BARBERTON: The Barberton Community Foundation received a gift of more than $1 million from an anonymous donor who died earlier this year.
Foundation President Jim Stonkus said it’s the first estate gift and the largest individual donation the foundation has ever received.
“This is a powerful example of how an individual with a strong passion for Barberton was able to leave a legacy gift that will benefit our residents forever,” Stonkus said.
The money came with no restrictions, but Stonkus said he is learning as much as he can about the donor’s interest and passion and will be sharing it with board members so they can consider targeting or creating a program that would honor the giver.
“Our primary goal is to honor the legacy of this donor while exploring ways to make the greatest impact in our community,” he said.
Individuals have always been able to donate to the Barberton Community Foundation, but the past couple of years the foundation has stepped up efforts to promote its Legacy Society, which invites individuals to donate or bequeath to their own fund that targets a program of their choice.
The 21-year-old foundation began with $80 million from the sale of the city-owned Barberton Citizens Hospital. The endowment still stands at about $80 million, but it has earned enough over the years to allow the foundation to spend $81 million to better the lives of Barberton residents.
Among other things, it built a new high school and contributed to the building of a new middle school, the Lake Anna YMCA and senior center and athletic fields, as well as supported dozens of school and community programs.
“We put all those building blocks in place, and now we’re trying to add on top of that. We’ve had phenomenal success the past two years reaching out and asking people to partner with us” through a gift-giving plan, Stonkus said.
“People can realize what they give is exponential, and people can be benefiting from this gift hundreds of years from now,” Stonkus said.
“Every gift no matter how large or small is an investment in our community for the future,” he said.
For more information on the foundation’s Legacy Society, visit www.barbertoncf.org or call 330-745-5995.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.