Laying a Foundation for Milwaukee’s Future

The McGinnity Family Foundation was recently featured in an article on People with Panache, a website that believes in “sharing stories, promoting positivity, and supporting people who make the world better.”    The article notes that,

“Some people have a little extra panache when it comes to making the biggest difference in their community. The McGinnity family of Milwaukee—grown daughters Megan, Betsy, Annie and Katie, and parents Tom and Maggie—launched the McGinnity Family Foundation in winter 2014.All four daughters grew up as part of a Greater Milwaukee Foundation youth in service program, now incorporated into Lead2Change. The program empowered them to give out grants of up to $2,500 at a time, up to a total of $100,000 over Annie’s four years of high school, for example. And it developed in the sisters a culture of philanthropy. Now the family of six gives grants to improve their community, which affects both their inheritance (less for them) and impact on this world (far beyond when they’re here).”

Below are a few more excerpts. Click here to read the full article.

People with Panache: Why did you decide to start a foundation?

Tom McGinnity: Part of it was spending 40 years in education. We were looking for aspects of: Who are the disenfranchised? Whose voices aren’t being heard? Collectively we’re missing the voice of youth. A school system like Milwaukee Public Schools has 80,000 voices that aren’t being heard, and they might have incredible ideas of what and how change could happen.

PWP: As a very fortunate person who works for Victory Garden Initiative, one of your first grant recipients, I know you’re in your first grant cycle. So far, what are you most proud of?

Annie Kubes: One cool part was sitting around this room and all having the opportunity to give input about what types of causes and what focus areas we would target in terms of grants. My husband and our brothers-in-law were here as well. We were able to pick issues we’re passionate about and have experience with—with real people who have faced real issues. Doing a really small part in helping to address some of those was empowering.

PWP: What’s it like working together as sisters?

Megan: We’ve known each other our whole lives, so we can really highlight each others’ strengths and weaknesses. We’re all out there in the field, seeing what we can fund. For example, Katie has a business mind and has connected us with a company that turns food waste into garden products, so there will be more conversations about getting those products to those we’ve funded.

Betsy McGinnity: We all share a passion for serving others, so it’s really made getting together and talking about foundation stuff very meaningful time together. It’s much deeper, and obviously the mission of our parents, too—it’s how we were raised.

Tom: When we all can get together, typically we have a meeting as part of that. It goes a little deeper than most families might go.

Betsy: There are a lot of needs in Milwaukee, and a lot of times our roles can get pretty hard. It’s nice to meet needs and provide hope. It’s pretty easy to get discouraged, but this is an opportunity to help kids who truly deserve better.

PWP: I can tell. It’s touching just being near you, knowing you have such big hearts for others and get to work on this together! What makes you happiest?

Megan: I would say my happiest is when I’m rocking on Mom and Dad’s porch. My daughter, husband and I will hang with whoever’s home, just chatting it up and enjoying the great things the city has to offer.

Betsy: For me at work—we’re a newer high school so we’ve just had our third graduating class—it’s when alumni come back or are in college or successful, because these students are part of an underserved population. In general, I think we all share that we’re happiest being with family, and our annual trip to Door County.

Annie: I would third family. It’s always been top on my list. I think now though one of my greatest joys is watching our parents as grandparents.