Idaho Community Foundation
The Whittenberger Foundation Involvement with the Start Up of the Idaho Community Foundation
The idea to found the Idaho Community Foundation came at a National Council on Foundations meeting in 1985 attended by Margaret Gigray and Whit Jones. Both were members of the Whittenberger Board of Managers at that time.
- At lunch, Whit sat next to the director of the Maine Community Foundation who inspired him to explore starting a foundation in Idaho that would serve the entire state, rather than just one community.
- Margaret and Whit were members of the initial steering committee to form the Idaho Community Foundation. Just before the announcement to form the ICF, the Board of Managers of the Whittenberger Foundation made a key grant of $100,000 payable over 5 years.
- The money was first used for organizational costs and in later years to begin to fund the endowments for grants. The Idaho Community Foundation officially started in 1988. The Whittenberger Foundation’s early commitment to the new entity was key to the start-up success of the Idaho Community Foundation.
- Over the last 35 years, the Idaho Community Foundation has made grants of $175 million, with all 44 counties in Idaho receiving funding for projects.
The P-16 Program Caldwell
P16 is an evidence-based, multifaceted program to prepare Caldwell School District students for postsecondary education and provide guidance toward a meaningful career.
Through multiple programs spread across a continuum of education, P16 inspires, educates and motivates children by instilling the belief they can succeed:
- Preschool Program: To date, more than 150 children have been served at Lincoln and Wilson elementary schools. The overall goal is to increase the amount of those receiving early-childhood education to provide an opportunity for all CSD students entering kindergarten to learn skills to prepare for success through this program.
- Out of School Learning Program: This program gives children the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, improve health and well-being, receive academic support and develop a vision for a better future. It is available after school and during breaks, service days and the summer at Washington and Lewis and Clark elementary schools. Additionally, school-age coordinators have provided more than 650 hours of school-day support.
- Career Aspirations Program: A CAP liaison at each of the 11 schools in the district leads postsecondary education discussions and related activities. Examples include higher education campus field trips, parent events/information nights and one-on-one career planning.
Caldwell Public Library
The Whittenberger Foundation is exceedingly proud of its role in helping the city of Caldwell build the current Caldwell Public Library.
- The Foundation’s involvement began as as a “Challenge Grant” from the Foundation to the City of Caldwell to get a much needed new library building for Caldwell patrons. Along the way it took additional partnering with the Caldwell School District and formation of the Friends of the Library to make it all work. The new building was proudly dedicated in 1976 and continues to serve Caldwell patrons of all ages today.
The Caldwell Family YMCA
The Whittenberger Foundation made a significant commitment to the development of the Caldwell Family YMCA.
- The Caldwell Family YMCA is a project that few outside of the community thought was possible. However, through the leadership of Mayor Garret Nancolas, citizens of Caldwell and surrounding communities and the help of several major donors, including the Whittenberger Foundation, the new YMCA was opened in October of 2005.
