Assante Fund

Assante Financial Management – Fenlon Division Endowment Fund
In 2008, the financial advisors of Assante Financial Management – Fenlon Division decided to establish an endowment fund through the Community Foundation of Kingston & Area.   “As individual advisors and as a branch we received regular requests for help from community groups throughout the year,” say Dianne Lackonick, one of the six advisors involved (Patrick Gilmour, Peter Hartel, Jane Lapointe, Henry Treier and Walter Fenlon).  “We decided to pool our resources and have a much more significant and long lasting impact in the community.”
“This has been a very positive experience for us,” says Peter Hartel who will join the board of the Community Foundation in July of this year.  With the assistance of the national office of Assante, the group of advisors have been able to contribute $15,000 each year to the fund - $5,000 of which flows through annually to successful applicants, and $10,000 of which goes towards building the endowment fund.  “We feel very fortunate to live and work in the Kingston community,” says Hartel.  “The endowment fund is one of the ways we can give back to the community and show our appreciation.”
While the Community Foundation does an initial screening, a working committee of advisors select the successful applicants.  “The process of reviewing the applications and selecting grant recipients has been a very powerful experience,” says Dianne Lackonick.  “There are so many groups doing such important work.   The endowment fund provides a framework which allows us to be very effective in our giving.  It is something we hope even future generations of Assante advisors will embrace and continue to build.”
 
In Fall 2009, $5,000 from Assante sponsored the projects below:
2010 Ontario ParaSport Winter Games: 2010 Winter Games
This is a provincial level competitive multi-sport event for Ontario's top athletes with a physical disability.  This event, for many of the athletes, is a stepping stone to qualify for international levels of competition in their chosen sports.  For others, it's the pinnacle of their sporting careers.  $1,500
Loving Spoonful: Loving Spoonful Funding & Governance Coordinator
This organization is committed to improving the access low income citizens in Kingston have to healthy food.  The goal of this program is to hire a funding and governance coordinator to pursue sustainable, long term and diversified funding, as well as to pursue non-profit corporate status as a means towards charitable status.  The grant for this project will be put towards administration costs, training and project supplies.  $2,500
Bereaved Families of Ontario: Children's Bereavement Support
BFO Kingston will offer a bereavement support program for children.  The program will assist children who are experiencing loss, in developing bereavement coping skills to ensure healing through these experiences.  $1,000