Lessif family hands out $5000 in grants to community
TILLSONBURG - The Lessif family is continuing to give back to the people in Tillsonburg through the Lessif Family Fund.
The fund, which is under the Oxford Community Foundation, reached the $50,000 mark last year and now allows for grants to be handed out.
John Lessif says the purpose of the fund is to give back to the youth in their community.
"It covers the newborn through the Children's Aid Program and toddlers through the Little School in Tillsonburg program and then we have the breakfast program at Rolph Street School that we are supporting and the last one is Junior Achievement for our highschool students."
Lessif says he and his wife Liz were approached by the Oxford Community Foundation about giving a donation at a time when the family was thinking of starting a Foundation of their own so they instead joined forces.
"We committed $50,000 for our fund and we contributed that money over five years and last year was the final year and now the proceeds of that investment of that $50,000 will be given out in grants on a yearly basis."
"We operate as a foundation which means those who are asking for money have to fill out a grant application and then the grant applications for the Lessif Family Fund come to the Lessif family for us to review and decide as a family , who gets what."
Just under five thousand dollars was handed out Thursday.
Lessif says it's a legacy for his family and he encourages others who are looking at ways to give back to the community to consider a similar approach.
This year the following Organizations will receive funding from the Lessif Family Grant:
Oxford Nutrition Program for a snack program at Rolph St. School
Junior Achievement of London and District for a “Learning by Doing” Program to be offered starting in October
The Tillsonburg Little School for playground equipment
Children’s Aid Society of Oxford for an infant mattress and crib program
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