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News Release

February 2006

Jane McMillan Elected Foundation’s First Director Emeritus

Herbert T. Clark III, Chairman of the Middlesex County Community Foundation Board of Directors, announced today that Jane Stokes McMillan, partner at Howard and McMillan and Middletown resident, was recently elected the Foundation's first Director Emeritus in recognition of her extraordinary commitment, leadership and generosity in establishing the Community Foundation.

“Jane is most deserving of this special honor. From our very beginnings she has provided leadership that has helped us grow our endowment and provide meaningful grants county wide”, Clark said. McMillan was a Founding Board member and served on the Board of Directors from 1997 through 2005. She chaired the Funds Development and Distribution Committee that developed Foundation policies and agreements and then recruited donors to establish endowed funds that benefit the people of Middlesex County.

Her introduction of Elizabeth Swaim to the Community Foundation resulted in Ms. Swaim establishing three funds to benefit Middletown through a bequest. McMillan chairs the Elizabeth Swaim Arts Enrichment Committee that uses income from the largest of the Swaim endowed funds to enhance arts in the Middletown Public Schools. Her leadership brought Swaim's dream of a string instruction program for elementary school students into reality. The Swaim String Program now has 60 third through fifth graders participating in after-school string instruction.

“Jane leads by example. She has actively supported all our initiatives including the Fund for Women & Girls and growth of our Legacy Society, which recognizes those who have made planned gifts to the Community Foundation. She sets a pace few can maintain and is fund raiser and Foundation promoter extraordinaire,” summarized Patti Anne Vassia, Foundation President.

The Middlesex County Community Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in Middlesex County. Its mission is to work with charitably-minded individuals and organizations to build permanent endowments and other charitable funds and to support local non-profit organizations through effective grantmaking to address community needs. Since its founding in 1997, the Community Foundation has provided over $650,000 in grants to more than 125 organizations for the arts; cultural and heritage programs; educational activities; environmental improvements; and for health and human services.

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