African American Community Fund Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Exhibit at The History Museum Tells Fund's Story, Impact
The African American Community Fund—a family of 23 endowed funds held within the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County— marks its 20th anniversary this year with an exhibit that chronicles the history of the fund and celebrates its accomplishments.
The African American Community Fund began in 1999, out of a desire to make a difference and create a legacy. Today, the fund has grown into a major resource that strengthens our entire community. The fund includes assets of more than $2.8 million. It has returned more than $1.3 million to the community in the form of grants, spurring and supporting programs that enhance the lives of African Americans in St. Joseph County. Its areas of focus include education, arts and culture, and community development.
The African American Community Fund is one of a very few endowed funds in the United States in which the dollars that seeded the fund came directly from members of the African American community. These Founding Families remain closely involved with the fund, working with the Community Foundation to make decisions about reinvesting in the African American community. They are passionately committed to building awareness of the fund, raising the AACF’s profile while they raise contributions.
“The African American Community Fund: Celebrating 20 Years” will be on exhibit from November 14, 2019, through March 8, 2020, in the Link Hallway of The History Museum, 808 W. Washington St., South Bend. The exhibit is free of charge and open to the public during The History Museum’s regular operating hours: Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets for guided tours of the Oliver Mansion and visits to other exhibits at The History Museum may be purchased for $6-$10. More information about the African American Community Fund and its work can be found online at www.cfsjc.org/AACF.