Thursday January 30th, 2025 9:40PM

Local senior living community gives back in big way

By Will Daughtry News Reporter

Cresswind at Lake Lanier may appear like a run-of-the-mill senior living community, but with their Community Fund branch, they have given nearly $1-million as they head into their 10th year.

“I read the mission, and that’s what just struck me. That’s a mission that just hit home,” President and Board Member of Cresswind at Lake Lanier Community Fund Bill Papciak said. “They’re giving back to people that are in need and in organizations that serve seniors here in Hall and Gainesville.”

That mission statement is “to enhance the lives of adults primarily 55 and older through charitable, educational, medical-health related, and cultural opportunities exclusively in Gainesville and Hall County.”

The meeting was to go over their 2024 finances and plan for the upcoming year. In 2024, they granted $181,742 across 62 donations. One of those programs is Grandparents Raising Grandkids that looks to help families in need.

“These are grandparents that have their grandchildren for whatever reason,” Papciak said. “And we serve families that are vetted by organizations and churches out there, and that’s a very fulfilling program.”

That program received over $45,000 of the grant money in 2024 across 15 donations by the Community Fund. 

Other donations included Focus 55+, which focuses on seniors in need. That saw over $20,000 granted across 10 donations. Food giving saw the lion’s share of the giving with over $67,000 given across 20 donations. 

“We now have nine food banks that we contribute to,” Treasurer John Ulam said.

Ulam also said that donations to health, which includes Good News Clinic and several others, saw $39,607 over 14 donations.

“Our biggest year ever, $181,742 in 62 donations,” Ulam told the crowd. “That definitely deserves a round of applause.”

Since their inception in 2016, the Community Fund has raised over $1-million and has given away $847,141 in grants. The biggest raiser of funds in 2024 came from general donations in smaller increments from the nearly 1,200 community members.

Director at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center Nairika Cornett was the guest speaker for the annual meeting.

Cornett gave the background of the Quinlan and also announced their partnership with Cresswind, with community members able to donate to the arts center and Quinlan in turn holding multiple events with Cresswind.

“In 2025 we will be active in doing the programs that we have,” Papciak said. “We will hit granting $1-million in about four months.”

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