Forty years ago, a group of local physicians and community leaders turned one moment of generosity into something designed to last. A $2.1 million gift from the sale of assets connected to Chelan County Medical Service Corp. established what would become the Community Foundation of North Central Washington.

Forty is only a number until we understand what filled those years.

This September, the Community Foundation will celebrate its 40th anniversary by looking at what local generosity has made possible and inviting more people to help shape what comes next.

Archival Wenatchee World article from November 19, 1986 announces the formation of the Greater Wenatchee Community Foundation

The yearlong celebration will bring the Foundation’s history to life through archival photographs, newspaper clippings, community stories, and regional celebrations. Together, these stories will recognize the donors, volunteers, students, advisors, trustees, and nonprofit community partners who have helped turn an initial gift into four decades of local impact.

The celebration also introduces One For Everyone, a dollar-for-dollar matching opportunity built on a simple idea: one dollar for every person in North Central Washington, turning each dollar given into two dollars of lasting support for local nonprofits. It is a simple way for people across the region to invest in the places they care about and help strengthen the nonprofit work that shapes daily life in North Central Washington.

The Community Foundation has set aside nearly $170,000 to match gifts through the One For Everyone campaign, which will benefit the Legacy Fund program serving communities across the region. Each gift will help grow local resources for nonprofit grantmaking, giving people a direct way to support not only one organization or cause, but the broader network of nonprofits that help make North Central Washington communities special.

“You do not have to do everything to do something meaningful,” said Beth Stipe, Executive Director of the Community Foundation. “Looking back on 40 years of generosity, what is so powerful, is how a small group of individuals created something which has inspired thousands more to contribute to building a better future for NCW.  An astounding $105 million dollars of local investment has been made in grants and scholarships since 1986.”

We are excited to celebrate this milestone alongside Wenatchee Valley Medical Group (WVMG), our 40th Anniversary Founding Sponsor. Forty years ago, the generosity of local physicians made the Community Foundation possible. They chose to build something for North Central Washington that would outlast them, and the vision they set in motion then continues to shape what is possible today.

Generosity has never belonged to just one kind of person or taken just one form. People across North Central Washington are invited to celebrate through one local act, whether giving, volunteering, attending a nonprofit event, sharing a story, or simply showing up for someone nearby.

Explore the stories, discover One For Everyone, and find a way to participate at cfncw.org/40th.