Charitable giving often makes the spotlight through large campaigns or major gifts to a nonprofit organization. What is sometimes overlooked are the recurring donations that provide steady support to local organizations that keep our community going strong and make daily life better for our neighbors—organizations like Community Action Center, River Bend Nature Center, Paradise Center for the Arts, and Ruth's House, to name a few. In a world where we often wonder if our contr

Do you have a season of giving? For many of us, it's the last few months of the year. Thanksgiving and Christmas inspire generosity, and the December 31 tax deadline often motivates us to turn good intentions into charitable gifts. At the Faribault Foundation, our season of giving looks a little different. Each spring, we determine how much our endowed funds can responsibly distribute in grants. Once those decisions are made, something wonderful happens—the giving begins. Des

Congratulations to our fifth grant recipient of 2026 from the Founders Fund! HOPE Center was chosen by the Foundation's Board of Directors to receive $15,000. The HOPE Center mission is to create zero tolerance for sexual and domestic violence through healing, outreach, prevention and education. Through innovative programming, HOPE Center offers direct support to victims of violence in Rice County, collaborative support to other organizations that serve victims, and education

Congratulations to our fourth grant recipient of 2026 from the Founders Fund! FEEP was chosen by the Foundation's Board of Directors to receive $5,000. FEEP stands for the Falcon Educational Enrichment Program. Operating under the Faribault Area Public Schools Educational Trust Association (FAPSETA), FEEP is a nonprofit initiative that impacts students and promotes excellence by awarding grants to teachers to fund innovative classroom projects, technology, and learning opport

Congratulations to our third grant recipient of 2026 from the Founders Fund! Meals on Wheels was chosen by the Foundation's Board of Directors to receive $5,000. Meals on Wheels provides hot, nutritious noon meals to older adults and individuals with disabilities in the Faribault area. Meals on Wheels delivers more than just food; it provides a safety check and a vital connection to the community. Up to five days a week, individuals with limited mobility receive hot, nutritio

Congratulations to our second grant recipient of 2026 from the Founders Fund! FCTV was chosen by the Foundation's Board of Directors to receive $2,500. Faribault Community Television (FCTV) is your nonprofit public access station, dedicated to keeping our community informed, connected, and engaged. From City Council and School Board meetings to monthly community updates, high school sports, local concerts, church services, educational programming and a wide range of other eve

Congratulations to our first grant recipient of 2026 from the Founders Fund! Knitted Together was chosen by the Foundation's Board of Directors to receive $2,500. Knitted Together exists to provide housing for pregnant women in crisis situations during their pregnancy and through their baby's first year. Providing housing, community, and connection to resources, Knitted Together strives to create a culture that aligns with its values: Celebration, Praise, Strength, Encouragem

Congratulations to Recovery in the Park for being one of our Micro Grant Recipients this summer! Recovery in the Park holds an annual community gathering each September during National Recovery Month. The event is free, family-friendly, and chemical-free, and brings together people in recovery, their families, and local support organizations in Faribault's Central Park. The 2026 event is planned for September 24. Board Member, Mike Richie, presented the grant to Ashley Garden

Congratulations to School Supplies for All for being one of our Micro Grant recipients this summer! School Supplies for All provides essential school supplies for every student Pre-K through 8th Grade. Every child starts day one with the exact same tools without the financial burden that comes with school supplies shopping! Board Member, Ken Hubert, presented the grant to Amy Lunderby at our Micro Grant Ceremony!

Congratulations to the Faribault Area Learning Center for being one of our Micro Grant recipients this summer! The Faribault Area Learning Center is planning on planting a small orchard at their new location. The orchard will include roughly eight fruit-bearing trees including apples, pears, and plums. As they move into a new neighborhood, this project is intended to create a welcoming, visible way for students to connect with and give back to the community while planting som

Congratulations to St. Vincent de Paul for being one of our Micro Grant Recipients this summer! St. Vincent de Paul is using this grant to purchase and provide shampoo, soap, deodorant, and other personal hygiene products to low-income customers of the food shelf. This grant was presented by Christine Shaffer-Brown, Board Member, to Brian Anderson, at the Award Ceremony!

Congratulations to Faribault's Future, Floating into Summer, for being one of our Micro Grant Recipients this summer! Floating into Summer was a project that the 2026 Faribault's Future class put together. This involved fundraising to buy lifejackets and pool toys to give away at the Safe Summer Kickoff that took place on June 4th. Their project was a huge success, giving away nearly 100 lifejackets to kids to enhance their water safety. Board Member, Daryl Bauer, presented t

How good are you at predicting the future? Chances are there are things in your life today that you never would have anticipated five or ten years ago. Success often requires flexibility, the ability to embrace opportunities and adapt to change. For this column, I was inspired by Faribault Foundation Executive Director Laura Bock, who has eloquently described the Foundation's evolution, and by Pat Gustafson, one of the Foundation's original board members who continues to serv

Congratulations to our Administrative Professional, Shelby, on graduating from the Faribault’s Future Leadership class! Your dedication to learning, growing, and investing in the future of our community is something to be celebrated. Thank you for your commitment to leadership and for using your talents to make a difference in Faribault. We can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish next! Please join us in congratulating Shelby on this exciting achievement!

Congratulations on our two winners of the Cole McAdam Memorial Athletic Scholarship! These awards were presented by Jesse Armbruster, Cole’s wrestling coach. Thank you to the generous supporters who keep this scholarship running. Leah Nowaczewski Lucas Caron Congratulations to the winner of the Southern Heights Dental Group Scholarship! Thank you to the Southern Heights Dental Group for the creation and continuation of this scholarship, making it possible for dental assistant

Micro Grant Award Ceremony Friday, June 13, 2026 | 12:30 p.m. Central Park Stage | Heritage Days Join the Faribault Foundation during Heritage Days as we celebrate the recipients of the first round of 2026 Micro Grants! At 12:30 p.m. on the Central Park Stage, we will recognize and congratulate five local organizations whose innovative projects and community-focused initiatives were selected to receive funding through our Micro Grant Program. These grants help bring meaningfu

The Faribault High School Distinguished Alumni Fund is proud to support opportunities that make a lasting impact on students in our community. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, the Fund was able to award a $1,000 grant to the Faribault Community School after-school programming initiative. This contribution will help provide students with enriching experiences, academic support, and engaging activities outside of the classroom. After-school programs play an im

“Community Matters.” This was a favorite phrase of Marcia Morris Beck, who died March 4 at the age of 74 after a lifetime of service to the Faribault community. Marcia Morris grew up in Des Moines, Iowa but when she and her husband, Ken Beck, moved to Faribault in 1984 they quickly made Faribault their hometown. She became a fixture in local theater, whether she was teaching and directing at Bethlehem Academy, acting in the plays produced by the Paradise Center (now FACT),

The Faribault Foundation and the Paradise Center for the Arts are thrilled to celebrate the incredible success of the Le Parti for Women Who Care event. Thanks to the generosity of attendees, sponsors, donors, and community supporters, the event raised an outstanding $8,455.86. The evening brought together community members for a memorable celebration filled with connection, philanthropy, and support for meaningful local causes. One of the highlights of the event was the live

Our Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony was a tremendous success, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us for this special celebration. It was an inspiring evening honoring outstanding individuals whose achievements continue to make our community proud. Thank you to all who attended, supported, and generously donated—your presence and contributions helped make this event truly meaningful. Because of your continued support, we can keep celebrating excellence a

What if you could help ensure the long-term financial stability of a favorite charity? What if your contribution became part of a permanent fund, invested for long-term growth to generate earnings over time? And what if a portion—say 5%—was distributed each year to support the charity’s mission? You would know your gift is making an impact today, while also helping sustain that impact for years to come. This is how an endowed fund works. Endowments are particularly well suite

Mr. Shank taught music at the high school and collegiate levels. This included vocal music, music theory, and composition. He is a world-renowned choral composer, and regularly writes program notes, conducts, and presents across the country. Josh facilitated the Musician Consortium Fundraiser and the Odyssey Youth Movement during Covid. He has been the conductor for community projects such as Spokane AIDS walk and Veterans for Peace Convention. He has served as the composer-i