Whitney Benefits is one of the leading catalysts for philanthropy in Sheridan
June 1, 2024
When one takes a look at Sheridan and asks oneself what distinguishes Sheridan from most other towns, I think it is the culture of philanthropy that exists here. I would challenge anyone to find another community anywhere where philanthropy is as deeply rooted and widespread.
Of course, I’m a bit biased because of the twenty-plus years I’ve been privileged to have served on the Whitney Board. Whitney Benefits is one of the leading catalysts for philanthropy in Sheridan. Think of what Sheridan would be like without Whitney and its philanthropic leadership. Sheridan College has one of the nicest campuses for a college of its size, but it would be a shadow of what exists if it hadn’t been for Whitney’s direct funding and grants matching either state funding or funding from other foundations. Sheridan wouldn’t have the Mars Ice Rink if it hadn’t been for Whitney’s leadership. Sheridan also wouldn’t have Whitney Commons, a world-class park only a block from Main Street, if it hadn’t been for Whitney. And there are the thousands of Sheridan residents who might not have been able to afford a college education if it hadn’t been for an interest-free Whitney loan.
In addition to Whitney, Sheridan has been blessed with many other foundations whose generosity really makes Sheridan stand apart from almost any other community: Scott, Perkins, Welch, Bryan, Griffith, and Thorne-Rider amongst them. Think of the many important institutions in Sheridan that wouldn’t be anything close to what they are without the generous foundation support they have received year after year. At a time when so many communities Sheridan’s size are faced with a hospital that is struggling to avoid having to shut down, Sheridan is fortunate to have a strong hospital, due in great part to the hospital foundation and philanthropic support it receives. Take a look at the Sheridan YMCA, which may be the finest YMCA in the country for a community our size. Why? Because of the strong foundation and philanthropic support it receives year in and year out.
The hospital and the YMCA are just two of the non-profits whose success is directly attributable to the philanthropic support they receive. There are many other non-profits, large and small, that are able to serve the people they serve because of the level of philanthropy in Sheridan. There are many reasons why Sheridan is as nice as it is, but I believe the foundations in Sheridan and the culture of philanthropy they create is what makes us stand out from most other towns.
What is yet to be determined is whether the historic culture of philanthropy will be paid forward by those currently benefiting from Sheridan’s history of philanthropy. Sheridan has recently seen significant growth, a lot of which has happened because of the many wonderful institutions such as the College, YMCA, library, and hospital that have attracted people here. Now, the challenge is to get the current generation, including the new arrivals, to support philanthropy the way previous generations have.
–Kim Love Whitney Benefits Trustee