The Walker Area Community Foundation held its annual luncheon today at the Jasper Civic Center, with approximately 450 people in attendance. Unfortunately, the keynote speaker, Dr. Shelley Stewart, was unable to attend due to a medical emergency. However, the organizers quickly adapted and put together a program highlighting the impact of the WACF on the community.
Rachel Winston, the director of Women’s Services at Walker Baptist Medical Center, took the stage to share the foundation’s important role in the community. She recounted her own experience of learning about the foundation at a similar luncheon several years ago where the speaker highlighted the tangible impact the WACF has on the community. Winston emphasized the transparency and effectiveness of the foundation’s work, which inspired her to get involved. Winston talked about her work on the grant review team and shared a video featuring other members of the grant review team.
“The grant review team is not the only way I work with the foundation,” she said. “With the help of several foundation driven initiatives, I see how lives are changed every day through programs at the hospital.”
Winston also provided an update on the foundation’s giving over the last year. She announced that since its 2022 luncheon, the WACF had invested $14.5 million in grants to deserving nonprofit organizations. This included a generous donation of $10 million to two nationally known children’s hospitals, making it the largest total the foundation has ever seen. Additionally, $4.5 million was allocated to nonprofit organizations in and around Walker County, marking the highest amount given in a single year.
Paul Kennedy, executive director of the Walker Area Community Foundation, attributed its success to a comprehensive grant review process, made possible by their dedicated team of 11 members. He also expressed gratitude to the attendees for their belief in the foundation, which he said “inspires the staff and motivates them to continue their work.”
The foundation not only focuses on grant-making and nonprofit development, but also serves as a connector of people and a provider of resources.
The WACF partners with Auburn University’s Cary Center to offer training to nonprofits in various areas, including board development, fundraising, grant writing and volunteer recruitment. The foundation also hosts monthly meetings for the mayors of Walker County, fostering collaboration and discussing ways to work together for the community’s benefit.
The Carl Elliott Leadership Institute, a civic professional development program, was successfully launched by the foundation in partnership with Bevill State and the Walker College Foundation. The program empowers sophomores at Bevill State to develop leadership skills and address community issues. It aims to produce future leaders who understand their responsibility to contribute to their community’s development and philanthropy.
Looking ahead, Kennedy said the foundation plans to form a Young Professionals Group, which will collectively explore ways to make a difference through philanthropy for individuals aged 25 to 35. The group will have kick-off sessions and regular meetings throughout the year, culminating in collective giving to qualified nonprofit organizations.
In January 2023, the foundation began a strategic planning process with Claris Consulting. They have conducted needs assessments, interviews and focus groups to gather input from the community. Kennedy encouraged luncheon attendees to participate in a survey to further contribute to the planning process. The QR code for the survey is attached to this story. The foundation aims to unveil the plan and provide opportunities for community involvement in addressing the area’s greatest needs.
Kennedy also talked about how the WACF hopes to improve the lives of all Walker County residents. He shared a video of one young person, Robert Davis, who has been touched by the foundation’s work in several ways.
“Robert Davis is a young man whose life was on a crash course, but took a turn for the better,” Kennedy shared. “The foundation’s hand can be seen throughout his journey, and we hope that you will enjoy this short story.”
Davis had a run-in with police after stealing items from the Jasper High School field house with another young person. Davis was sentenced to a few days in a youth detention center and then ordered to spend time with a youth advocate. From there, he was introduced to the youth program at Jasper’s First Baptist Church. Davis nearly quit school after the COVID-19 pandemic, but educators invested in him to keep him in school. Davis then went on to become a key behind the scenes member of the JHS theatre program.
The advocacy program, the youth group and the theatre program have all received help through the WACF, and each of those entities helped Robert and countless others.
“I love this community,” Kennedy said. “Who is your Robert? How can you help them?”
Kevin Callahan, the chairman of the WACF Board of Directors, concluded the event by highlighting the impact of nonprofits in the community.
“The foundation’s strength lies in its ability to support and empower these organizations, which in turn positively impact the lives of Walker County residents,” he said. “Thank you all for your support, as you are the ones who make the foundation’s success possible.”
