Our story began in 1956…
In August 1956, as part of the City of Glendale’s 50th Anniversary celebration, a number of women from the Glendale Tuesday Afternoon Club decided to create a local organization that would allow any community member to become a philanthropist according to his or her individual means. Working together, this group of forward-thinking community leaders established the Glendale Community Foundation.
The organizers created an initial fund of a few thousand dollars with the intent that this would grow in perpetuity through keen investment practices by the Foundation and through an indefinite number of donations and bequests from a wide variety of donors. Along with some initial gifts by area donors, the Foundation was off the ground with its first fund!
The Foundation gathered momentum as more and more people realized the power of combining their giving efforts with the Foundation in order to benefit area organizations. By 1989, the Foundation’s assets had reached a milestone of $1,000,000.
Much of this initial growth can be attributed to Don Packer, one of the Foundation’s most influential board members. After Packer’s passing, Tom Miller, the then executive director, continued this work and grew the Foundation’s assets to $7,000,000 by 2006 when, he too, passed after 17 years of service.
In 2008, after securing new leadership, the Board of Directors decided to implement a name change—the Community Foundation of the Verdugos—to encompass the cities of Burbank, Glendale, La Cañada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose and Verdugo City.
Today, the Foundation has grown its assets to $12,000,000 and continues to provide local donors with the easiest and most efficient ways in which to implement their present and future charitable intentions with maximum tax advantages.
Leave a legacy. Create a fund today.
Want to know more about our history? Watch our video: