Grand Forks Herald

February 10, 2013
Reported by Brandi Jewett

After the 1997 flood, psychologist and avid volunteer Lee Lipp noticed a change in the attitude of Greater Grand Forks residents.

Lipp says an unintended outcome of the cities surviving the multi-billion dollar natural disaster was their residents' increasingly positive attitude toward philanthropy.

“After the flood, we received a lot of help from different places,” Lipp said, noting that when the community saw that support, a cultural shift occurred.

The focus on philanthropy has become stronger than ever in the region, which is good news, according to Community Foundation Executive Director Kristi Mishler.

“Philanthropy helps a community grow stronger and creates a better quality of life within it,” she said. “When people are happier they stay around, leading to a better economy and higher job retention.”

The Community Foundation, founded in 1998, manages $6 million in donated assets and provides grants for local initiatives.

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