Will County Community Foundation honors Jay and Lori Bergman

Donors and other guests of the Will County Community Foundation gathered on May 2 at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville to honor Jay and Lori Bergman who were early supporters of The Community Foundation of Will County and influential in establishing it as the new regional endowment.

Jay and Lori Bergman are not strangers to Joliet area nonprofits.

Jay is a lifelong Joliet resident, and Lori was raised in Aurora and made Joliet her home for many years. Over the years, the Bergman’s have become well known for their charitable support, and countless hours of time given to many worthy charitable causes and organizations.

For Jay, several passions have included his service as a founding member of The Community Foundation of Will County, having served the maximum terms as a member of the board of directors, chairing the development committee and serving on the finance committee.

An important aspect of the Bergman’s service in the foundation’s early years was seeding new funds that were important for a new organization including: The Community Foundation’s Operating Endowment Fund, Field-of-Interest Funds to build grantmaking, and a matching gift fund to encourage businesses to establish their own grant making funds.

Because of a personal passion, the Bergman’s established the American Red Cross Fund of Greater Will County and also have a Donor Advised Fund with the Foundation.

In recent years the Bergman’s have been one of the foundation’s co-investors, generously supporting projects awarded through the foundation’s annual Community Partner Grants cycle, to increase the impact of this competitive grant making program in ways which align with their personal charitable interests.

About The Community Foundation of Will County:

The Community Foundation of Will County seeks to raise the quality of life throughout Will County by fostering philanthropy, connecting donors to area needs, and building community partnerships.

Based on the American virtues of volunteerism and philanthropy, the Foundation fosters a legacy of support for the people of Will County by making grants to not-for-profit organizations working in the areas of the arts, education, health, and human services. Since its inception, the Foundation has built its assets to more than $4 million and has awarded close to $2 million in grants to not-for-profit agencies serving the residents of Will County and beyond.

Established in 2006, The Community Foundation of Will County is a publicly-supported 501(c)(3) organization to which contributions are tax deductible.

It was created to benefit the people of Will County and receives contributions and bequests into a permanent endowment from individuals, corporations, organizations and foundations wishing to make lasting contributions to the people who call Will County their home.

The earnings on these funds are then used, in accordance with donor wishes, for the Foundation’s grant making and community leadership activities.

For more information contact Jane Tyschenko, program director, at 815-744-9223 or jtyschenko@cfwill.org.