Nearly 30 years ago, the Community Foundation worked with the Mechanicville Area Community Service Center in southern Saratoga County to establish the Foundation’s very first agency endowment fund. It was a relatively new concept at the time, a way for small nonprofit organizations to benefit from the Foundation’s pooled investment portfolio, flexible giving options, and administrative resources.
Named for Floyd Wicks, a steadfast volunteer committed to Mechanicville’s youth, the Floyd Wicks Endowment Fund was established to provide support for programs for “latchkey” kids. As more families saw both parents working outside of the home, Floyd was dedicated to ensuring there was a safe place for children and young teens to go after school; a place where they could do homework, access tutoring, have a healthy snack and learn some basic life skills.
The fund was established in 1991 with many small gifts totaling $18,000 over the course of several years. Since 1991, the fund has provided over $30,000 to support after-school programs. Through careful stewardship, assets have grown to over $40,000.