Who We Are

The Hartford Area Foundation began in the late 1970s at the instigation of long-time Hartford banker and philanthropist, Fred Schauer. Along with wife Bea, Fred led then-Mayor Don Lieven and a dozen other community leaders to begin the process of creating a foundation which would meet Internal Revenue Service requirements for tax-deductible giving. For almost two decades, Fred and Bea themselves gave considerable sums for many of the community projects which have been sponsored or supported by the Foundation. Following Fred’s death in 1999, Bea continued the family’s annual beneficence. Hundreds of other friends have also made their mark on our community through their generous giving. To all, we extend our sincere thanks!

The Foundation continues stronger than ever during the beginning of the 21st century. A recent endowment from the Edward A. Laubenstein estate fortified the need for an endowment program to guarantee the Foundation’s success in the Hartford area community. With generous giving and wise investment, the Foundation now has an endowment corpus of several hundred thousand dollars, with a goal to exceed $1,000,000. This will enable the Board of Directors to continue funding a significant number of projects annually.

So much has been done over the past decades to improve services and facilities for Hartford area citizens, yet much more remains to be done! With your support, we know this is only the beginning. To find out more about contributing to, or establishing a fund at the Hartford Area Foundation, or including a gift as part of your estate plan, please get in touch with any of our Board members. Together we will demonstrate for generations to come what “giving at home to provide lasting value” means. The projects that result will truly leave your mark on the community we are all proud to call home.