A bright idea

Sometimes it takes a seven-year-old to tell you that you are in a wardrobe rut. My closet has been full of dark colors for as long as I can remember. So I am not quite sure what possessed me a couple of weeks ago to buy a bright orange jacket at Nordstrom's. "Are you going to wear that?" Ann asked with a twinkle in her eye as I headed out the door to work last Tuesday. "Yes," I said. Surprising myself that I sincerely valued her opinion, I added cautiously "Do you think I should?" "Oh, sure," she replied. "It will be fun." And it actually was!

It never hurts to try something new. If you've been thinking about setting up your own personal, corporate, or family foundation fund at the Community Foundation, maybe it's time to take the leap. Establish your fund for less than you might think. Total up your charitable giving budget for the year, and that's a good starting point. Then you can make your 2008 donations out of your fund and see first hand why 189 new families, individuals, and business got started at the Community Foundation last year alone. And guess what? It's fun!

The price is right, too. The minimum fee--a grant to our mission--is just $21 a month, or $250 per year. That's less than my orange jacket.