The Pella Community Foundation announced it has recently received a significant donation – farmland and a cash gift – from the Paul and Marjorie Vos Trust.
Paul Vos and Marjorie (Van Den Berg) farmed in the Galesburg and Monroe area until 1986
where they raised four children – Byron, Arvin (Laura), Mark, and Ruth (Leonard). Helping others was important to their lives and they generously supported numerous charities, both financially and as volunteers, within the Pella area.
In October 2007, after 59 years of marriage, Marjorie passed away. Prior to Paul’s death in 2022, he partnered with the Pella Community Foundation to create programs which would continue his and Marjorie’s vision to maintain culture, improve society, and enhance the qualify of life for the people of Pella.
Paul was instrumental in helping to create Grow Pella, LLC., a subsidiary of the Pella Community Foundation, which allows farmland owners to keep valuable farmland producing while also creating a lasting legacy for the Pella area community. He designated a Board of Trustees to help donate most of his and Marjorie’s estate to charity, and also to serve as an advisory committee for the farms donated to Grow Pella, LLC.
Jim Brandl, the Foundation’s President, said these funds have created the Paul and Marjorie
Endowment Fund which will continue grow over time, while also annually distributing funds to local nonprofits to support their charitable work. This fund is the newest of more than 20 funds that make up a majority of the Foundation’s nearly $12.3 million in assets.
Brandl expressed thankfulness for the trust and confidence the Vos family has place in the Pella Community Foundation. When Paul set up the initial gift of a farm in 2016 he expressed his hope that his example would inspire other farm owners to consider the Grow Pella program in their estate plans. For information about making a planned gift to the Pella Community Foundation, visit www.pellacommunityfoundation.org, or contact Jim Brandl.
Jim Brandl, President
641 230-1498