GALION — The Galion Community Foundation is hard at work for many organizations in the Crawford County area.

Established in 1957, the Foundation was started with funding leftover from a modest project at Galion Community Hospital. Money overseen by Galion Community Foundation in 2017 was worth more than $2 million.

And with the success of the past 60 years, the Foundation is looking to the future and planning for more growth.

There are different ways in which the Galion Community Foundation works for those who contribute funds. At the current time, the organization is in charge of 10 endowments that will work far into the future for those who are marked to receive the benefits. The most recent endowment was established earlier this year for Galion Public Library.

Many area organizations and event committees have started to use GCF as a service to manage funds. This allows for an organization to pay for expenses regularly, but the money is managed by the Foundation.

The most well known aspect of the Galion Community Foundation is their contributions to local graduates by way of their scholarship program. This past spring, they awarded over $34,000 to graduating students. The money for these scholarships comes earmarked by the donor for this specific purpose, sometimes with specific qualifications for the recipient.

Along with the awarding of the scholarships, the Foundation invites each recipient to attend a reception where they will be recognized for their award. They also invite any living donors to the reception in order to meet the students who benefit from their generosity.

A little known aspect of the Galion Community Foundation is their annual locally-awarded grants. Applications are accepted year round online or in the office of Foundation Chairman Dan Shealy. The grants are awarded to local businesses as well as organizations who apply and list a specific need or request in which the money will be used. Applications are due by January, and will be announced in March after review by Foundation members.

In order to offset operating expenses and to supplement scholarships or grants, the Galion Community Foundation began a yearly fundraiser in 2004. Every Spring for the past 13 years, they hold an auction at the Galion Moose Lodge 303.

The yearly event consists of donated items that are listed by either silent or live auction. This past Spring, total funds raised totalled $15,000.

Anyone looking to donate to GCF may contact any of their members as listed on their website.