Twenty years ago, a group of community members including legendary leaders Vernon Peeples and Leo Wotitzky, determined that operating as a community foundation dedicated to serving Charlotte County and all of its sectors could broaden the impact of what had been the Charlotte County Foundation. The former foundation had been formed in 1995 from the Adventist Hospital Foundation conversion with a focus on health care and education.
These visionary leaders, including Dr. Carolyn Freeland, knew that a community foundation can enrich the quality of life in a community. They wanted one focused on serving the entire county, and the Charlotte Community Foundation (CCF) came to be in 2004.
In its 20 years as a community foundation, CCF has granted $13M to nearly every local nonprofit and $1.2M in scholarships. Its $22M in assets under management include two buildings for use by local nonprofits.
