Investing in Excellence for 60 Years

This October, Foellinger Foundation will celebrate its 60th anniversary.

As I think about the last six decades of Foellinger Foundation’s history, I would be amiss to start anywhere but the beginning.

Foellinger Foundation’s contributions to Allen County are prefaced by the lifelong generosity of the Foellinger family. Specifically, Helene Foellinger and her mother, Esther Foellinger.

Helene and Esther started the foundation to carry forward their mission, investing from their personal assets and estates. Contributions were also made from The News-Sentinel, which Helene owned and published for 45 years.

The Foellingers believed that nonprofit organizations contribute to a community’s quality of life, and that when we invest in the excellence of those nonprofits, we’re investing in our community’s quality of life.

It was on this philosophy that the foundation was founded—that we have a philanthropic duty to invest in the excellence of each other, and our community.

We don’t make these investments lightly.

From the beginning, these investments have been made with the intention of helping Allen County residents better help themselves, something that Helene and Esther truly believed in.

This is the vision to help residents of Allen County increase their self-reliance by moving from dependence to independence to helping build community through recognition of their interdependence.

We’re proud that, throughout these 60 years, we’ve stayed true to donor intent.

2018 FOELLINGER FOUNDATION BOARD AND STAFF

We are rooted in supporting excellence in nonprofit leadership and encouraging civility. Looking forward to our 70th anniversary—and beyond—Foellinger’s grantmaking, programming and special initiatives will continue to grow and transform to meet the community’s needs. Whatever we do, donor intent will remain our bedrock.

With regard, 

Cheryl Taylor
President, Foellinger Foundation