Sometimes, as she thinks about her future, Lila Teitle thinks of Jayne Lee Andreseen. She never knew Jayne, who passed away in 2005 at the age of 13 after a courageous battle with a rare form of pediatric cancer. But as the most recent recipient of the Jayne Lee Andreesen Memorial Scholarship, she carries Jayne’s story forward with her. “It was such an honor to be picked for this special scholarship,” said Lila, now a first-year student on the pre-med track at Duke University. “The Andreesens and the scholarship committee were kind enough to put their faith in me to go out, study, and help... Read More

QUAD CITIES, Iowa / Illinois—The Quad Cities Community Foundation is welcoming two new members to its board of directors. With unique perspectives, professional expertise, and connections in the community, the new members will be important leaders in the Community Foundation’s efforts to transform the region through the generosity of donors this year. “We are so fortunate to have a board of directors that doesn’t just believe in our mission but has an ambitious vision for our Quad Cities community,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “I’m grateful... Read More

Applications for scholarships through the Quad Cities Community Foundation are now open. Made possible by the generosity of donors to scholarship funds at the Community Foundation, more than 70 renewable and one-time scholarships totaling over $500,000 are available to local students this year. “We are privileged to play a part in opening doors to higher education in the Quad Cities,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, the Community Foundation’s president and CEO. “We’re inspired by donors’ investment in the future of our region, and we share their commitment to breaking down barriers to equitable... Read More

The Quad Cities Community Foundation has named Kent Pilcher the new chairperson of its board of directors. Replacing outgoing chairperson Randy Moore, Pilcher brings nearly seven years of service to the Community Foundation, most recently as board vice chair and Investment Committee chair, and a long history of local community leadership. His term as chair will run through 2024. In addition to Pilcher’s election to board chair, Dr. LaDrina Wilson has been named vice chair. “Kent is an asset to the Quad Cities and to the Quad Cities Community Foundation,” said President and CEO Sue Hafkemeyer.... Read More

As every member of the Illowa Council knows, a Boy Scout always leaves his campsite in better shape than he found it. According to Mark Schwiebert, a former Eagle Scout and the founder of the Mark W. Schwiebert Fund for Environmental Studies at the Quad Cities Community Foundation, that principle extends across the planet we call home. “Ask yourself: what do you want to leave behind for those who come after you?” Schwiebert’s own answer to that question helped lead him to establish the Schwiebert Fund, which since 2016 has made annual grants to Quad Cities nonprofits that educate the community... Read More

Philanthropy starts early at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. The Community Foundation’s Teens for Tomorrow (T4T) program gives Quad Cities high schoolers the opportunity to experience the grantmaking process firsthand, awarding real dollars to local nonprofits. Today, the group announced the program’s largest total grant award ever—$15,500 to 10 area organizations working in domestic violence and abuse support, education, the environment, housing, and immigration support. “A lot of students come into T4T with just a broad idea of what philanthropy means,” said Kaleigh Trammell,... Read More

Growing up, Yuliana Marceleno Lopez never lost sight of the sacrifices her family had made to give her the opportunities she had. “I always felt a sense of pressure to be someone greater because I saw my parents struggle,” said Lopez, whose family came to Davenport from Guanajuato, Mexico. When Lopez decided to become a teacher, she knew the college search would be difficult. “It was especially hard for me to be a first-generation student,” she said, “and I went through the application and search process all alone.” But Lopez found that she had the support of her community when in 2021... Read More

Continuity matters. Just ask Hunt and Diane Harris, who recently moved from Moline to Naperville to be closer to their son and his family. As they settle into their new home, they’re making sure that their giving remains grounded in the Quad Cities, that generosity keeps thriving in their family, and that their legacy lives on after their lifetimes, too. How? By converting their two existing private foundations into a donor-advised fund at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. With the support of the Community Foundation staff, Hunt and Diane will be able to use the newly established Harris Family... Read More

Like many American children, Dean and Deb Mathias learned to ride bikes at an early age. Unlike most, however, the couple has cultivated that rite of passage into an enduring passion—one that has introduced them to lifelong friends, been shared with multiple family generations, taken them all over the globe, and guided them to give back to their community. Today, Deb and Dean are two of the biggest champions of bicycling and recreation in the Quad Cities. Deb is secretary of the Quad Cities Bicycle Club, while Dean sits on multiple local committees, advocating for projects that enhance the region’s... Read More

Milan residents who aspire to join the healthcare workforce have a new resource in their corner: the Grant W. and Virginia W. Brissman Scholarship for Nursing & Health Sciences. The permanently endowed scholarship, which will support Milan students attending Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Rock Island, is made possible by a $50,000 grant from the Grant W. Brissman and Virginia M. Brissman Foundation, a private foundation administered through the Quad Cities Community Foundation. The scholarship fund grant is just one of 15 grants totaling over $140,000 recently announced by... Read More