The Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado experienced unprecedented support from donors in 2020 in response to the needs that arose during the pandemic.
Transcript
1
00:00:00,390 –> 00:00:03,010
If the pandemic had a
silver lining at all,
2
00:00:03,010 –> 00:00:04,980
it could be found in the generosity
3
00:00:04,980 –> 00:00:06,760
of donors whose contributions
4
00:00:06,760 –> 00:00:10,040
to the Community Foundation
serving Southwest Colorado
5
00:00:10,040 –> 00:00:12,180
helped support small businesses,
6
00:00:12,180 –> 00:00:15,610
nonprofits, and education in 2020.
7
00:00:15,610 –> 00:00:17,140
You’re watching the Local News Network,
8
00:00:17,140 –> 00:00:19,650
brought to you by Tafoya
Barrett and Associates
9
00:00:19,650 –> 00:00:21,670
and Fast Signs of Durango.
10
00:00:21,670 –> 00:00:23,580
I’m Wendy Graham Settle.
11
00:00:23,580 –> 00:00:26,610
While the pandemic devastated
the region’s economy,
12
00:00:26,610 –> 00:00:29,160
the Community Foundation
serving Southwest Colorado
13
00:00:29,160 –> 00:00:32,300
reports that the amount of
money it was able to give
14
00:00:32,300 –> 00:00:34,590
to small businesses, nonprofits,
15
00:00:34,590 –> 00:00:39,090
and educational organizations
more than doubled in 2020.
16
00:00:39,090 –> 00:00:42,390
Well, we gave away $4 million last year.
17
00:00:42,390 –> 00:00:44,950
It’s double what we typically do,
18
00:00:44,950 –> 00:00:48,010
and a lot of it went to non-profits
19
00:00:48,010 –> 00:00:50,540
who were struggling through the COVID-19.
20
00:00:50,540 –> 00:00:53,050
So 2.2 million was granted
21
00:00:53,050 –> 00:00:55,440
from the Community Foundation nonprofits
22
00:00:55,440 –> 00:00:57,863
or from the Community
Foundation to nonprofits,
23
00:00:58,890 –> 00:01:01,690
30% of which was from CERF.
24
00:01:01,690 –> 00:01:03,440
So what that means is that people
25
00:01:03,440 –> 00:01:05,000
were very generous to CERF,
26
00:01:05,000 –> 00:01:06,980
but they were also very generous.
27
00:01:06,980 –> 00:01:10,790
And so we were giving from
all different pipelines
28
00:01:10,790 –> 00:01:12,380
to make sure our nonprofits
29
00:01:12,380 –> 00:01:14,360
got what they needed to stay stable.
30
00:01:14,360 –> 00:01:17,220
CERF is the Community
Emergency Relief Fund
31
00:01:17,220 –> 00:01:20,280
that the foundation administers
to support individuals
32
00:01:20,280 –> 00:01:22,810
and organizations affected by emergencies
33
00:01:22,810 –> 00:01:25,620
in the five county region nine area.
34
00:01:25,620 –> 00:01:27,600
Last year, Wrinkle said the foundation
35
00:01:27,600 –> 00:01:30,550
wanted to establish a
creative giving strategy
36
00:01:30,550 –> 00:01:32,610
that would support small businesses
37
00:01:32,610 –> 00:01:35,400
while at the same time benefit nonprofits,
38
00:01:35,400 –> 00:01:38,950
particularly those that
address food security.
39
00:01:38,950 –> 00:01:40,210
So one of the things that we think
40
00:01:40,210 –> 00:01:42,280
is so important at the
Community Foundation
41
00:01:42,280 –> 00:01:45,040
is really doing programs
that are sustainable
42
00:01:45,040 –> 00:01:47,240
and really feed the business,
43
00:01:47,240 –> 00:01:49,810
as well as the nonprofits,
as well as the members.
44
00:01:49,810 –> 00:01:52,600
So with this food for purchasing program,
45
00:01:52,600 –> 00:01:55,520
we are paying the farmers
who are local businesses
46
00:01:55,520 –> 00:01:58,930
and making sure that they
plant and grow what we need.
47
00:01:58,930 –> 00:02:02,320
They will then give it to, or
they will buy it from them,
48
00:02:02,320 –> 00:02:04,690
and they will give it to the food pantries
49
00:02:04,690 –> 00:02:07,160
who will then in turn make
sure that all of our members,
50
00:02:07,160 –> 00:02:08,920
all the people who are food insecure,
51
00:02:08,920 –> 00:02:12,510
have fresh fruits and
vegetables in their food boxes.
52
00:02:12,510 –> 00:02:14,850
This is the kind of programming
that’s so important to us
53
00:02:14,850 –> 00:02:19,850
because it’s really 360 degree
benefiting the community,
54
00:02:21,170 –> 00:02:24,570
benefiting the small farmers
and the small businesses,
55
00:02:24,570 –> 00:02:26,660
as well as the nonprofits,
as well as our members
56
00:02:26,660 –> 00:02:28,610
who are in so much need during COVID.
57
00:02:28,610 –> 00:02:31,280
This past winter the
foundation also purchased
58
00:02:31,280 –> 00:02:32,770
bread from local bakeries
59
00:02:32,770 –> 00:02:35,140
and dairy and meat products
from local providers
60
00:02:35,140 –> 00:02:37,250
to give to area food pantries.
61
00:02:37,250 –> 00:02:39,870
It also purchased $37,000 worth
62
00:02:39,870 –> 00:02:42,710
of $50 gift cards from area restaurants
63
00:02:42,710 –> 00:02:44,380
to give to stressed out employees
64
00:02:44,380 –> 00:02:46,770
at Durango School District 9-R.
65
00:02:46,770 –> 00:02:48,930
In addition, cultural arts organizations
66
00:02:48,930 –> 00:02:51,380
received $50,000 from revenues
67
00:02:51,380 –> 00:02:53,230
raised from the foundation’s virtual
68
00:02:53,230 –> 00:02:56,550
Concerts in the Park series last summer.
69
00:02:56,550 –> 00:02:58,310
You can support small businesses
70
00:02:58,310 –> 00:03:01,690
and nonprofits that the
pandemic continues to impact
71
00:03:01,690 –> 00:03:03,720
by making a donation to the foundation
72
00:03:03,720 –> 00:03:08,090
through its website at
swcommunityfoundation.org.
73
00:03:08,090 –> 00:03:10,000
Thanks for watching
the Local News Network,
74
00:03:10,000 –> 00:03:13,250
serving Montezuma County,
Durango, Pagosa Springs,
75
00:03:13,250 –> 00:03:15,630
Telluride, and Farmington, New Mexico.
76
00:03:15,630 –> 00:03:16,953
I’m Wendy Graham Settle.
News in your inbox. Now that’s convenient.
Whereever you are, we’re there with you.