Over 450 people crowded the Manhattan Conference Center to celebrate the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation’s (GMCF) first annual awards ceremony.
Foundation president, Vern Henricks said its long been his desire to recognize the work of volunteers, donors and non-profit employees in the area.
“We really felt like there was an opportunity here to make people aware of some of the needs and some of the great things our non-profits are taking care of for the community,” Henricks said.
For those unfamiliar with the GMCF, it essentially operates as a vehicle for charitable giving.
“We receive money from philanthropists or donors or individuals that want to make a difference, we manage the money and help it grow so that their difference can be impacted in the greatest way, and then we grant it away to the deserving organizations and non-profits in our communities,” Henricks said.
Sunday’s event also featured the 2014 GMCF annual Trustees Meeting, which included a brief financial report. In just four years, the Foundation’s assets have nearly quadrupled from roughly $12 million to $45 million and its grants and program expenses have almost tripled from $360 thousand to just over $1 million.
To learn more about the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation, call them at 785-587-8995 or visit them online at www.mcfks.com
