Paul and Louise Fornaciari were married in Pasadena in 1945. They lived in South Pasadena and San Marino for many years and then settled back in Pasadena in 1973. Paul and Louise had three children – Bill, Joan, and Bert. Paul and Louise felt it was important to give back to the community. They chose a donor advised fund with the Pasadena Community Foundation as way to facilitate their giving to nonprofits they wanted to support.
When Louise passed away in 2011, her daughter, Joan Fornaciari Cathcart, became the successor advisor for the charitable fund. Joan decided to use the balance of the fund to create an unrestricted endowment with the Pasadena Community Foundation, letting the experts at the Foundation decide how to best allocate the resources each year. “It’s my way to give back to the community and honor my wonderful family,” said Joan.
After living in San Marino, Joan and her husband Pat moved to Pasadena in 2005. They have two adult children, and both Joan and Pat have been active with community organizations, including the Twilight Club, The Friends of the Pasadena Public Library, and the Pasadena Festival of Women Authors.
The Fornaciari Family Endowment creates a legacy for the local community ensuring support in perpetuity.
The Power of Endowment
Endowments are the cornerstone of PCF’s mission to build hometown legacies. The corpus of each endowed fund is invested with PCF’s portfolio for long-term growth. Each year, the endowments generate the funds that support PCF’s local grantmaking, which enriches the arts community, protects our environment, provides health care and critical social services, and bolsters public education in Pasadena. Endowments are permanent legacies for our community; these funds will continue to grow and provide philanthropic support forever. Learn more about creating an endowment at PCF.
Created December 2014