2008 Annual Report - Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Kirby Foundation Fund
A father’s legacy inspires thoughtful giving
As an investment manager in Southern California,
earnings over the long run. On weekends, he scored splitsecond
wins by racing Porsches.
decision to entrust his five children as trustees of the $14
ourselves responsible for running a foundation without
a structure or mission. The five of us live far apart, so it
was tough to collaborate and agree on anything. With
consultants advising us, we worked hard to clarify priorities
and identify roles. Hardest of all, we learned to work
together and support each other. I don’t think we’ve ever
been this close.”
The independently minded siblings began their giving by
dividing the grant money into five portions. They now do
more giving as a group. “Last year, we all spent a morning
volunteering at a charity of my sister’s in Denver and after
made a large, three-year grant together,” says Lisa. “We want
to do more than cut checks.”
Greater Worcester Community Foundation. “My fund is
a vehicle for purposeful giving here in my home town,”
says Lisa. “The Foundation makes giving easy and the staff
are informed advisors. They guide me in making small
grants that matter and, as my fund grows, investing in local
programs.”
Lisa and her husband Peter, who own a shared office
center in Westborough, see the family’s smart, hands-on
approach to giving in their children Ellery, 14, and Brandon,
12. The two raised $200 by selling refreshments during a
Preservation Worcester tour and donated the sum to the
organization.
“Dad would be proud of us,” says Lisa. “We’re learning to
work together and help make the world a better place.”
Lisa Kirby Gibbs and her family invest energy and time as well as funds
into their chosen causes.
T
he Foundation makes giving easy and the staff are informed advisors.
Lisa Kirby Gibbs
Greater Worcester Community Foundation 08 ANNUAL REPORT 5