Alvin Gould Family Trust keeps hopes and dreams alive
by Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director – United Way of Charlotte County
He was jolted out of bed as the clock struck one. A strange figure towered over him with an outstretched hand. The Ghost of Christmas Past proceeded to take Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey back in time to a place where hopes and dreams sprang forth from the fertile soil of a joyful heart.
In revisiting his past, Scrooge experienced anew those old feelings of love and friendship as well as smiles and laughter. The revelation of how far he had come from fulfilling his youthful visions of a bright future was impactful.
It took a wild ride back and forth through time that Christmas Eve for the frozen soil of Scrooge’s hardened heart to return to a place where hope grew again.
United Way of Charlotte County (UWCC) recently received our annual legacy grant distribution from the Gould Family Trust at Gulf Coast Community Foundation. In Christmases past, Alvin Gould had hopes and dreams of a healthy and thriving community. Unlike Ebenezer Scrooge, Gould set aside a permanent endowment to ensure that Christmas Present and Future would reflect those past desires.
In addition to supporting collective impact work at UWCC since 2016 through his legacy fund, Alvin Gould’s permanent endowment supports affordable housing, animal welfare, scholarships, swim lessons for Charlotte County second graders and more. Gould planted a seed that continues to grow hopes and dreams in our local community.
Funds from the Gould Family Trust help support our collective impact work, which this year included planning sessions with numerous community partners to identify community needs, gaps and future possibilities. UWCC also looked to Christmas Future when we set our strategic vision for the work we intend to fund in the months and years ahead.
The foundation of our future work revolves around the use of data to continuously learn, adapt and improve local programs and to strengthen Charlotte County’s culture of collaboration and partnership. As we combine the data with the relationships, Alvin would undoubtedly be pleased with a stroll through Christmas Future in our community.
Scrooge defined value by what he could keep. Gould saw greater value in what he could give. The joys of Christmas Past will still resonate in the Present and Future because of Alvin Gould’s spirit of generosity.
On this Christmas Day 2022, I wish to give thanks to the Gould Family Trust at Gulf Coast Community Foundation as well as the many other foundations who have bolstered UWCC’s impact in 2022.
A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to Gulf Coast Community Foundation (Gould Family Trust and Miriam P. Raines Fund), Community Foundation of Sarasota County, Cousins Foundation, Truist Foundation, Florida Blue, Rays Foundation, Wells Fargo, Elsa and Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation and The Patterson Foundation for contributing to a HOPEful Christmas Present that will pour over into Christmas Future for Charlotte County.
For more information about United Way of Charlotte County’s mission: Mobilizing the power of our community to break the cycle of poverty, please contact Angie Matthiessen, Executive Director. She can be reached at director@unitedwayccfl.org.