Baylor Receives 2025 Palmer Family Music Education Scholarship
June 12, 2025
From Barns to Pavilions: History Comes Alive – 2024 Grants In Action
June 12, 2025
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the DeKalb County Community Foundation is dedicated to enhancing quality of life across DeKalb County. Grants are awarded through a variety of programs—each with its own purpose, application process, and area of impact. So how do these grants make a difference right here where we live? Learn more in the grant story below. Special thanks to our Donor Advised Fund donors for aligning your charitable goals with local needs!
The Power of Subtle Giving
To express their gratitude and love for communities across DeKalb County, Todd and Christine Curtis established a Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation in 2020. Since then, the Todd and Christine Curtis Family Fund has supported local nonprofits through Give DeKalb County, helping meet a variety of needs across the area.
In 2024, after thoughtful collaboration with the Community Foundation, Sycamore Middle School, and the Sycamore Education Foundation, the Curtis family identified a new way to deepen the impact from their Donor Advised Fund—by creating a “gap” fund to support Sycamore Middle School students facing urgent, unmet needs.
Through this new resource, the Guardian Angel Fund, school counselors and social workers are empowered to discreetly support students with basic essentials. This behind-the-scenes approach respects student privacy while still providing meaningful help.
In just one year, grants provided PE shoes for three students, a warm winter coat for another, and holiday meals for ten families—small gestures with lasting impact.
Todd and Christine recognize the daily struggles many families face in trying to meet basic needs. Their hope is to continue supporting students and families in a quiet, compassionate way—filling in the gaps where help is needed most.
“Christine and I are grateful to the Community Foundation for their support in bringing this student resource to life. It’s been a rewarding experience that reflects our values–we couldn’t be happier!” – Dr. Todd Curtis, Fund Advisor
