Ten years ago, we created what we call the Growing Home Circle. This is a special way for donors to support all of the work that we do—from business lending to early childhood to leadership programs because it supports our unrestricted endowment fund.
Growing Home Circle members give $1,000 or more annually to our Southwest Initiative Foundation General Endowment. Last year, our Growing Home Circle members contributed $186,620 to our General Endowment and that was doubled by The McKnight Foundation!
We’ve been featuring six families who really have a heart for philanthropy and are connected to our Growing Home Circle. These donors come from all over our region and beyond and have many different backgrounds.
Thomas Burich, known as Buzz, is one of our Charter members. He’s chairman and CEO of Citizens Bank in Hutchinson. Buzz gives to Southwest Initiative Foundation personally, through his I.J. Burich Family Foundation and through Citizens Bank.
Another family, Steve and Beth Gasser, own Vivid Image in Hutchinson and are also Growing Home Circle members. Beth is originally from Canby. They love supporting other small businesses and communities throughout southwest Minnesota.
Buzz and Steve and Beth are all individually making a different when they support our work—but collectively our Growing Home Circle members are doing something pretty special for southwest Minnesota.
If you haven’t read their full stories, take a few extra minutes to check them out!
