Stories

Supporting the greater good

While the generosity of donors over the decades supports all our work, the Community Fund — HCF’s original fund — is the fuel for responding to Hamilton’s most pressing needs and our leadership initiatives addressing pervasive issues.

Over the years, the Community Fund has helped the Foundation to reduce poverty and support civic inclusion and vibrant neighbourhoods. It funds ABACUS, a leadership initiative supporting students in the pivotal but underserved middle-school years. And today, while the fund continues to address “big picture” issues like better educational outcomes, affordable housing and increased capacity for organizations serving equity-deserving communities and Indigenous people, it is also ready to respond immediately as it did during the pandemic and its aftermath, first providing emergency funding and then recovery support to frontline charities.

Today, a number of issues are visible in ways that are without precedent in recent history — lack of affordable housing, the threat of increasing racism and marginalization and the impact economic threats will have on our city.

Social challenges — the known as well as what is unforeseen — will always demand attention and resources. By pooling their resources for Hamilton’s greater good, generations of Community Fund donors help the Foundation to face these challenges today and in the future. As long-time Community Fund donor Dr. Juliet Daniel said in HCF’s annual report, “Life and society are constantly changing. The Community Fund provides the capacity to respond to those changes and capitalize on emerging opportunities to help.”

From Legacy Spring 2025 newsletter