From left, Steve Boerigter, Rick Reiss, Rachel Kizielewicz, Cindy Rooney and Pat Soran. Courtesy photoLACF News:
The Los Alamos Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the Community Endowment for UNM-LA has surpassed the $5,000 in matching funds that were made available by the fund’s founding donors.
Pat Soran and Ann Hayes created the Community Endowment for UNM-LA last month and offered $5,000 in funds to match any donations made by other community members who contributed to the fund’s balance. Several donors helped to surpass that goal, including Ann Hayes’ two children Leslie Hayes and David Hayes, Rick and Debbie Reiss, Brian and Cindy Rooney and Steve and Kathy Boerigter, whose $1,000 contribution put the matching fund balance over the $5,000 mark.
In reflecting on the importance of making charitable contributions to funds like these, Steve Boerigter, who is UNM-LA’s Advisory Board Chair, shared that, “As my good friend Pat always says, if you’ve done well, you should do good.”
Rick and Debbie Reiss said they feel that it is important to support education in Los Alamos.
“Having a strong local college like UNM-LA is good for our community,” Reiss said. “It helps to get students off to a great start in their career.”
UNM-LA Chief Executive Officer Cindy Rooney notes the importance of this philanthropic support from the community. “The funds generated from this endowment will provide continued support for sustaining a higher education institution in our community that can develop programs to meet the unique needs of our area.”
Donations are still being accepted to the Community Endowment for UNM-LA through the Los Alamos Community Foundation. Those with questions about the endowment or interest in contributing should contact Rachel Kizielewicz, Executive Director, at 505.661.4420 or rachel@losalamoscf.org.
The Los Alamos Community Foundation exists to facilitate and promote local philanthropy by Los Alamos residents and those with strong local connections, to highlight unmet needs and investment opportunities within our community, and to meet these needs through financial and organizational support to local nonprofits.
