The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation Receives

“2010 Leadership Legacy Award” from the Center for Ethical Leadership

The Community Foundation Receives Award for their Youth Against Violence Initiative

TACOMA, WASH. (March 8, 2010) – The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation is one of three recipients for this year’s “Leadership Legacy Award” given by the Center for Ethical Leadership.  The Community Foundation is being recognized for their work on the Youth Against Violence initiative.

The Center for Ethical Leadership’s 2010 Legacy Event takes place on Thursday, March 11^th at 5:30pm at Ocean City Restaurant in Seattle.  For more information on the event, visit www.ethicalleadership.org.

“We are very honored to be receiving this award,” said Rose Lincoln Hamilton, president and CEO of the Community Foundation.  “This was definitely a collaborative effort with many great people and organizations in the Pierce County community and this award is a reflection on all who were involved.”

Karma Ruder, director of community collaboration for the Center, added: “The purpose of the Legacy Award is to show our community which people and organizations are living examples of ethical leadership – and the Community Foundation is an ideal model.  They inspired us with their work of bringing together youth and adults for significant dialogues in search for real solutions.”

The Community Foundation began meeting with a group of Pierce County funders and service providers in 2006 exploring the root causes of youth violence.  As the group moved forward, the need for a youth voice at the table became apparent.  With youth on board as thinking partners to inform and influence the direction of the initiative, the Youth Against Violence initiative began to take shape.

In the Fall of 2009, four community dialogues were held for adults and youth to come together in a safe setting where their stories could be told and heard.  Many great breakthroughs took place at these dialogues which gave those who attended a feeling of hope and excitement for the future.  This is just the beginning of the Youth Against Violence initiative with much more information to come, along with the need for more community involvement.  For more information, visit www.gtcf.org/yav.

The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation:

The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation is a trusted partner with the Pierce County Community, fostering generosity by connecting people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1981, the Community Foundation provides individuals, families, and corporations with the resources and expertise to connect their own values with the philanthropic intent of their choosing.

The Community Foundation oversees and invests more than $64 million in assets, established by collecting gifts from donors creating new funds or adding to one of our already existing charitable funds. In our 2009 Fiscal Year, the Community Foundation awarded more than $3.2 million in grants to nonprofit organizations and student scholarships. For more information, visit our website at www.gtcf.org or call 253.383.5622.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Mickey Ahrens, Director of Communications

The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation

(Office) 253.383.5622 / mahrens@gtcf.org