About Us

The Union County Community Foundation was established in 1989 to increase the charitable giving resources in Union County. From its initial, combined contributions from board and community members, the Union County Community Foundation has grown into a philanthropic organization managing 34 funds with total charitable assets of $5.6 million by the end of 2009. The Union County Community Foundation is an affiliate of Foundation For The Carolinas.

The Foundation strives to educate the people of Union County about the functionality of a community foundation and how the organization benefits the entire county through the charitable actions of donors and volunteers. The activities of the Union County Community Foundation include building a general endowment (the earnings of which provide program grants for nonprofits within the county), helping nonprofit organizations build endowments and assisting individual donors in establishing their own charitable giving programs.

The Union County Community Foundation currently advises three funds managed by Foundation For The Carolinas. The first fund, Union County Community Foundation Endowment Fund provides annual grantmaking dollars to support community needs as determined by the board. As a permanently endowed fund, the intent is to maintain and grow the principal balance and produce grantmaking dollars in perpetuity.

The second fund advised by the Union County Community Foundation is the Henry S. & Carolyn Adams Endowment Fund, established in 1997 and fully funded with an estate gift in 2003. The Fund supports charitable purposes and causes in Union County, college scholarships for Union County young people and aids in the professional development of classroom teachers in Union County Public Schools. Additionally, specific organizations of interest to the original donor include Lenoir Rhyne College, Wingate University, Hospice of Union County, and Turning Point of Union County.

The third fund was also created through an estate gift in 2002, Clyde L. and Martha S. Richardson Memorial Fund. This Fund supports organizations that work to help mentally disadvantaged and physically handicapped, including visually impaired and hearing impaired, Union County residents.