One of more than 1000 US Community Foundations
Our History. One Simple Action.
In late 2014, Pamela and Chuck Beckett, who became part of the Ottawa, Illinois community in 2002, began discussing the possibility of establishing a community foundation for Ottawa, and possibly the surrounding area. By early 2015, those discussions began to take hold. As members, leaders and frequent donors to several charitable organizations, Pamela and Chuck wanted to find a way to bring donors together to support a variety of causes that really mattered to create a better quality of life for those in and around Ottawa.
After their relatively modest donation, the wheels turned quickly, and what was initially planned to be the Impact Ottawa Community Foundation, opened on October 1, 2015, as the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation, to positively impact the lives of individuals and families surrounding the well-loved and well-respected Starved Rock State Park. LaSalle, Bureau and Putnam counties in north central Illinois became the primary geographic locations, however support for portions of Lee, Marshall and Livingston counties soon followed.
In just over 9 years, the original donation has grown to more than $7.4M and more than $3.4M in grants, scholarships and support funding to various charitable organizations who are addressing our community’s greatest challenges. Pamela and Chuck’s foresight and the SRCCF’s structure allows philanthropic individuals and corporations to come together to create funds from like-minded citizens who care for their neighbors and community. SRCCF has established Donor Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Scholarships, Endowments and component funds such as the Women Inspired Network and The Arts of Staved Rock Country Fund to financially support the environment, housing, food, education, health care, childcare, economic development, tourism, conservation, beautification and more.
Thank you, Pamela and Chuck. Your giving in action inspires us to continue creating a better quality of life for our region and our future.
Playing a pivotal role
Helping our community overcome
When thinking about the pivotal role the Foundation now plays, Pamela Beckett points to more than $545,000 of disaster and COVID-19 relief funding contributed to the SRCCF.
In February 2017, a tornado ripped through our community, and within twelve hours the Foundation created the Ottawa/Naplate Tornado Disaster Fund. Generous donors gave more than $360,000 to the Fund and, in partnership with other community organizations, an allocation team was created to ensure the equitable distribution of the funding. In 2020, the SRCCF was chosen to receive and distribute over $135,000 from various state partners for COVID relief in Starved Rock Country and a Business Interruption Grant was also awarded to the SRCCF.
” I don’t believe this area would have been in receipt of that kind of money if we did not have a community foundation here, ” Beckett said.
” We are truly blessed to have enjoyed such meaningful partnerships and friendships with our outstanding Board of Directors, donors, staff, and volunteers. Chuck and I are both proud and humbled by the generosity of the people of Starved Rock Country and are sincerely grateful to all those who have entrusted the Foundation with their charitable contributions, and their faith in our mission. “
