Racine Community Foundation

10/16/2026

No veteran who served our country should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from.

That's the quiet, essential work of the Veterans Marketplace at Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin - a free grocery store, right here in Racine, serving all veterans and surviving spouses of veterans. The shelves are stocked with fresh produce, meat, bakery items, canned goods, and personal care products, so those who gave so much can shop with dignity for what they need.

Getting started is simple. Veterans can drop in during shopping hours - Tuesday 10 AM to 4 PM, Wednesday noon to 5 PM, or Thursday noon to 4 PM - at 1609 Yout Street, bringing a DD214, VA card, or driver's license marked "Veteran" to register. Once registered, they can shop every week.

Want to help? The Marketplace welcomes donations of non-perishable food and household goods during business hours, with a 24/7 drop-off box on the west side of the building. Pantry staples, toiletries, paper products, and new towels and bedding are always needed.

We're proud to support Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin, thanks to the generosity of our donors - because caring for those who served us is one of the clearest ways a community says thank you.

10/15/2026

Think about the moments we've shared with you this year.

A grandmother holding the keys to her first home. A nursing student crossing a graduation stage. A senior citizen who found a friend after too many quiet days. A child who wasn't hungry this summer. And so many more, some of which you can see again here.

None of those moments happened by accident. Each one was made possible by people who gave - many of whom will never see the full reach of what they set in motion.

That's the beauty of a legacy gift. When you include the Racine Community Foundation in your estate plan, you're not just giving once. You're planting something that keeps growing - supporting the causes you love for generations of Racine County residents you'll never meet, but who will feel your care all the same.

What would you want your legacy to make possible?

To learn more, reach out to Liz Powell at [email protected], or visit racinecommunityfoundation.org/donate.

10/14/2026

Some people find their calling. Karen lived hers long before it became her job.

Growing up, Karen watched her step-dad - functionally illiterate, with dyslexia, from a family of English Language Learners - build and run his own business, because he had the support to do it. She saw firsthand what literacy, and the help to reach it, can do for a family.

Today, Karen directs the Family Literacy program at the Racine Literacy Council, working to lift up whole families through education and connection. "I feel like this job was made for me," she says. "There's never a day I get up and don't want to come to work."

That kind of passion is exactly what makes this work transformative - meeting learners of every background and making education accessible and equitable for all of them.

We're proud to support the Racine Literacy Council's Family Literacy program, thanks to the generosity of our donors - because when you lift up a family's ability to learn, you change their future for good.

10/13/2026

There's a particular kind of magic to a Wisconsin farm in October - crisp air, golden light, and the slow, satisfying wind-down of the growing season.

You can find all of it at the Eco-Justice Center. Spend a Saturday morning wandering the farm, visiting the animals, and watching autumn settle over the fields. Then swing by the farm stand, where the week's harvest is waiting: fresh produce, cut flowers, and the prettiest farm-fresh eggs you'll find anywhere.

The stand is open Saturdays from 9 AM to 2 PM - self-serve, and stocked with whatever the garden offered up that week. Half the fun is seeing what's there.

It's a simple, lovely way to spend a fall morning - and a reminder of how good it feels to eat something grown right down the road.

10/12/2026

Leadership isn't something kids are born with - it's something they build, with the right people believing in them along the way.

That's the heart of the Racine Family YMCA's Young Leaders Academy, and we're proud to support it. Through the program, young people build leadership skills, strengthen relationships, and discover just how much they're capable of - growing into confident, community-minded leaders ready to make a difference in their schools, families, and neighborhoods.

We're honored to invest in this work, thanks to the generosity of our donors - because when you believe in a young person and give them room to grow, there's no telling how far they'll go.

Thank you, Racine Family YMCA, for empowering the next generation of leaders in Racine County.

We are deeply grateful to the Racine Community Foundation for its generous grant support of the YMCA’s Young Leaders Academy (YLA) program.

This investment helps us continue creating meaningful opportunities for young people to grow as confident, capable, and community-minded leaders. Through YLA, participants build leadership skills, strengthen relationships, explore their potential, and gain experiences that prepare them to make a positive difference in their schools, families, and community.

Thank you, Racine Community Foundation, for believing in our youth and helping the YMCA empower the next generation of leaders in Racine. Your partnership makes a lasting impact.

10/09/2026

Some of the most important work in our community happens quietly, alongside people during the hardest moments of their lives.

That's the work of BeLEAF Survivors, Inc., and we're proud to continue supporting their Sexual Assault Services program. Their advocates provide survivors with support, resources, and a steady, compassionate presence - meeting people with dignity and walking beside them on the path toward healing.

We're honored to invest in BeLEAF's work, thanks to the generosity of our donors - because everyone deserves to be believed, supported, and never alone.

Thank you, BeLEAF, for all you do for Racine County.

We are grateful to announce that BeLEAF has recently been awarded another grant from the Racine Community Foundation to support our Sexual Assault Services program! 💚

We are especially thankful for the Racine Community Foundation’s continued investment in BeLEAF and in organizations working to make Racine County a stronger, healthier community. Their ongoing support helps make it possible for us to provide survivors of sexual assault with the advocacy, support, and resources they need.

Thank you, Racine Community Foundation, for your continued partnership and for all you do to support the people and organizations that make our community stronger!

Learn more about RCF here: https://www.racinecommunityfoundation.org/

10/08/2026

October is Estate Planning Awareness Month, and it's a chance to sit with a quiet, powerful truth: the causes closest to your heart don't have to end with you.

For 50 years, the Racine Community Foundation has stewarded gifts that keep on giving - turning the generosity of one generation into scholarships, grants, and support that reach the next. A legacy gift through your estate plan is a way to make sure the Racine County you love continues to be cared for, long after you're gone.

It's not about how much you leave. It's about what you choose to carry forward.

To learn how RCF can be part of your legacy, reach out to President & CEO Liz Powell at [email protected], or explore planned giving at racinecommunityfoundation.org/donate.

10/07/2026

Autumn leaves, a glass in hand, and 30 downtown stops to discover - it's W**e Walk season in Racine!

Downtown Racine's Fall W**e Walks return on Saturdays, October 10 and 17, from 1:00 to 6:00 PM. Stroll through 30 participating businesses sampling 20 w**es and craft beers, with snacks along the way - all while exploring the historic, hip heart of downtown on the Lake Michigan shore.

Your $40 ticket includes admission to every stop, a w**e sampling glass, a canvas tote, and a raffle entry for a w**e prize pack. Parking is just $3.50 all day in nearby ramps.

It's the perfect way to spend a gorgeous fall afternoon with friends - and support downtown while you're at it.

Grab your tickets at racinedowntown.com.

10/06/2026

Cheap charger? Don't chance it.

That's the message from the City of Racine Fire Department this Fire Prevention Week. Those inexpensive, off-brand phone, battery and device chargers might save a few dollars up front, but they can overheat, short out, and spark fires that put your home and family at risk. That's what happened here in this photo, and the results speak for themselves.

A few simple habits make all the difference: choose chargers from trusted manufacturers, avoid damaged or frayed cords, don't leave devices charging unattended or under pillows and blankets, and unplug when you're done.

Thank you to the Racine Fire Department for looking out for our community, this week and every week. A small choice today could prevent a devastating loss tomorrow.

Stay safe, Racine County.

10/05/2026

When most of the city is asleep, the HOPES Center of Racine, Inc. is out walking the streets - meeting people experiencing unsheltered homelessness exactly where they are, with patience, compassion, and respect.

Three to four nights a week, their small Street Outreach teams go out to offer basic assistance, information, and a genuine connection - helping people find a path off the streets, built on trust rather than timelines. For those who can't or won't enter shelter, that steady, familiar presence can be the beginning of everything.

We're honored to support HOPES and their work, thanks to the generosity of our donors - because every person deserves to be met with dignity, and no one should have to find their way out of homelessness alone.

HOPES Center is very pleased to announce that it has received a grant award for its Street Outreach work from the Racine Community Foundation. Recognizing the worth and dignity of each person, HOPES helps people end their homelessness. The Racine Community Foundation plays a big role in our ability to do this.

Street Outreach is a service specifically for people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in Racine County, meaning that they sleep "on the streets" in places not meant for human habitation. HOPES has small street outreach teams that go out a 3 - 4 nights per week to meet people where are on the streets. The people our teams meet either cannot or choose not to enter shelter or temporary housing for a wide variety of reasons. The teams provide basic assistance, information on services available in Racine, and offer connections and assistance in finding a path off the streets and out of homelessness. We are extremely grateful for the foundation's partnership in helping us do that.