Jill and Paul Cook (center, right), discuss the fund they established to build leadership in youth through competitive sports with Rachel Kizielewicz (left), LACF Executive Director. Photo Courtesy LACF
LACF NEWS
Jill and Paul Cook, long time Los Alamos residents and community leaders, have decided to establish a permanent fund through the LACF to “build leadership skills in youth through achievement in competitive team sports.” This is the first Field-of-Interest fund within the Foundation, permitting local organizations with programs aligned with the fund to seek grants for their work.
Paul and Jill issued a joint statement about their contribution, “The work LACF is doing in the community lines up with our philosophy of having a lasting impact with our charitable giving and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with LACF. Watching our own kids and their fellow teammates grow through competitive sports fueled our interest in starting an endowment to support youth sports in Los Alamos. Competitive sports provides an unique opportunity for kids to develop, mature and take ownership of their decisions.”
The Los Alamos Community Youth Sports Endowment has been seeded with an initial contribution from the Cook family and we seek to further grow the fund through additional donations and investment income. On a yearly basis, local organizations will be able to apply for funds to support such costs as team fees and equipment, tournament or travel expenses, as well as the establishment of better recreation facilities for Los Alamos team sports.
The Los Alamos Community Foundation was created in 2015 to promote development of permanent, prudently invested funds to support local activities, as well as to provide local philanthropically-minded residents opportunities to make a permanent impact in support of Los Alamos nonprofits.
Information about making contributions to Los Alamos Community Youth Sports Endowment can be found in the LACF website, losalamoscf.org/index.php/donate/ If donating by check, please write “LACF YSE Endowment” in the check memo field.
Additional questions on ways to give to the fund can be directed to Rachel Kizielewicz, Executive Director of the Los Alamos Community Foundation, at rachel@losalamoscf.org or 505.661.4420.