OUR MISSION

The mission of the Mequon-Thiensville Community Foundation is to enhance the quality of life in Mequon and Thiensville.

A BRIEF HISTORY

OUR ORIGINAL MEQUON LOGO (1999-2022)

The name Mequon (originally ‘miquan’) is from the Chippewa meaning ‘ladle’ referring to the bend in the Milwaukee River in Mequon. The M in our logo contained a river with a bend to capture and respect the heritage of our name.


OUR NEW MEQUON-THIENSVILLE LOGO (2022-Present)

When we updated our logo for our name change in 2022, we kept our trademark oval shape and blue colors and added a “T” to our M” to show the addition of the Village of Thiensville in our mission. We kept the bend in the river to represent the influence the Milwaukee River has as it flows through both of our communities.

OUR STORY

In the spring of 1999, Ozaukee County Supervisor, Katie Smith of Mequon, along with Mequon Mayor, Christine Nuernberg and Mequon Alderperson, Pam Adams, developed a plan to create the Mequon Community Foundation, following neighboring communities that were establishing community foundations. The purpose was for soliciting private funding for projects and programs in the Mequon Community that were needed, but were not able to be funded with tax dollars. Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and the 501(c)(3) non-profit status were established. 12 board members - all Mequon residents - were nominated, and a working board of directors became a reality. The new board was charged with developing a mission statement and raising funds for projects that were desired by residents, but not funded.

On May 25, 2022, the Mequon Community Foundation changed its name to the Mequon-Thiensville Community Foundation. This change was a natural evolution for our 22 year-old foundation and made sense for several reasons:

  • The majority of our grants benefit residents of both communities. Examples include the Historical Society, the Frank L. Weyenberg Library, the Mequon Nature Preserve, River Barn Park, the Jonathan Clark House, and other parks and recreational areas.
  • Adding residents of Thiensville to our Board and committees will help us make more informed, more collaborative decisions to enhance the quality of life in both communities.
  • The change reinforces and furthers the collaboration and camaraderie between Mequon and Thiensville, as most recently evidenced by the Gateway entrance sign to the town center of Mequon-Thiensville.

As an all-volunteer Board, we pride ourselves on identifying the needs of the community and keeping our administrative and operational costs extremely low so that donations go directly into funding those initiatives. Donors can be confident their tax-deductible donations go specifically to the programs or projects they desire or, if designated to be used “wherever needed most within the community”, will be allocated wisely to both Mequon and Thiensville communities.