“We trust the Community Foundation’s approach to giving, and we feel good about being part of something that raises everyone up, and makes us all better off.”
For Trustee Rebecca (Becky) Chávez and her husband, Mark Harben, establishing the Chávez Harben Donor-Advised Fund at the Community Foundation means an opportunity to give strategically.
“We’re able to see our contributions grow,” says Becky. “And because we’re socially consciously invested, we give even more than we otherwise could.”
Specifically, Mark and Becky – who directs outreach and enrollment services at Front Range Community College – emphasize education, particularly in support of Latino students.
“We see a lot of those students here at Front Range,” says Mark, Director of Advising at the college, also referencing the Community Foundation’s Milagros Scholarship Fund, which further provides financial assistance to Latina graduates of Boulder High School with limited resources to pursue a post-secondary education. “We get to see their faces here on campus, we get to see our investment in the future at work. And we’ve seen students who have received support return and give back.”
Adds Becky, “I was a first-generation college student, myself. And I wouldn’t have made it through Colorado State University without scholarship support. Everything helps, which is why nurturing a culture of giving is so important.
“The Community Foundation has an amazing staff that catalyzes giving across Boulder County. When they cultivate donors like us, they get to know you, and what you care about – whether you want to give locally, nationally, or internationally. The foundation started out small, but its giving reach has become global.
“The foundation unites us as a community, as agents of change. The current Listening Tour with CEO Jeff Hirota is a recent example of how the foundation provides opportunities for everyone in Boulder County to make a difference, and to touch other peoples’ lives.”
Agrees Mark, “In Boulder County, there are so many opportunities to donate. For us, having the backing of the Community Foundation – knowing that it’s such an ethical and influential organization in the community – is really important.
“Regardless of how much we can give, it makes us feel good that our money isn’t being wasted in any way. We trust the Community Foundation’s approach to giving, and we feel good about being part of something that raises everyone up, and makes us all better off.”
Mark further recalls the inspiration his own family, forced to flee Europe during WW2. “I was taught that the one thing no one can take from you is your education.
“But education isn’t always accessible. Costs are rising, which is why we’re committed to do our part though the Community Foundation. The foundation helped us navigate our giving options.”
