News Archive

The Community Foundation Board and staff remembers fondly Mrs. Gail Phillips Gunn, a former Community Foundation Board member, who passed away on September 14, 2020. Mrs. Gunn served on the Foundation’s Distribution Committee and established the Gail and Walter Gunn Scholarship Fund with her husband at the end of her Board term in May 2015. The Fund’s purpose is to provide post-secondary educational scholarships to local African-American students, with a preference for those studying business or with an entrepreneurial interest. Mrs. Gunn always actively promoted the scholarship and faithfully participated in every Community Foundation event. Her legacy will live on through the scholarship, touching the lives of students for many years to come.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Gail and Walter Gunn Scholarship Fund of The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region by clicking the donate button below, and specifying the Gail and Walter Gunn Scholarship on the designation menu. All gifts are tax deductible.

CFDRR Responds to COVID-19

“While our region manages this crisis, the Foundation’s responsibility is to assist in finding local solutions. The Coronavirus Relief Fund is established so the public can give with the assurance their donations will be granted to organizations providing immediate care to our communities’most vulnerable populations. This Fund is designed to supplement, not replace, resources already in place. The Community Foundation has designed this Fund to be flexible and responsive given the immediacy of this pandemic.”

Katherine Milam, Executive Director of The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region announced January 16^th a total of $751,325 in new grants to 48 non-profit community agencies at a reception at Ballou Recreation Center. The Community Foundation was incorporated in 1996 and has already returned more than $24 million in community grants and scholarships.

This year’s grants include $250,000 in funding made available by a grant from the Danville Regional Foundation.

Many of the grants were awarded from The Community Impact Fund, which is made up of the following unrestricted funds: James Russell Anderson and Zora Carter Anderson Endowment Fund, Buck- Wayland Fund, Faith Home Endowment Fund, Clarence L. Giles Fund, Harry Melton Hood Fund, Elizabeth (Betty) W. Jefferson Fund, D. Webster, Jr., and Elizabeth S. Marshall Fund, Doug Massey Fund, James A. and Anne V. Robertson Fund, Barbara H. Sater and Herbert W. Sater Memorial Fund, and John C. Swanson, Jr. Fund.

            The following 48 grants were awarded from the named fund(s) for the purpose described.

American Red Cross of Blue Ridge Virginia ($10,500) to purchase 15 cutting-edge blood scales (Community Impact Fund)

Big Brothers Big Sisters ($5,000) to recruit and train new volunteers (Community Impact Fund)

Boys and Girls Clubs of the Danville Area ($7,500) to support the implementation of the Career Readiness & Exploration Initiative (Faye Carter Fund)

Caswell Cancer Resource Fund ($21,250) to extend supportive services to residents of Caswell County who have been diagnosed with cancer (Community Impact Fund)

Caswell County Parish ($25,000) to assist families who are in danger of having their electrical service terminated due to inability to pay the bill (Community Impact Fund)

Caswell County Partnership for Children ($3,275) to provide children in the Raising-A-Reader program with twelve books to build their home libraries (Gamewood Technology Fund)

Community Improvement Council, Head Start ($4,500) for social-emotional curriculum and therapeutic day treatment materials (Faye Carter Fund)

Dan River Nonprofit Network ($8,000) to offer ALIGN9, a new and innovative program designed to align skilled service providers with nine Dan River Region nonprofits in need of their talents (Community Impact Fund)

Danville Area Humane Society ($1,500) to enhance the security system (Community Impact Fund)

Danville-Pittsylvania Community Services ($13,000) to help law enforcement professionals overcome the personal and professional internal assaults they experience during their careers in law enforcement (Community Impact Fund)

Danville Science Center ($8,000) to upgrade technology within the Digital Dome (Community Impact Fund; Daniel Fund)

Danville Social Services ($50,000) to support the Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program (Community Impact Fund)

Danville Speech and Hearing Center ($27,000) to provide speech language pathology services to adults and children who are underinsured and unable to afford services (Community Impact Fund; Daniel Fund)

Danville Symphony Orchestra ($3,500) to defray a portion of the expenses to present four free orchestral concerts for the Dan River Region (Community Impact Fund; Daniel Fund)

Fairview United Methodist Church ($16,000) to support their Backpack Program (Community Impact Fund; Daniel Fund)

The First Tee of Danville ($12,000) to help provide full programming scholarships to participants during the spring and fall seasons (Community Impact Fund)

Friends of the Danville Public Library ($8,000) to support programming and outreach (Community Impact Fund)

HAVEN of the Dan River Region ($7,000) to contract with a local website developer to create a website for HAVEN (Community Impact Fund)

House of Hope ($25,000) for crucial roof renovations to ensure the safety and comfort of the guests and long-term tenant (Community Impact Fund; Daniel Fund)

Just Kids Child Development Center ($8,000) to purchase developmentally appropriate toys and materials for the two centers (Community Impact Fund; Faye Carter Fund)

Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia ($20,000) to grant at least four life-changing wishes in Danville and Pittsylvania County (Community Impact Fund; Gamewood Technology Fund)

MedAssist of Mecklenburg ($3,500) to purchase lifesaving prescription medications to residents in Caswell County (Community Impact Fund)

Northern Pittsylvania County Food Center ($15,000) to purchase food for the distribution program (Community Impact Fund; W. Earl & Elise M.G. Allen Fund)

Pittsylvania County Department of Public Safety ($10,000) to purchase CR2 AEDs to be placed in high traffic government buildings in Pittsylvania County (Community Impact Fund)

PPL Foundation ($25,000) to renovate Pittsylvania County Public Library’s 3,910 square foot branch library in Gretna (Community Impact Fund)

Providence Fire Rescue ($12,000) to purchase a new fire hose (Community Impact Fund)

Ringgold Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department ($25,000) to purchase five MSA Gil MSA Air Paks with facepieces (Community Impact Fund)

Southside Soccer Club ($18,000) to improve field drainage on the east and west sides of the former Blairs Middle School football field (Community Impact Fund)

Southern Area Agency on Aging ($30,000) to assist in circumstances whereby, unless some intervention is provided to resolve or stabilize a problem(s) or issue(s), an older individual’s safety, security and/or general well-being is at risk (Stratford House Fund)

SPCA of Pittsylvania County ($4,500) to support the spay program and to provide Trap-Neuter-Return services for Pittsylvania County residents who are caring for feral cat colonies (Community Impact Fund; Animal Welfare Fund; Irving H. & Louise Hambrick Scarce Animal Welfare Fund)

St. Luke’s United Methodist Church ($15,000) to purchase food items to be packed in bags and given to the children for the weekend feeding program (Community Impact Fund)

Virginia Dental Association Foundation ($2,750) to support the DDS program in Danville and Pittsylvania (Community Impact Fund)

Westside Cardinals Youth Football League ($10,000) to purchase football equipment (Community Impact Fund)

Yanceyville Volunteer Fire and Rescue ($24,000) to purchase eight sets of personal protective equipment for firefighters (Community Impact Fund)

Each of the following grants was awarded as a result of The Community Foundation’s grantmaking partnership with Danville Regional Foundation.

Casville Volunteer Fire Department ($26,000) to purchase four Self Contained Breathing Apparatus units (Community Impact Fund; Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Climax Volunteer Fire Department ($26,000) to purchase four Self Contained Breathing Apparatus units (Community Impact Fund; Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Dan River Basin Association ($10,000) to provide Citizen Water Quality Monitoring Trainings in Danville, Pittsylvania County and Caswell County (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Danville Area Choral Arts Society ($3,000) to support the choral concert, Handel’s Messiah (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Danville Church Based Tutorial Program ($30,000) to build capacity within the academic program using math and reading consultants (Faye Carter Fund; Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Danville Concert Association ($1,750) to support the fourth performance of the season, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Danville Life Saving Crew ($30,000) to replace the Medivac helicopter-landing pad built at the Danville Life Saving Crew (Community Impact Fund; Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Danville Neighborhood Development Corporation ($25,000) to help elderly, veteran, disabled, and low-income homeowners in Danville make needed improvements to their homes’ exteriors (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Danville Pittsylvania Cancer Association ($45,000) to assist clients with cancer-related prescriptions (Community Impact Fund; Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Danville-Pittsylvania County Habitat for Humanity ($25,000) to build a decent, safe and affordable home for Crystal DeShazor and her three children (Ahmed Children’s Fund; Daniel Fund; Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

God’s Storehouse ($15,000) to purchase food for the weekend feeding program at the following schools: Woodberry Hills, Gibson, GLH Johnson, Schoolfield, Woodrow Wilson and Headstart (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Grace-A-Lot ($1,800) for new undergarments for men, women, boys and girls  (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Pelham Volunteer Fire Department ($17,000) to replace up to eight sets of outdated turnout gear worn by personnel while responding to fires and motor vehicle accidents (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

Prospect Hill Volunteer Fire Department ($17,000) for a Rescue 42 Truck Kit, Rescue 42 Strut Jack and a SP 777E2 Spreader (Danville Regional Foundation Fund)

*Donor advised and designated fund grants are made throughout the year. For a listing of those grants, please refer to the Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Annual Report, which is available on The Community Foundation’s website, www.cfdrr.org.

The Community Foundation’s next grant cycle will begin in June for projects to be funded in 2021.

The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region is a public charity established in September 1996 by a steering committee of civic leaders to improve and enrich area lives through the generosity of donors.

The Community Foundation office can be reached at 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA, 24541, (434) 793-0884 and www.cfdrr.org.

DANVILLE, VA – The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region celebrated continued growth, and highlighted recent accomplishments at its Appreciation Luncheon, held Thursday, November 7, 2019 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research.

The Community Foundation’s mission is to improve and enrich the lives of people in our community by encouraging the generosity of donors; by receiving, managing and distributing important resources; and by meeting a variety of charitable purposes in our community.  

Kathy Milam, Executive Director, welcomed the 154 donors in attendance stating:  “Today, we honor steadfast donors, who over the past 23 years have established the Community Foundation as a strong philanthropic organization of tremendous benefit to our region. Through the important tradition of giving, we are building a foundation for future generations!  Our capacity to give significant scholarships and grants, positively affecting numerous students and nonprofit organizations, is a direct result of your loyal support.  The Community Foundation is very grateful to its more than 5,000 donors.” Donors may establish their own endowment fund to support particular areas of interest or may make unrestricted gifts to any existing fund.

Angeles Atkinson, Community Foundation Board President, acknowledged with gratitude, luncheon sponsors, Foundation Board Members, and staff.  Treasurer, Richard Jones, reported that thanks to strong donor support, The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region’s assets total $37,597,500 as of June 30, 2019.

The Foundation’s community impact highlights for Fiscal Year 2019 include:   

a)         Receiving gifts totaling $893,160 from 640 donors

b)         Awarding scholarships of more than $218,440 to 100 students

c)         Awarding 194 grants totaling $1,106,094 to area organizations

d)         Convening a quarterly Funders Forum for regional funders

e)         Hosting continuing education for area professional advisors

f)          Receiving the 6,470th brick engraving order for the Veterans’ Memorial

g)         Receiving 180 gifts for animal welfare and in memory of beloved pets

h)         Establishing 13 new funds during the period July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019.

• Robert R. Blackwell and Virginia M. Blackwell Scholarship Fund
• Torrey and Shelley Blackwell Fund
• Caswell Family Medical Center Endowment Fund
• Danville Pittsylvania Academy of Medicine Alliance Scholarship Fund
• Debra L. Dodson Fund
• Samuel Manning Farmer Scholarship Fund
• Goodyear Education Open/5K Fund
• George A. Grekos Scholarship Fund
• Lady Bug Fund
• Carol and Charley Majors Fund
• G. Brooks Powell, Jr. Police Community Engagement Fund
• Riverview Rotary Endowment Fund
• Larry N. Whitt Agricultural Enterprise & Educational Fund

Past scholarship recipient, Melinda Espinoza, spoke with gratitude about the impact of the Roy L. and Mary G. Doss Scholarship Fund on her ability to attend and graduate from the University of Virginia.  Donor, Eddie Herndon, described the purpose of the Morotock Arts & Cultural Fund, encouraging donor support for this fund, which makes annual grants to several regional arts related organizations.  Evelyn Riley, Executive Director of the Dan River Nonprofit Network, gave a presentation that increased awareness of the work of the Nonprofit Network and the benefits of nonprofits working collaboratively. 

For more information, contact the Community Foundation at 541 Loyal Street, Danville, VA 24541, (434) 793-0884 or visit their web site www.cfdrr.org.