Donor Spotlight

Donor Spotlight

Jo Ellen Diehl Yeary | Generosity rooted in pride, remembrance, dedication to home

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Double Your Impact Today and Tomorrow

FAO successfully secured funding from the Ohio legislature to help us all accelerate our impact with an opportunity to see each gift we make matched. This is an extraordinary chance to invest in the children of Appalachia and their communities, but we need your help.

With a gift to FAO’s I’m a Child of Appalachia® Fund or any of its five Pillars of Prosperity, your gift will be matched, dollar-for-dollar. The I’m a Child of Appalachia and Pillar Funds represent the most flexible resources designed to make an impact across Appalachian Ohio’s communities in all areas essential to quality of life both today and tomorrow.

The FAO team thanks you in advance for helping us seize this unprecedented opportunity for the children of Appalachia.


The creation of the I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund is a dream realized for the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio. To finally have a fund focused on the greatest needs and most promising opportunities across all of our communities will accelerate our mission on an exceptional scale. And now, we have the great opportunity to invite donors to join us in growing this fund from the ground up with a dollar-for-dollar match opportunity!

What will my gift make possible?

The I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund is dedicated to unleashing the potential of the children of Appalachia. Giving FAO the resources needed to address the areas of greatest need and opportunity in the region, the I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund supports:

• FAO’s work to build local capacity by nurturing local community foundations and connecting partners around issue of regional importance;

• Programmatic initiatives and grant programs creating opportunities across our 32 counties in Arts and Culture, Community and Economic Development, Education, Environmental Stewardship, and Health & Human Services; and

• FAO’s work to encourage high expectations among all the region’s residents, including FAO’s I’m a Child of Appalachia campaign.

The I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund is unique, with half of each gift invested in endowment for the future and the other half impacting programs in the next 1 – 5 years. In the near-term, this includes:

• Bridging Appalachian Ohio’s digital divide through investments in increased broadband connectivity during this difficult period of physical distancing;

• A partnership to connect books with children who need them;

• Helping students succeed in the classroom and beyond through glasses and vision care;

• A grant program to ensure youth in our communities are resilient and supported;

• Supporting FAO’s 11 community funds and African American Community Fund with grant dollars and back-office support; and

• A redesign of our long-treasured I’m a Child of Appalachia Writing Contest.

With so many initiatives already underway, imagine what we could do with millions in matching funds dedicated to visionary and strategic programs today and far into the future.

How will the match work for the I'm a Child of Appalachia Fund?

All gifts to the I’m a Child of Appalachia Fund, any of the five Pillar of Prosperity Funds, or FAO will be matched dollar-for-dollar to support FAO’s mission, and there is no limit to how much a donor can give and see matched while the matching funds last.

This match is available on a first-come, first-served basis – and then it’s gone! Not one of us can afford to stand on the sidelines and allow this once-in-a-lifetime chance to grow abundant opportunity pass us by.

Levels of Giving

FAO envisions a region abundant in possibilities. That's why we will celebrate the role you played in this visionary matching opportunity and all that it will make possible. Donors will be recognized at the following levels:

• $1 million or more: GAMECHANGER

• $500,000+: GROUNDBREAKER

• $250,000+: INNOVATOR

• $100,000+ : PIONEER

• $50,000+ : TRAILBLAZER

• $32,000+: SHAREHOLDER

• $10,000+: COMMUNITY LEADER

• $5,000+: HOMETOWN HERO

All gifts of $10,000 or more are also eligible for a permanently named fund, allowing donors to celebrate their family's love for the children of Appalachian Ohio or honor a loved one.

Because gifts of all amounts will make a difference, gifts under $5,000 will be recognized as members of the I’m a Child of Appalachia Network.

Give By Mail

Make your check payable to Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, and designate the endowed fund you'd like to support. Then, just mail your check to:

Foundation for Appalachian Ohio
35 Public Square
PO Box 456
Nelsonville, OH 45764

Give Online

Click here, and make sure to designate the fund you'd like to support.

Give Appreciated Stock

Gifts of appreciated stock allow donors to maximize charitable impact while minimizing taxable income. If you give appreciated stock, you will receive a tax deduction on the full market value of the appreciated stock, while eliminating the capital gains tax that would otherwise be assessed from the sale of the stock. Contact your financial adviser to make a stock transfer today.

Give with Your IRA Transfer

The IRA charitable rollover allows individuals to make tax-free contributions directly from their IRA to tax-exempt, charitable organizations annually after age 70 &frac12, without increasing their taxable income. To give with your IRA transfer, contact your financial adviser today.

Make a Pledge

When you give to our I'm a Child of Appalachia Fund, you can make a pledge and fulfill it over time while seeing your gift matched dollar-for-dollar. To make a pledge, contact FAO at 740.753.1111 or info@ffao.org.

Questions on How to Give?

Just get in touch with FAO at 740.753.1111 or info@ffao.org, and we will be happy to answer any questions or provide any additional information.