Born and raised near Boch Hollow, nature preservation was a passion for Dr. Francis Kessler and his wife, Joyce. The couple wanted to make sure it would be protected and maintained after their deaths. The Kesslers donated land to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and established the Francis W. and Joyce D. Kessler Fund in 2007, an endowment that would maintain the land and offer educational opportunities for schoolchildren.

Celebrating a proud legacy of giving was at the core of a recent decision by the Greer Foundation, a Supporting Foundation of The Columbus Foundation, to give an extraordinary $1 million gift to help Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC) continue its mission to end hunger one nourishing meal at a time and co-create a community where everyone thrives.

The Columbus Foundation is proud to facilitate 300 Scholarship Funds that help make a difference in the lives of young people chasing their dreams. Learn more about one of those amazing students, WaTeasa Freeman.

What started as a classroom project between teachers in two central Ohio high schools has blossomed into Erase the Space, a nonprofit organization that gives students and teachers a broader perspective of life in our city. In September, Erase the Space received a $10,000 grant from the Columbus Foundation Racial Equity Fund to continue its work with NExT Hub.