The Community Foundation of Warren County is a nonprofit, public charity established by local community leaders to help people strengthen and enhance the quality of life here in Warren County.

Their mission is to build a better community by serving the special needs of donors. Since 1949, the Community Foundation of Warren County has been helping individual donors realize their charitable dreams.

"You may wish to establish a modest memorial fund to honor a loved one, or you may have a multimillion dollar vision for a specific community need. Whatever your charitable dream may be, we would be privileged to help you make it a reality."

Many donors are interested in creating a charitable legacy through a permanent endowment fund. Others utilize the Community Foundation as a way to make their current charitable giving more convenient and effective. Donors who view charitable giving as a journey that will extend throughout their lifetimes and beyond will find the Community Foundation to be a particularly helpful tool.

Foundation

History

The Community Foundation Of Warren County was established as the Warren Foundation in December 1949 and patterned in part on the Pittsburgh Foundation.

Warren National Bank and the Warren Bank And Trust Company were the original two trustee banks. Their successor banks were joined in 2002 by Northwest Savings Bank as the third Trustee bank.

The Foundation was formed by a self-appointed committee consisting of Clare J. Crary, Glenn E. Stone, James H. Frantz, Raymond W. Steber and Holger N. Elmquist.

The original distribution committee was composed of Clare J. Crary, Harry W. Conarro, Neil D. Patterson, Mrs Richard D. Dawson and Chester S. Allen. Holger Elmquist was appointed as the first director of the foundation .

Between December 1949 and November 1951, the original asset base of the foundation was $39,272. By 1999, this asset base was $34,000,000. At the end of 2004 it was $ 35, 288,762.

In 2002, the name of the foundation was changed to the Community Foundation Of Warren County to better reflect its community foundation structure and its service area of all of Warren County.

In 2003, the distribution committee established a corporate arm to the foundation in order to broaden its investment options while still retaining its original trust structure. This entity is now available for potential donors.

Community

Foundation

Board of

Directors

The foundation's board consists of seven members from Warren County. They are elected or appointed for a five-year term. One is appointed by the presiding senior Common Pleas judge of Warren County; one is a representative of the County Bar Association; one is an appointee of the Mayor of Warren; and two are appointed by the original five appointees. The terms are renewable. This year, they include board chairman John Hanna, Bernard Hessley, Gerald Huber, Edward Kavanaugh, Murray McComas, Barbara Tubbs and Robert Crowley

The day-to-day workings of the foundation are the responsibility of the non-voting executive director. The current director is Dr. Charles MacKenzie. Jodee Andrews is administrative assistant.

Anyone interested in contributing to the Community Foundation of Warren County or discussing an endowment or legacy should contact the office at 213 W. Third Ave. (WarrPenn Building), Room 102, Warren, or call 726-9553.

Coming up: Community Foundation of Warren County: scholarships and financial support of community endeavors.