Ten years ago, Peggy and Bob Walter approached The Columbus Foundation with an idea: to establish a fund that provides life-changing grants to help people who are experiencing a sudden hardship, such as a job loss, medical diagnosis, or accident. The goal was to provide financial support to help individuals and families when the unexpected happens, to illustrate how acts of kindness can make a difference, and to inspire others to spread kindness.
Through a generous grant from the Walter Foundation, a Supporting Foundation of The Columbus Foundation, the Gifts of Kindness Fund was created in September 2014. Since then, hundreds of individuals have contributed to the fund, helping to spread the transformative power of kindness throughout the community.
Working in partnership with nearly 50 local nonprofits, the Gifts of Kindness program has provided more than $6 million in grant support to more than 3,300 households in the Columbus region. These grants—which are usually between $500 and $3,000—ensure that one setback doesn’t spiral into prolonged instability by helping people cover essential expenses. Often, these expenses are related to housing, transportation, medical bills, and assistance with utilities.
“Thanks to the generosity of many kindness champions, the Gifts of Kindness Fund continues to provide critical resources to help our neighbors who are facing a sudden, destabilizing event,” said Kate Oliphint, Director of the Center for HumanKindness at The Columbus Foundation, which oversees the Gifts of Kindness program. “It is truly inspiring to witness our community coming together to support others through a difficult and disruptive time in their life. Oftentimes, this generosity sets off a chain reaction of kindness, further strengthening the social fabric of our community.”
This giving season, join others making a difference in our community by supporting this extraordinary kindness engine. Your donation to the Gifts of Kindness Fund will help individuals and families overcome unforeseen hardships, helping keep them on a path of stability and self-sufficiency.
Ten years of life-changing impact, in their words:
