The Greenfield Foundation is an unknown entity to many, but it is much more than a charitable organization.
It all started in 1999 as a way to help streamline the donation process regarding the remodel of the Greenfield City Building and the sale of pavers to help support that remodel.
“As we talked about the City Building project, we decided that creating a community foundation could be a good move not only for that particular project, but also for things that might come up in the future,” said Ron Coffey, one of the foundation’s trustees. “The Greenfield Foundation gave us an entity that could benefit the community in many ways for a long time.”
Over the last two decades the foundation has gone on to be a part of many projects in Greenfield that have in some shape or form improved upon the community.
According to Otis Wagner, an original member, after the foundation was formed it sort of absorbed other organizations.
“The foundation has really served as a vehicle throughout the years to help accomplish things in and for the community,” member Steve Hunter said.
The foundation has also wholly been funded through the years by private donations. If someone, or a group has wanted to raise money for a specific item, the foundation has been able to help them do that through its foundation status. Additionally, when money is donated for a specific purpose, it goes only for that purpose and stays in that specific fund, Coffey said.
Projects through the years that the foundation has had a part in include trees in the downtown area, a multi-church Pipes of Christmas organ project, economic development efforts, field improvements at Mitchell Park, youth league equipment, creation of busts of Edward Lee and Lulu Johnson McClain, and the recent refurbishment of the clock tower atop the City
Building.
This story was submitted by the Greenfield Foundation.
