In 2020, the Delaware Community Foundation awarded $31.2 million in community grants and scholarships, primarily from charitable funds established by individuals, families and corporate donors.
The 2020 giving – which had an impact on tens of thousands of Delawareans – represents a 35 percent increase over 2019 giving and a 112 percent increase over 2018 giving.
The increased giving in Delaware reflects national trends in 2020, as donors responded to the pandemic, shared the fruits of a strong stock market and took advantage of charitable giving tax incentives established through the CARES Act, DCF President & CEO Stuart Comstock-Gay said.
“Delawareans saw the need, and they stepped up,” Comstock-Gay said. “The DCF team worked hard to get the money into the community effectively and efficiently, and we are humbled that so many donors trust us to use our community knowledge and relationships to maximize the impact of their giving statewide.”
The DCF is the steward of more than 1,000 charitable funds established by individuals, families, corporations and nonprofit organizations. The foundation’s role is to manage those funds, provide donors with information and opportunities to maximize the impact of grantmaking, and award grants in alignment with donors’ wishes. The DCF also makes its own grants from the Delaware Forever Fund. 2020 grants also included approximately $3.5 million from the Covid-19 Strategic Response Fund, a partnership of the DCF and Philanthropy Delaware.
In addition to generous grantmaking in 2020, DCF fundholders also gave more than $82.1 million to charitable funds at the DCF for future grantmaking to address evolving community needs.
This was an increase of $51 million (165 percent) over 2019 and $52 million (172 percent) over 2018. Thanks to this generosity – combined with careful stewardship and favorable market performance – the charitable assets under management at the DCF now stand at a record-breaking $368 million.
For information about establishing a charitable fund or otherwise supporting the work of the DCF, visit delcf.org/ways-to-give or contact Joan Hoge-North, jhoge-north@delcf.org or 302.504.5224.
Golo announces $10,000 donations
Easterseals Delaware & Maryland’s Eastern Shore announced that it has received a grant from DuPont to purchase tools for intervention kits for children under the age of three with autism participating in their Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy.
The grant will ensure that each child has their own kit with the consideration of not spreading the Covid-19 virus.
“Easterseals is pleased to partner with DuPont to offer children in our ABA therapy program their own kits to help minimize the spread of the virus,” Easterseals President/CEO, Kenan Sklenar, says. “Our ABA program is a critical need in our community for children with autism under the age of three. We are proud to offer these services and keep the families we serve safe.”
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy programs help increase language and communication skills; improve attention, focus, social skills, memory, and academics by focusing on teaching new skills. Family education and support is also a critical component when working with very young children. Studies show, when ABA therapy starts before the age of two, the therapy is even more successful.
“DuPont has been partnering with Easterseals for more than 30 years, and we are particularly pleased to support this program that helps children to thrive by providing basic needs,” says Patrick McCrummen, DuPont’s global community impact leader. “As a purpose-driven company, we want to leverage all of our assets – including financial resources, skilled volunteers, materials, innovation and intellectual capital – to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people in the communities we call home.”
Dunkin,’ Pettinaro, Calagione donate to Food Bank
The Pettinaro Family Fund donated $100,000 to hunger-relief efforts at the Food Bank of Delaware.
The donation will enable the Glasgow-based organization to provide 300,000 meals to Delawareans in need.
The Food Bank of Delaware received a $32,000 donation from Dunkin’ of greater Philadelphia to help fight hunger throughout the region.
This donation is a combined effort from Dunkin’ of greater Philadelphia’s Roast Hunger program and Dunkin’s Joy in Childhood Foundation.
The greater Philadelphia Dunkin’ franchisees also donated 1,000 pounds of coffee to the Food Bank of Delaware.
The Red Wagon Calagione Foundation donated $10,000 to the Food Bank of Delaware.
The Food Bank accepted the contribution from Mariah Calagione, foundation co-owner and co-founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.
In the past year, the Food Bank has distributed nearly 20 million pounds of food to food-insecure residents statewide. In pre-Covid years, the organization distributed eight to 10 million pounds of food.
