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Our Story and Team

Our Story

The WindsorEssex Community Foundation (WECF) has a rich history within the Windsor-Essex community. For over 35 years the WECF has been building a better Windsor-Essex community. The WECF, originally founded as Heritage Windsor, is a perpetual community trust for philanthropic purposes. It exists to manage donors’ legacy funds and make grants to support local community programs. Through grant making activities, the WECF is able to establish partnerships to assist a broad range of community organizations.

The WECF was established through a small group of individuals consisting of Albert Weeks, Clifford Hatch Sr., and Charles Clark Sr., who had the forward-thinking vision to develop a foundation with the basis of legacy-giving in order to fund future gift-giving. With that idea in mind, the WECF began supporting waterfront development through endowments, including the Peace Fountain, the Peace Beacon, and Bert Weeks Memorial Garden. Since the WECF‘s beginning its continued to expand its reach and support of countless landmarks across Windsor-Essex, including the Ganatchio Trail Extension, the Ojibway Prairie Complex, Willistead Manor, Charles Clark Square, and the Great Canadian Flag Project.

The WECF continues its outreach of funding to charitable organizations throughout Windsor-Essex to support various projects, and has expanded its legacy-giving through the form of community initiatives, such as Random Act of Kindness Day and the Vital Signs Program, to provide donors with unique ways to support and build Windsor-Essex.

View information on the WECF‘s board of directors, staff, partners, and history below.

Our history timeline

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  • Rotary Club of Windsor (1918) Centennial Scholarship Fund established
  • Honey Family Foundation donates $100,000 to the Bank Theatre in Leamington for their revitalization project
  • Sandra Beatty Endowment Fund established
  • People First of Ontario Agency Fund established
  • Jack Miner Migratory Bird Foundation Managed Fund Established
  •  Michael G. Solcz Endowment Fund Established
  • Martha Reavley Community & Leadership Award Scholarship Fund Established
  • Inspiration 100 Association members distribute $30,000 in funding to six local charities
  • WECF celebrates its 35th anniversary
  • WECF announces donations of $36,000 in Community Impact Grants
  • WECF holds first Vital Conversation on Sport & Belonging
  • The Great Canadian Flag rises over Windsor Essex
  • WECF announces 2nd round of $100,000 in funding to support Canada 150 initiatives
  • WECF sends 10 athletes to the Summer Provincial Special Olympics Games
  • WECF launches Youth Civic Engagement Workshop Series through an Ontario150 Grant from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Sport
  • Inspiration 100 Members distribute their first $20,000 in funding to four local charities
  • Honey Family Foundation Fund donates $15,000 to the South Essex Community Council
  • Canadian Mental Health Association (Windsor/Essex) Agency Fund established
  • WECF welcomes new Board Members Rachelle Booth and Wen Teoh
  • Jelle Donga announced as new Board Chair
  • WECF announces donation of $90,000 in Community Impact Grants
  • WECF holds Vital Conversation on “Getting Started”
  • Launch of Vitality program
  • Hocktoberfest Legacy Scholarship Fund established
  • Young Philanthropist’s Youth Endowment Fund established
  • The Friends of Ojibway Prairie Managed Fund established
  • The Foundation hosts inaugural meeting of Inspiration 100
  • Constable John Atkinson Memorial Scholarship Fund established
  • The Girard Riberdy Endowment Fund established
  • The Foundation sponsors the Great Canadian Flag Project to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday
  • WECF announces $100,000 in funding to support local Canada 150 initiatives
  • WECF welcomes new board members: Tom Touralias, Mohit Nayer, Richard Wyma, Jonathan Allison, and Michael Mueller
  • Jay Strosberg announced as new Chair of the Board of Directors
  • Marty D. Solcz is inducted as an Honourary Life Member
  • Hocktoberfest Legacy Scholarship Fund established
  • Inspiration 100 Endowment Fund established
  • Young Philanthropist’s program established
  • Great Canadian Flag Endowment Fund established
  • Hitchcock Family Foundation Endowment Fund established
  • Toldo Foundation Arts Matching Endowment Fund established
  • Lisa Kolody is hired as the Foundation’s fourth executive director
  • The Foundation holds inaugural Community Cup Pro-Am Golf Tournament
  • Essex Region Conservation Authority Managed Fund established
  • Gabby’s Endowment Fund Established
  • MRH Foundation Endowment Fund established (later changed to Honey Family Foundation Fund)
  • The Foundation is a Gold Sponsor of the International Children’s Games hosted in Windsor
  • Launch of the Vital Signs Program in Windsor-Essex
  • Joan & John Vollmer Endowment Fund established (later changed to J & J Vollmer Endowment Fund)
  • Windsor-Essex County Sports Hall of Fame Managed Fund established

BERL Endowment Fund established

BMO Skopit Settlement Endowment Fund established, later changed to the Class Action Community Fund

  • Facca Endowment Fund established
  • The Foundation takes part in Random Act of Kindness Day for the first time
  • Island of Green Endowment Fund established
  • WFCU Endowment Fund established
  • Solcz Family & Valiant Corporation Endowment Fund for Children established (later changed to the Solcz Group Inc. Community Fund for Children)
  • Glenn Stresman is hired as the Foundation’s third executive director
  • Joe and Hazel Lacey Memorial Endowment Fund established
  • The Greater Windsor Community Foundation changes its name to the “WindsorEssex Community Foundation”
  • Jennifer Walker is hired as the Foundation’s second executive director
  • Chad Ranni Memorial Endowment Fund established
  • Youth Sports Support Endowment Fund established
  • Friends of Athletics Endowment Fund established
  • Essex Nature Endowment Fund established
  • The Foundation receives over 1 million dollars from the estate of Clifford Hatch
  • James L. Scorgie Leadership Endowment Fund established
  • Windsor Classic Chorale Managed Fund established
  • The Foundation grants $534,815 to the City of Windsor for the Bert Weeks Memorial Garden
  • The Foundation grants $250,000 to the City of Windsor for the Peace Beacon
  • The Foundation grants $2,500 to the City of Windsor for the Bert Weeks Memorial Garden
  • The Foundation grants $2,500 to the City of Windsor for the Peace Beacon

The Foundation gives out largest grant in its history, $982,177 to the City of Windsor for Charles J. Clark Square

  • Windsor Symphony Society Matching Endowment Fund established
  • ATHENA Scholarship Fund established
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for the Bert Weeks Memorial Garden
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for Charles J. Clark Square
  • Dorothy and Sydney Lawton Endowment Fund established
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for the Bert Weeks Memorial Garden
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for Charles J. Clark Square
  • Sunshine Point Camp Endowment Fund established
  • Kiwanis Music Festival Endowment Fund established
  • Teen Health Centre Managed Fund established – later changed to the Windsor Community Health Centre Managed Fund
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for the Bert Weeks Memorial Garden
  • The Foundation  grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for Charles J. Clark Square
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for the Bert Weeks Memorial Garden
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for Charles J. Clark Square
  • Gale & Irene (Knister) Taylor Scholarship Fund established
  • Morris and Ruth Harding-Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund established
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for the Bert Weeks Memorial Garden
  • The Foundation grants $20,000 to the City of Windsor for Charles J. Clark Square
  • Joan & Clifford Hatch Endowment Fund established
  • University of Windsor Scholarship Fund established

Freed Orman Families Endowment Fund established

The Foundation becomes a member of Community Foundations of Canada

  • Heritage Windsor grants $15,000 to the City of Windsor for the Gnatachio Trail development
  • Heritage Windsor grants $150,000 to the City of Windsor for the Peace Fountain
  • Heritage Windsor changes its name to “The Greater Windsor Community Foundation”

 

  • Founded as Heritage Windsor

 

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