Fort Recovery Community Foundation

06/01/2026

The Fort Recovery Community Foundation is proud of Fort Recovery senior, Taylor Schoonover. Taylor is the Founder of the Mercer County Support Squad-- a group designed to offer support and kindness to teens in Mercer County.

Through the HOPE FUND (Helping Others, Providing Encouragement), the Fort Recovery Community Foundation was able to provide a donation to help fund activities for the Mercer County Support Squad. Below are a few photos from one of their recent projects-- the dedication of the rock garden from this past Saturday, May 30th.

Thank you Taylor and the Mercer County Support Squad for providing encouragement to others and making our community a better place.

05/27/2026

🎉Fort Recovery Community Foundation 2026 Grant Recipient! 🎉

The Fort Recovery Ambassadors were the first of our 2026 Grant Recipients to send us a photo of their completed project! The Ambassadors applied for and received a grant to help fund their new electronic sign down at the Fort Recovery Ambassador Park! Take a look of this wonderful before and after photo of their sign! We look forward to seeing their upcoming events advertised as we know those events are part of what makes Fort Recovery so special! Bring on summer in downtown Fort Recovery!

05/15/2026

Congratulations to these graduating seniors from Fort Recovery's Class of 2026 who will be awarded scholarships from the Fort Recovery Community Foundation this Sunday!

Due to the generosity of our donors, $144,190 in scholarships are being awarded to 41 seniors at 15 local schools! Some graduating members are blessed to receive more than one scholarship as 77 scholarships in total were awarded.

Many of these scholarships are distributed from endowed funds, meaning that only the investment earnings are distributed. This allows the money to be distributed for years to come! What an absolutely incredible way for these donors to continue to impact their community and inspire students for years to come!

Congratulations Class of 2026! We will be cheering for you and the rest of your classmates as you walk across the stage this Sunday at 2pm and will continue to wish the best for you in the years to come!

05/06/2026

We held our second quarter Foundation meeting last night! What an exciting meeting:

-Reiniger & Associates provided a positive financial report on the Foundation's Investments
-The Distribution Committee received approval on the upcoming disbursement of approximately $90,000 in community grants!
-The scholarship advisors reported that 2026 scholarships are wrapping up nicely with approximately $140,000 in scholarships being awarded. (More information to follow after graduation)

To top is off, we were able to discuss these amazing achievements in a new space! The Foundation has entered a lease agreement with the Fort Recovery Morvilius Opera House. This beautiful space will be used for our quarterly meetings as well as office space to meet with donors and recipients of the Foundation. There was something special last night about discussing upcoming community grant recipients' projects with the backdrop of historic Fort Recovery on the stage flat.

The future of Fort Recovery looks bright from so many angles! We are pleased to continue moving forward without losing our history along the way!

03/09/2026

Anyone who knew Carol knows she had a heart of gold and an unshakable passion for education and reading. She also dedicated many years to the Foundation as a long‑time Trustee and President, giving her time, energy, and love to a cause she believed in deeply.

After her passing in November, the current trustees voted to rename the “Fort Recovery Education Fund” in her honor. It will now be known as the “Fort Recovery Education Fund – Carol Knapke Memorial.”

There will never be another Carol Knapke. We could never repay the impact she made, but her legacy will live on through this fund—proof that a true passion for helping others never fades.

Thank you, Carol. May you rest in peace knowing that your love for education and reading continues to inspire and uplift others.

02/26/2026

We received the nicest thank you from Rose Hart, the Fort Recovery Library Fiscal Officer this morning!

"Thanks to the generous donations from the Community Foundation, the Fort Recovery Library has been able to replace the carpet on the main floor of the Library. This change has contributed to an updated look, that we hope is an inviting atmosphere for all of our patrons."

If you haven't been to the library to check out their upgrades, you've got to stop in to sit in those inviting chairs. Amazing how some upgrades and moving the layout to repurpose those chairs, really makes a difference! The cherry on top to the entire experience is the warm, inviting and helpful library staff who will do their best to make your experience top notch!

Do you have a project idea that will benefit the Fort Recovery Community? Community grant applications are currently being accepted.

02/11/2026

Look at those smiles!

We received this heartwarming photo from Marcia Schmitz! She was kind enough to snap this photo showing the recent book purchases for the Elementary and Middle School Library. These purchases were made possible due to a funds distribution from the Fort Recovery Education Fund which is held within the Fort Recovery Community Foundation!

Do you want to help inspire these young minds through the purchase of new books? Donations can be sent via Venmo (-Foundation) or by mail (PO Box 52). Put "Fort Recovery Education Fund" in the subject line. Together, we are making our already amazing community even better!

01/06/2026

Did you spend the last few weeks of 2025 rushing around trying to ensure your RMDs (required minimum distributions) were met? As you start thinking about the upcoming tax season, are you concerned about your tax liability?

Reach out to the foundation in January to discuss how we can help you utilize a portion of those RMDs each year as a qualified charitable contribution (QCD). Utilizing a portion of your RMDs as a QCD will help facilitate good things in our community and may also help reduce your tax liability!

Let's take care of it now, so in December 2026, you can just relax and enjoy the holidays!

12/02/2025

"Giving" on Giving Tuesday can come in so many ways! Be on the lookout to spot the kindness that is happening today. Such a cool thing to be a part of!

WOW! You all showed up to give back! We will be able to send out 80 arrangements! 40 donated by you and 40 by us!! Thank you so much I am cutting off orders for now because I will run out of flowers. Thank you so much.

It is giving Tuesday! We want to brighten someone’s day. We will be donating flowers to Rustic Hope and the nursing home to give to someone that needs a smile. For every $10 donated, we will donate a matching bouquet. So two bouquets will be sent for $10. If you want to participate, comment below or Venmo to Jenni-smith-3 and we will get the flowers delivered!

Do you want to deliver a smile to someone? Stop in and get a bouquet to give to make their day!

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday!

Giving Tuesday is a global movement dedicated to generosity—right after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s all about giving back in meaningful ways.

This holiday season, we challenge YOU to find a way to give back! Join millions around the world celebrating kindness and community.

At Fort Recovery Community Foundation, we believe in the power of Giving Tuesday. Many of our donors have already made a lasting impact by creating funds that support the betterment of our community.

Want to donate?
Mail a check to:
Fort Recovery Community Foundation
PO Box 52
Fort Recovery, OH 45846
(Please note the fund name in your memo line.)
We also accept donations via Venmo (QR Code in Comments) or online via our website. However, please note that the website does charge a fee.

Interested in starting a new fund?
Contact us at 419-375-5333 or [email protected]—we’d love to help you make a difference!