Community
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Partnering to Support Military Families: Madigan Foundation, GTCF Agency Fundholder
Over the past 38 years, Greater Tacoma Community Foundation has seen Pierce County grow and change, but what has remained constant is the passion people bring to building a thriving community. Sharing community knowledge and stories about our lived experiences builds everyone’s ability to make a positive impact.
In our latest annual book of Pierce County Partners, we share stories and insights from individuals and organizations who are making a difference in Pierce County. In their own words, they speak about the dreams and lessons that fuel their work in the community.
“It can be hard to make a home in an unfamiliar place and every move brings change. Many military families experience the deployment of a spouse, leaving one parent to hold the fort down. It’s experiences like these that create a unique brotherhood and sisterhood among our families as they care for one another.”
Rachanee Curry, President of the Madigan Foundation, grew up in a military family. She served on active duty and is a military spouse. She has observed first-hand some of the challenges that military families can face.
“Our foundation supports military families, active and retired, and the Madigan Army Medical Center through programs designed to improve and enhance the quality of care and life of patients, their families, and their healthcare providers.”
“We appreciated finding a community organization like GTCF who shares our values.”
“We have been at this since 1995 – supporting research, education, and professional development, and have developed many programs supporting health related needs of soldiers and families. Many of these – like our childcare and taxi vouchers, dental screenings and immunizations awareness, or support for wounded warriors, behavioral health and palliative care – were born out of one person’s need and then seeing a pattern of need and addressing it.”
Perhaps no program captures the spirit of the foundation more than their Young Heroes program that recognizes children of military personnel with mental or physical disabilities for their courage and perseverance.
“The Madigan Foundation is one of a network of great organizations in our community who care for our military and families – who are also our neighbors – in their time of need.”
“Each year, two of our Young Heroes receive college scholarships through the Sandra Kay Green Memorial Scholarship. This year, one will study social work because she wants to come back and serve in the community that has supported her, and the other is pursuing medical research with a desire to help others who have medical conditions similar to his own.”
“At Madigan Foundation we constantly strive to increase our impact through strategic thinking and innovation.”
Part of that journey was the search for a partner to help them invest and grow their resources. “We appreciated finding a community organization like GTCF who shares our values.”
“GTCF has given us the opportunity to learn and grow. We’ve been a grant recipient. The way GTCF shares best practices, and connects us with others also making a difference, has inspired our own vision for how to more effectively communicate and deliver on our mission.”
“The Madigan Foundation is one of a network of great organizations in our community who care for our military and families – who are also our neighbors – in their time of need.”