A Gift That Continues to Give

Now in its eleventh year, donors to the Foundation’s Annual Christmas Tree Fundraiser at the Watertown Regional Library have supported participating nonprofit organizations with nearly $150,000 in donations. Supporters vote for their favorite tree and each vote earns the receiving nonprofit a $1 donation. 

While the monetary support is important, especially this time of year, often it is the community awareness the tree fundraiser fosters that nonprofit organizations appreciate.

This year was no different. For local kindergarten teacher Shelly Pieper and her husband Jason, PACH is an organization close to their hearts. Shelly sees the impact PACH has on her students first-hand.
 

“Seeing the PACH tree called us to give,” shared Shelly. “We had read in the Foundation’s newsletter this fall about PACH’s extreme rise in food costs and the $20,000 grant they received from the Williams Fund at the Foundation. We knew our gift could potentially put PACH in the running for the Foundation’s $500 unrestricted grant awarded to the winning organization. It’s a win-win and now was the perfect time for our family to help.” 

 

Small but mighty >>> Like many of the children PACH (People Against Child Hunger) serves, their Christmas Tree at the Foundation’s Tree Fundraiser may be small in stature. However, it certainly resonated with community members looking to support them in their mission to assist children in Codington County who may not have enough to eat at home.

 

A gift that continues to give <<< The Darwin and Fern Williams Fund awarded a $20,000 grant to PACH this summer to help with rising program expenses and growing demand for the service in Codington County. 

 

 

 

The Piepers provided their donation to the PACH program in week three of the Foundation’s Tree Fundraiser, bringing PACH to the “front of the pack” in donations for that week.

“Bringing awareness to the needs of our community’s nonprofit organizations is certainly one of the more important aspects of our work here at the Foundation,” shared WACF Executive Director Cammie Mengwasser. “Stories like this warm our hearts. The generosity and support of the Watertown area to care for those most in need is inspiring.”

 

Witnessing the need first-hand >>> Kindergarten teacher Shelly Pieper, left, fully recognizes PACH’s impact on her students each week. Having learned of the significant rise in food costs for the organization, Shelly and her husband Jason donated to PACH as part of the Foundation’s Christmas Tree Fundraiser.