Several Brownsville citizens worked over the years to establish a charitable organization to support local programs. Two of those citizens, Anne Stein and Mandy Cole, finally began the process that resulted in the Brownsville Community Foundation being formed. Anne remembers efforts as early as the 1980s. Mandy had some experience with the Sweet Home Foundation in the late 1990s and decided to try to do something like it for Brownsville. Anne remembers, “The two of us decided to have a foundation like Sharing Hands as our model.” Together Anne and Mandy contacted other interested people and in 2002 established the organizing committee with Anne Stein as President, Mandy Cole as Secretary and Joseph Bailey, Carlos Gutierrez, and Sonja Compton as Board members.
It took several years for the group to work out the details. Anne Stein gifted $3000 to the foundation that she had received as an inheritance from her mother. With those resources the Board was able to incorporate in December 2005. The By-laws were completed that year on September 13, 2005, and were signed by Secretary Mandy Cole with Anne Stein listed as President.
By 2010 others joined the Board and they were able to contribute the money for completing the federal tax exemption status and to start the fund raising process. The organization was declared a public charity by the Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service on December 12, 2011.
The mission and vision statement was formed as follows: “The BCF supports and promotes educational and charitable activities that improve the health, vitality and quality of life in our community.”
The Board decided to immediately begin offering grants and that first year 0f 2010 grants were offered, when $1,500 of grants were issued to four Brownsville organizations: the Brownsville Senior Center, Central Linn Gleaners, Brownsville Recreation Center, and the Brownsville Library.
The By-laws were revised on February 2, 2017 with the name change to Central Linn Community Foundation to reflect the larger area being serviced.
In 2017 the Board was composed of President Lori Garcy, Secretary Chenoweth Robertson, Treasurer Don Ware and Board members Wendy Parker, Kathy Rogers, Mark Running, Jan Schilling, and Mike Smith. The organization continued to accept donations and bequests and established a firm financial base with $20,000 in reserve funds managed by the Benton County Community Foundation. This arrangement was made to assure the best investment possible with a large private non-profit organization that provides advice, support and financial security.
Since 2017 the grants offered to the community have totaled over $35,500 with the most current yearly totals being around $7,000. That brings the grant total funding to well over $60,000 since the first year of grants. The Board currently in 2022 has a reserve fund of over $50,000, to assure the long range survival the CLCF.
The organization is on a path of providing grants to Central Linn programs and services that enrich our Central Linn community long into the future.
The Board of 2022 was composed of Treasurer Wendy Parker, Secretary Chenoweth Robertson, President Kathy Rogers, Vice President Norma Hoover, Mary Canaday, Jan Schilling, Don Ware, and Lance Wilson.
Donations may be made by clicking here or by check mailed to CLCF at PO Box 4, Brownsville, OR, 97327.