will host the annual Day of Service on April 6, 2024. The campus and Hillsdale community come together to work and serve at a variety of projects around the community.

To learn more about the Hillsdale County Community Foundation and its various programs, visit www.abouthccf.org or call 517-439-5101.