Two organizations, both alike in dignity — as well as names — are taking some time to point out that although their names bear a resemblance, they’re not the same groups.
The Niagara Community Foundation and Niagara Foundation, two charities operating in Niagara, have put out a joint media release highlighting their similarities and differences, addressing the ongoing confusion of the two groups by people.
“With similar names it can get confusing to know who does what,” states the release. “The two words ‘Niagara’ and ‘Foundation’ are used in 25 registered charity names. No wonder we get confused.”
In summary, the Niagara Community Foundation, established in 2000, aims to improve quality of life in Niagara by serving registered charities throughout the region, granting more than $3 million to charities in municipalities such as NOTL.
The Niagara Foundation, meanwhile, established in 1962, promotes the history, traditions and culture of the Niagara area, which includes preserving and advocating for historical structures in NOTL.
In an email, Lyle Hall, the Niagara Foundation’s current board chair, says that he met the community foundation’s chair, Mike Berlis, a couple of months ago, and they ended up talking, and laughing, about how the two groups are often mistaken for each other because of their similar names.
“We just thought it worthwhile to describe what the two organizations do,” Hall wrote.
He added that more people may now be aware of the Niagara Foundation’s existence as a group after its purchase of the Wilderness, a historic property on King Street in Old Town, in April, for an undisclosed amount.
The Wilderness acquisition is mentioned in the release defining the difference between the two charities, under a section about the impact of the two groups.
“The Wilderness is one of the many attributes that makes Niagara-on-the-Lake unique and distinctive,” it read.
While the Niagara Community Foundation’s work spans across the region, the Niagara Foundation solely concerns itself with the villages and rural areas of NOTL.
The Niagara Foundation is completely volunteer-run, started in town by residents Gerry Woll, Fresh Marsh and Norman Howe.
The Niagara Community Foundation, meanwhile, is run by executive director Bryan Rose, an administrative team, board of directors and volunteer working groups, including local community committees — such as the NOTL committee, established in 2016.
Since its creation, the community foundation has granted more than $27.5 million to charities in the region, through donations and application-based discretionary grants.
The Niagara Foundation has had a hand in a number of restoration projects, including the Niagara Apothecary, the William Gollop, William Steward and Foghorn houses, as well as financial contributions to preserve local cemeteries, repair church buildings and improve heritage residences.
To learn more about the Niagara Foundation, you can visit theniagarafoundation.com.
As for learning more about the Niagara Community Foundation, you can visit niagaracommunityfoundation.org.