News

West Chester, PA – May 12, 2026 – Change is in the air at the Chester County Community Foundation.  President/CEO Karen Simmons will retire this summer after 25 years of transformative service, and Kate Wickersham CFRE has been chosen to lead the Foundation next. Since 2001, Simmons has been instrumental in shaping the Foundation into a vibrant, community-centered philanthropic institution. Under her leadership, the Foundation has grown from 130 entrusted funds at $8 million to more than 335 entrusted funds at $141 million, with annual grantmaking now averaging $6.5 million. Simmons championed legacy philanthropy, strengthened nonprofit capacity, and deepened donor… Read More »

Photo: Neil Joines with Asta, 1992.  WEST CHESTER, PA – May 5, 2026: The Neil Joines Fund of the Chester County Community Foundation is pleased to award $26,500 in grants to 13 nonprofits for arts, culture and heritage programming. A community entrepreneur who loved traveling the world, Joines was passionate about arts, culture and latino heritage. When he passed in 1992, Joines’ philanthropic interests were outlined in his will, so that grants perpetually reflect the values set forth by Neil Joines himself: 1) to expose the Kennett community area to a diverse array of cultural opportunities, 2) to ensure that piano,… Read More »

(West Chester, PA – May 1, 2026): The Theodore D. & Elizabeth A. Hadley Fund at the Chester County Community Foundation has made its Spring 2026 grant allocations to 9 Kennett-area nonprofit programs that focus on arts, culture, and social justice. Guided by its mission to promote the civic betterment, social welfare, and education of the people of Kennett Square and the surrounding community, the Hadley Fund supports opportunities for all who wish to learn, grow, and be enriched through lectures and other cultural offerings.  Hadley’s grants reflect the values set forth by founding contributor Charles C. Hadley in his… Read More »

Dare to Declare will launch Masterworks 3: Made in America performance at Longwood Gardens in honor of America’s 250th anniversary WEST CHESTER, PA — The Brandywine Valley Symphony’s season finale on June 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the Open Air Theater of Longwood Gardens will begin with a powerful Dare to Declare reading of the Declaration of Independence, inviting concertgoers to join community leaders in reading the nation’s founding document aloud together. With an expected 1,000 participants, it will be the largest public reading of the Declaration in the region. Led by the Chester County Community Foundation, Dare to Declare… Read More »

(West Chester, PA – April 13, 2026): The Chester County Community Foundation is pleased to welcome Jennifer Ermilio, Esq., of Buckley Brion McGuire & Morris LLP, as its newest member of the Board of Directors. Jennifer is a partner in the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group, where she focuses on interactive estate planning designed to give her clients confidence and peace of mind as they plan for the future. In her legal practice, Jennifer works closely with individuals and families to develop thoughtful, customized estate plans that reflect their values and long-term goals. Her collaborative approach emphasizes clarity, education,… Read More »