By Dan Baldwin

There is an adage in our field that goes, “If you’ve seen one community foundation, you’ve seen one community foundation.”

As place-based centers of philanthropy, all community foundations will be different because they’re reflections of the donors, needs, geography, and people of the communities they serve.

In Monterey County, each item on that list has its own multiples of diversity. Carmel and Castroville.  Big Sur and Gonzales. The Peninsula and Salinas Valley.  Just listing those places reminds us of what a dynamic place in which we live and work.

Community Foundation Week provides a moment to reflect on both the role of the Community Foundation for Monterey County (CFMC), and the remarkable philanthropy that exists here. The role is to partner with individuals and families in support of their philanthropic vision. That can be in their lifetime or through their estate.

Read the full op-ed at The Californian.