By David Cucchiara Communications & Program Associate Every summer, something distinctly radical happens in Morris County and throughout the country. Hundreds of thousands of American kids leave home for a few weeks and become, briefly, someone else. The shy kid becomes a cabin leader. The kid afraid of swimming dons a life jacket and steps into a canoe. The one…
By Dave Cucchiara Communications & Program Associate Career trajectories are almost never linear. For most, they hinge on good timing, a stroke of luck, and enough self-motivation to keep pushing forward when the path ahead isn’t necessarily clear. That’s the mix that changed things for William Sanchez. At 19, he was managing a QuickChek convenience store and working a gas station job on the side to…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is honored to celebrate over 15 years of support of Breakthrough T1D, which was founded in 1970 by families whose loved ones had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This nonprofit strives to open doors that were once closed by a T1D diagnosis, leading the way to more effective solutions by connecting the brightest minds…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to celebrate almost 50 years of continuous partnership with the Adirondack Council, an organization that seeks to preserve the ecological integrity and wild character of the Adirondack Park — through conservation, advocacy, and education — with members across all 50 states and beyond. In 2025, the Council celebrated 50 years of leadership in advocacy and conservation.…
By David Cucchiara Communications & Program Associate “Passion is lifted from the earth itself by the muddy hands of the young; it travels along grass-stained sleeves to the heart.” – Richard Louv, Author of Last Child in the Woods To touch grass is to know, on a visceral level, one’s own place in the world, not merely as an observer passing…
Fifteen community organizations to use grant funding for staff training, technology needs, and more The newly created Morris County Nonprofit Capacity Fund announced today that 15 Morris County-based nonprofits have received $142,000 in grants to build stronger, more sustainable organizations. This philanthropic initiative was directly supported by local foundations, including the Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ), the F. M.…
By Justin Kiczek President As our most recent press release shares, the F. M. Kirby Foundation has been preparing for this semiquincentennial moment for some time now. We have often said that the 250th anniversary of our nation should not just be about one day — or even one year. It should be about way more than fireworks, we argued. That said, I could…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation Board of Directors approved 106 grants totaling $8,364,850 in the first half of 2026 to support nonprofit organizations dedicated to strengthening and enriching our communities. This total reflects grants awarded in 2026 and multi-year commitments. In all, 62 grants included general operating support and 71 grants were made to organizations that have been partners of the Foundation for over 25 years, a result of the Foundation’s strategy of forming long-term,…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to celebrate 34 years of continuous partnership with Philanthropy Roundtable, a network of charitable donors committed to strengthening a free society, upholding donor intent, and protecting the freedom to give. Founded in 1991 and based in Washington, D.C., Philanthropy Roundtable serves a membership of more than 400 philanthropic organizations and individuals, including private…
The F. M. Kirby Foundation is proud to celebrate 63 years of continuous partnership with Market Street Mission, a cornerstone institution of the Morristown community. Founded in 1889, the Mission has been serving the homeless, hungry, and those struggling with addiction in northern New Jersey for more than 135 years, guided by the belief that every person deserves to be…