foundation organized to encourage philanthropic giving
and to provide a common source for contributions to
benefit the local community. In short, the foundation's
purpose is to build a better community.
To accomplish this purpose, your community foundation
accepts gifts which are deposited in perpetual
endowment funds. The income from the endowed
funds is dispensed each year to benefit the Hinton and
Summers County community and are in support of
educational, health, human services,
artistic, public recreation, beautification, and other
charitable projects. Only the income from these
funds is used to provide grants. The corpus of the funds
will stay intact to benefit the community forever.
The Hinton Area Foundation is governed by a volunteer
Board of Directors, but it really belongs to the entire
community. It is your community foundation.
The Foundation's goals are to leave our community
better than we found it and to create a legacy for the
future.
On behalf of the HAF, Jenny
Ellison presents a grant to
Myra Ziegler for the Summers
County Library (2004).
In 1991 several Hinton residents met to discuss the creation of a local entity to marshal
charitable funds. Members of this group approached the Beckley Area foundation who
graciously offered their support which subsequently tookt eh form of a $50,000 challenge
grant from the directors of the Dr. Thomas Walker Foundation, an entity with close ties to
BAF. The challenge required that Hinton organize a community foundation, obtain
tax-exempt status from the IRS and, within a 60 day period, raise $50,000 which the Walker
Foundation would match.
Hinton Area Foundation received its charter from the State of West Virginia on March 6, 1992.
At the organizaitonal meeting on April 8, 1992, Richard Lawrence was chosen as the
foundation's first president and the following September HAF received tax-exempt status
from the IRS. Encouragingly, the fledgling foundation received its first gift from the Don
Bowling family who donated one-half interest in some local property valued at $29,000.
Following the organizational meeting, board members approached local civic clubs to hold
fundraisers to assist in meeting the Walker challenge. The drive began on November 1,
1992. Support from the community was broad and enthusiastic. Many of the Foundation's
designated funds were obtained during this fund drive period, including Campaign 2000, the
Gwinn Family Scholarship, the Summers County Public Library Fund, and the First
Presbyterian Scholarship Fund. By December 31, 1992, the community had raised
$56,109.25. The Walker Foundation matched the full amount and the Hinton Area
Foundation had arrived.
