Rooted in years of philanthropic work, The Thurston Family Foundation is a leading example of how important it is to constantly develop and nurture relationships between donors and organizations. The Thurston Family Foundation, as indicated by the name, is rooted in family. It was started by a dad and mom who then passed on the passion for philanthropy to their children, Marcia Roberts and Tim Thurston, who are now the leaders of the foundation. Over the years, they have worked to further the foundation’s outreach, being of service to several nonprofit organizations. But during the pandemic, the foundation has found itself navigating a tough landscape of growing need.

In this video, Marcia and Tim share how their foundation is making giving decisions amid the Coronavirus crisis. One piece of insight shared in this video is how board members can be open to new giving ideas. Tim explains how The Thurston Family Foundation has become more fluid in their approach to giving decisions; sometimes providing smaller donations or acts to fulfil urgent community needs during the pandemic. The foundation leaders also share how nonprofit organizations are reaching out, communicating needs, and asking for support. One key point addressed by Marcia is how the foundation has shifted its view on priority needs. While previous relationships with nonprofit organizations continue to be of importance, the pandemic has shifted how the foundation views demand and immediacy. Marcia explains The Thurston Family Foundation is working to help tackle the “bigger picture” one donation, whether large or small, at a time.