Page 20 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2020

COAST NOTE
GULF COAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Celebrating
30 Years
story by Lynn Lofton photos courtesy of Gulf Coast Community Foundation
The Gulf Coast Community Foundation is celebrating 30 years of helping people with diverse interests invest in charitable causes to improve the quality of life in South Mississippi.
“The organization was established by
a group of concerned citizens who saw the value community foundations provide by promoting charitable investments within communities,” CEO Rodger Wilder said. “Over the past 30 years the Foundation has distributed more than $75 million in funds to assist local people and looks forward to continuing to serve our community for many years to come.”
The Foundation (GCCF) currently manages more than $32 million in charitable assets. According to Wilder, these funds come from a variety
of sources including individuals, businesses, contributions to the annual Friends of the Foundation campaign, investment income, modest fees charged to administer local funds and other foundations. “These assets are held and administered by the GCCF to support speci c charitable causes, programs or organizations as designated by the donor,” he said.
GCCF provides administrative and professional support for more than 100 charitable funds such as Explosion of Excellence; Leo Seal Innovative Teacher Awards; Wilson Animal Welfare; Coast Electric Community Trust; Gulf Coast Tourism; scholarship funds; and employee assistance funds.
The Foundation has distributed $75 million since 2005. During the COVID pandemic the following charitable groups have received assistance: St Vincent DePaul Pharmacy; Catholic Charities; Hancock County Resource Center; Back Bay Mission; Manna Ministries; Salvation Army; Feeding the Gulf Coast; Gulf Coast Boys and Girls Clubs; Boys and Girls Clubs of Jackson County; Harrison County Libraries; Main Street of Biloxi; Gulfport Main Street; Lynn Meadows Discovery Center; Ohr-O’Keefe Museum; and the Walter Anderson Museum.
Additionally, GCCF granted $160,000 in college scholarships to local students;
helped administer Coast Electric Community Trust’s Operation Round
Up Grants; provided over $350,000 to 56 organizations in Harrison, Hancock, and Jackson County; and provided education and teacher grants. A sum of $86,500 from the Wilson Animal Fund was awarded to eight local animal shelters and rescue groups in 2019.
Wilder points out that community foundations are exible by design to meet changing needs within a community. “Rather than focusing on a single cause, we support a wide variety of charitable causes that strengthen the community,” he said. “In times of disaster (whether it be a hurricane, ood, or pandemic), we are situated to evaluate and respond to evolving community needs.”
Currently, GCCF is working with local donors and national funds to assist individuals and nonpro t corporations su ering due to COVID.
Gulf Coast Community Foundation | 228.897.4841 | www.mgccf.org
20 | September 2020 www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living