The DeKalb County Community Foundation announces Joel and Helen Maurer Family Fund, a new Community Impact Fund to reflect the Maurer family values of community and service. It will add resources to the Foundation’s Board’s grant programs.
Joel and Helen both graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, graduating with a civil engineering degree and master’s in social work, respectively. After graduating, they married in 1977 and had two daughters. In 1985, they moved to DeKalb County with Joel as a civil engineer for the City of DeKalb and Helen as a medical/geriatric licensed clinical social worker.
Joel and Helen are community-focused and make an effort to help where they can. Helen had a firsthand look at the community’s needs and resources through her social work role. Joel took on a leadership role at the Sycamore United Methodist Church food pantry and volunteered at the Community Gardens.
While making funds for their estate plan, they talked about giving back to the community. As they thought through options, they remembered the annual Give DeKalb County event and the local impact of the DeKalb County Community Foundation. They explored their choices until they settled upon a fund to support the entire community, a Community Impact Fund.
“We are so honored that Joel and Helen started an endowed Community Impact Fund at their local Community Foundation,” said Executive Director Dan Templin. “Funds like this provide grant resources to our Board, allowing them to address changing needs in a variety of issue areas throughout DeKalb County for generations to come!”
Donations to any Fund at the Community Foundation, including the Joel and Helen Maurer Family Fund, can be made online at dekalbccf.org/donate or by mail to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Avenue, Sycamore, IL 60178. For questions or to start your charitable Fund, please contact Dan Templin at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.
Written by Claudia Piwowarczyk
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