The Inland Empire Community Foundation's recent 85th anniversary celebration event honored a long list of valued donors and fund holders while unveiling a new range of aspirational goals for charitable giving across the Inland Empire to build the culture of philanthropy.
"Eighty-five years of IECF is really a story about people who care deeply about this region and chose to do something about it," said Michelle Decker, president and CEO of IECF. "That generosity has supported students, nonprofits and communities across the Inland Empire for generations.
"As we celebrate this anniversary, we're also thinking about how to bring more people into philanthropy and keep those resources working here for years to come," she said.
The anniversary event,
held Sept. 13 at Crestmore Manor, united donors, fundholders, professional advisors and community partners who have helped support charitable giving across Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The anniversary year's theme, "Here for Good," reflects the foundation's commitment to the good of the community today and to the generations of Inland Empire residents in the future.
Big announcements centered around four key goals IECF set in the year ahead: to establish 85 new charitable funds, to secure $85 million in planned gifts, to partner with 85 professional advisors to and raise $8.5 million for IECF Signature Funds.
Founded in 1941 when Charles and Clara Brouse established The Riverside Foundation, scholarships were among the foundation's earliest and top priorities. They continue to benefit local students today.
IECF is also the oldest and largest community foundation in Inland Southern California, actively partnering with individuals, families, organizations, funders and corporations to help them achieve their charitable goals.
Since its inception, it has distributed more than $267 million in grants and scholarships.
The foundation's history was reflected in the uplifting story of Jesse Melgar, chair of IECF's board of directors and founding chair of the CIELO Fund, a unique philanthropy initiative that was launched in 2022 to enhance and invest in Latino-led and Latino-serving organizations across Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Melgar received an IECF scholarship when he was 18, and it helped him attend UCLA. He later joined the foundation's board and now serves as chair.
"Someone I may never have met looked at my future and decided it was worth investing in," Melgar said at the event.
Other celebration standouts included a spotlight on donor Terry Bridges, who shared a personal commitment to being "Here for Good," saying, "I was put on this earth to do good, and I have an obligation to do good for my community. I realized that in doing good, I got good back."
Jessica Kaczmarek, priority communities initiative director at The James Irvine Foundation, also spoke at the event, pointing out the foundation's longstanding relationship with IECF and investment in the Inland Empire.
"We live in a community that we all benefit from and that we all shape," she told attendees. "I do think we all have a stake in the Inland Empire's future."
Today, IECF manages more than 470 charitable funds, including donor-advised, endowed, scholarship and field-of-interest funds. Recent work includes a $5 million Nonprofit Loan Fund and $850,000 in Community Impact Fund grants to 45 organizations, along with 11 Signature Funds focused on communities and issues throughout the region.
Collectively, the foundation's anniversary goals are intended to bring more people into charitable giving, expand planned gifts and strengthen partnerships with financial planners, attorneys and accountants who work with clients on charitable and estate planning.
"'Here for Good' is our promise to this region," Decker said. "We want philanthropy in the Inland Empire to keep growing, reaching more people and supporting the communities we love for generations to come. Our 85th anniversary gives us a chance to recommit to that work and invite more people to be part of it."
IECF leaders also shared their gratitude to the Randall Lewis, Janell Lewis & The Lewis Group of Companies for their support as presenting sponsors, along with premier sponsorship from Amazon and Wells Fargo. Additional support came from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, Edison International, Riverside Construction Company and IEHP.
For more information visit the IECF's website at iegives.org. Be a part of our conversation on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Inland Empire Community Foundation celebrates 85 years, sets new goals
