History

In 1977, when attorney Richard Feuille called together a small organizing committee to meet and eventually to found the El Paso Community Foundation, he could not have imagined that this small charity—which was initially set up in a tiny cubbyhole of an office in the El Paso National Bank Building—would grow and endure beyond the lifetime of the bank itself.

That is the power of endowment . The El Paso Community Foundation has been helping generous-minded area residents make lasting contributions to their community ever since. The legacies of hundreds of donors have built our combined asset value to almost $100 million.

Defining moments in our history include:

1980. Karl O. Wyler, Sr . affiliated his personal foundation with the Community Foundation. Wyler had founded his foundation with shares of his NBC media corporation.

1981. Dorrance D. Roderick , former owner and publisher of the El Paso Times , left the first major bequest to the Community Foundation. “I won't be here to see how this turns out, but I trust leaving my money to future El Pasoans,” he said.

1987. The Foundation was invited to be one of the “Ford Foundation Eight”—8 midsized foundations trained as national role models for the fast growing community foundation world.

1987. When the Plaza Theatre was threatened with demolition, the Foundation board and its donors took the lead in saving it by raising $1 million in six weeks. Later the Foundation gave the Theatre to the City of El Paso .

1988. The Foundation established a pioneering $1 million loan fund with 5 local banks that allowed lower valley colonia residents to hook up to running water. It was the first loan fund of its type in the State of Texas .

1998. The Mighty Wurlitzer organ was returned to El Paso and housed temporarily at Sunland Park Mall. Over 700 people attended the opening concert on Mothers' Day.

2000. The Foundation relocated its offices to the Historic Cortez Building in demonstration of its support of downtown El Paso . The Old City Club room has become an important meeting facility for community events.

2001. The Mascareñas Foundation became affiliated with the Community Foundation as a supporting organization. This was the first legal association of a U.S. foundation and a Mexican foundation on the U.S.-Mexico border.