Residents at Friendship Village of Bloomington have a strong heart for giving, especially when it comes to team member scholarships. In 2023, concerned how few donors were contributing for scholarships, Mike Wagner, a resident and member of the Foundation Advisory Committee, organized an anonymous group of residents to create a matching challenge to encourage broader participation—matching gifts under $1,000. The group contributed a $15,000 challenge gift that was not only met but exceeded, nearly tripling the number of donors and raising twice as many funds as in 2022. The $79,000 raised fully funded 31 scholarships of $2,500 each. This year, the group made a $25,000 matching grant, aiming higher to fund 40 team member scholarships totaling $100,000 for the 2024-25 academic year.
This initiative allows more residents, including those who may not be able to make large gifts, to double their impact, deepen their connections with team members, and know that their giving makes a difference.
