With heavy hearts, we mourn the passing of Mrs. Betty Wold Johnson. Some of you knew Mrs. Johnson very well, while others may have only known of her generous philanthropy. Regardless, I know you will join me in feeling a tremendous loss for the Community Foundation and our community. Mrs. Johnson leaves an indelible mark in our region, although she preferred that most of her altruism remain anonymous. She was an incredibly generous philanthropist, providing strong support for the arts, education, environment, healthcare, and social services in our region and beyond.
Her support for the Princeton Area Community Foundation began from our inception when she was among the first donors to support the creation of the Community Foundation, as well as providing support for our operating endowment and being one of our early fundholders. That support continued over many years. In March, the Community Foundation reached out to Mrs. Johnson, telling her about our plans to create a COVID-19 Relief & Recovery Fund. She quickly agreed to become one of our earliest supporters with a $250,000 donation and allowed us to acknowledge her gift.
As the CEO of the Community Foundation, one of the wonderful duties I inherited from my predecessor, Nancy Kieling five years ago was the opportunity to visit with Mrs. Johnson at her home to review her annual grantmaking from her endowed funds, housed at the Community Foundation. These funds will continue to support our community in perpetuity. You can read more about her generosity here.
Our thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey M. Vega
President & CEO