Public shows support during Palmer Community Foundation’s Annual Community Celebration

PALMER — The Palmer Community Foundation gathered with members of the public to acknowledge grantees and thank donors during the Annual Community Celebration Wednesday, Sept. 21.

PCF Advisory Board Chairman Mike Liebing said that he was thrilled with the overall turnout for this year’s celebration. The event featured live music, food, drinks, and speaker presentations.

“It all paid off. It’s wonderful. This is just another example of what this community is capable of,” Liebing said.

PCF is an affiliate of the Alaska Community Foundation that’s working to grow a long-term community endowment for the city on top of awarding grants to several local organizations each year.

According to Liebing, the goal is to support Palmer-oriented projects that enhance the quality of life, address immediate needs, and work toward long-term improvements. PCF has awarded $70,000 to local nonprofits since 2018.

“This is an opportunity to make a permanent improvement to the community,” Liebing said. “Everybody in this room has a love and appreciation for the community,”

PCF awarded six grants in 2022. Liebing noted that they were also able to offer a special grant thanks to the Mat-Su Health Foundation, their largest donor.

“It really is a grassroots effort,” Liebing said. “Our real mission is to continue to connect with people. We just try to do the most with the amount we have.”

Several grant recipients such as Connect Vets founder Robert Gordon discussed what their organizations are doing with the funds and thanked PCF for their financial support during the speaker presentations.

“It’s not easy being a non-profit, but organizations like this really give a lot of hope,” Gordon said.

PCF currently has a $30,000 fundraising goal. The Rasmuson Foundation and ACF Affiliate Program will match the $30,000 if the funds are raised by the end of the year, according to Liebing. He said they have plenty of outreach to do, but he’s sure they’ll make it.

“I’m confident we’ll make it. The community has always come through for us,”

We have a lot of generous people in the community.

For more information about the Palmer Community Foundation, visit palmercf.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com