By Dave Cucchiara Communications & Program Associate The F. M. Kirby Foundation Board of Directors announced 103 grants totaling $10,669,250 were approved in the first half of 2024 to nonprofit organizations working to increase the strength and vitality of our communities. In all, 58 grants included general operating support and 54 grants were made to organizations that have been partners…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to welcome a new team member. David Cucchiara has joined the organization as a Communications and Program Associate, effective June 25th. David joins the Foundation with experience in both nonprofit development and strategic communications. After beginning his career in journalism, David spent six years with Wakefern Food Corporation…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate When Dr. Christina Liparini began her undergraduate education in 1995, she was pursuing an English degree with dreams of becoming a high school teacher. Early in her education, she realized that the transition into college was not going to be an easy one. At the time, mental health was not yet something openly discussed, leaving…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate Ruth Kaluski has seen a lot of change in the thirty years she has worked in the mental health field. Beginning her career in rehabilitation counseling in 1989, Ruth entered the world of clinical mental health services at a time when conversations about mental illness were clouded by stigma and bias. Now serving as the…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate Dr. Luke Smith relocated from Arkansas to North Carolina following medical school to pursue a career in adult and childhood psychiatry. As he became more involved in his new community, Dr. Smith realized there was a pressing need for mental health services offered in Spanish. Driven by his newfound commitment to bridging this gap in…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to announce that Justin J. Kiczek has been promoted to the role of President and Executive Director, effective January 2nd, becoming the first non-family member to lead the Foundation as President. Justin joined the Foundation in 2019 as Executive Vice President, working in tandem with then President and…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate The F. M. Kirby Foundation Board of Directors announced 255 grants totaling $15,431,175 were approved in 2023 to nonprofit organizations working to increase the strength and vitality of our communities. Of this total, over 130 grants included general operating support and over 140 grants were made to organizations that have been partners of the Foundation…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to welcome a new team member and to announce two staff promotions. Helen Benson has joined the organization as Director of Finance, effective November 13th. Helen joins the Foundation with both small business and corporate experience and 17 years of managing financial operations, strategic planning, and analysis. After…
By Gina Beviglia Program Associate The F. M. Kirby Foundation is pleased to announce that two new staff members have joined the organization. Wanda Miroslava Peguero has joined the F. M. Kirby Foundation as a Grants Administrator, effective August 7th. Wanda has extensive grants administration experience, having worked in the philanthropic sector for over 20 years. She has worked formerly…