When seasonal residents Judy and Ben Witt found themselves in a position to make a charitable contribution, they chose to give it to the Fountain Hills Community Foundation.
“We’re not in a position to give millions,” Judy said, “but we wanted our money to go somewhere it would be vetted without a lot of overhead and waste. And we thought, ‘what about Fountain Hills?’ We trust the Fountain Hills Community Foundation to find worthy recipients.”
Judy and Ben first fell in love with Fountain Hills in 1986, after visiting Illinois neighbors who wintered here. They purchased a second home on a whim in 2000, after seeing an advertisement for a new community called Copperwynd. When their son decided to have a destination wedding in Fountain Hills a few years later, it prompted other friends and neighbors to purchase property here, too. A grandson and nephew are also ASU grads “as a result of being exposed to the Arizona sun.”
“And it’s a great spring break destination,” Judy said regarding family still living in the Midwest.
The Witts still support their Illinois church and give generously to charitable organizations designated when a friend passes away. Judy believes giving to the Fountain Hills Community Foundation is a the best way to ensure their gifts benefit Fountain Hills populations that need it the most.
“We’ve been fortunate to have good jobs throughout the years and our kids are doing well, so we want to give back to people who can benefit from a little bit of help,” she said. “We like hearing about the success stories from the various non-profit organizations here in Fountain Hills. When we give to the Fountain Hills Community Foundation, we know it will help the neighbors that have given us so much joy throughout the years.”