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Community Foundation sees record giving in 2020 as more people step up to meet critical needs
BY MICHAEL CRUMB, Senior Staff Writer Thursday, February 11, 2021 10:39 AM
The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines received $86.6 million in charitable giving in 2020, a record amount that helped it provide more than $70.1 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in Central Iowa.
That level of giving an $8 million increase from 2019 was heartening to see, particularly because of the tough year so many people had in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, said Kristi Knous, foundation president.
“I think it gives great hope, not just for recovery but resiliency of the wonderful community we live in,” she said. “It brings a bright light to the end of this tunnel for our nonprofit sector as well, to know our generous donors really did step up in such a meaningful way. We can only hope we can continue to inspire that sort of giving in 2021 and beyond as
Business Record names Community Foundationâs Jones-Weber as Deloitte CFO of the Year Thursday, January 28, 2021 6:00 AM
Growing up in Des Moines, Karla Jones-Weber would spend after-school time at her parents’ business, helping with simple bookkeeping tasks beginning when she was about 10. She quickly discovered that she enjoyed accounting, and after taking a few accounting classes in high school she knew she would pursue it as a career.
She began her professional accounting career with MidAmerican Energy Co., and after a few years moved from corporate accounting to start her own accounting firm. A connection made with a prominent Des Moines businesswoman while Jones-Weber was working as a bank teller during college would lead to her later joining the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines in 2001 as an accountant.
IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH
contributed photo
New York City-based artist Alice Aycock plans to install her sculpture “Lift Off” at the new street entrance to Des Moines International Airport later this year.
A Des Moines foundation has firmed up plans for an $850,000 sculpture, roughly resembling a tornado, near a planned new entrance to the Des Moines airport.
New York City-based artist Alice Aycock will create the white sculpture, “Lift Off,” which has been commissioned by the Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation. The plan is to dedicate the piece in the fall. The work is her first permanent installation in Iowa.
Iowa Community Capital expands microlending reach to Black community
$500,000 grant from Wells Fargo will boost programâs capacity Friday, January 15, 2021 6:00 AM Before the pandemic, business was “going really well” for Margaret Ajawin’s north Des Moines grocery and specialty shop, African Express. The South Sudanese immigrant started the small shop in 2015 to provide a selection of native grocery items tailored to the immigrant communities from African countries. Using microloans from Solidarity Microfinance for buying inventory, she built up a steady clientele and over time broadened her offerings to African clothing as well as jewelry, hair products, cosmetics and beauty products. She also got a license to sell beer, wine and cigarettes.