Creating Opportunities through Legacy Giving
Walter and Marian English’s philosophy of giving was simple—give to others so they may share in your good fortune.
A lifetime resident of Bexley, Mr. English was a graduate of The Ohio State University. A successful businessman, he founded the Walter English Company, a wholesale food distribution business, in the attic of his parents’ home, at the age of 19. He led the company for more than 60 years before retiring in 1991.
The English family created their first fund with The Columbus Foundation in 1954. In 1997, the Walter and Marian English Foundation, a Supporting Foundation of The Columbus Foundation, was created to continue to support various programs and causes important to them. The English family has entrusted The Columbus Foundation to continue their charitable giving in perpetuity by creating several funds, including the Walter and Marian English Awards Fund, to carry on their grantmaking legacy after dissolving the Supporting Foundation in 2010.
Thirty-five years ago, Mr. English introduced the English Awards, a program designed to motivate, recognize, and encourage professional and personal growth in staff members and volunteers of social service agencies. The English Awards provide professional development opportunities to help individuals expand their knowledge and, in turn, provide services to those in need throughout central Ohio. In total, more than $1 million has been awarded to nearly 700 recipients.
