Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine Announces $500,000 Grant
by Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine
January 27, 2023

The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine announces a multi-year grant in the amount of $500,000 has been awarded from the Mary Jo and Richard H. Stanley Human Conditions Support Fund. The grant will accelerate strategic impact in a Muscatine neighborhood revitalization effort that is underway.

Richard Stanley, a respected businessman and engineer, devoted his life to Stanley Consultants, an engineering firm his father helped found. He also maintained and elevated the Stanley Foundation, a charitable organization focused on securing peace as well as freedom and justice. He was a noted supporter of the United Nations and fostered much respect within its halls. His keen awareness and passion extended to preventing genocide and mass violence, stopping nuclear proliferation, providing accessible healthcare, and promoting international cooperation.

Dick, as he was most commonly called, served devotedly on several boards, won numerous awards, and operated at the pinnacle of business and industry. But, despite his numerous accomplishments, he was best known for his ability to generate loyalty and collaboration through his ease and conversational grace.

Mary Jo Stanley was a long-time board member of The Stanley Foundation, who, through her dedicated work, welcomed diplomats, officials, and scholars from around the world to both the community and the foundation’s mission. She was known for her inviting and warm personality which fostered a family atmosphere at the offices, ultimately bringing people of differing opinions together through friendship and respect. Mary Jo also hosted numerous events for Stanley Consultants, the American Consulting Engineers Council, as well as many other organizations. Her passion swept through all aspects of life including her involvement with First Presbyterian Church of Muscatine and serving in leadership and supporting roles at an array of charitable causes that she cared deeply about. Her focus, despite her many impassioned endeavors, never wavered from her family and community.

Dick and Mary Jo, in their work alongside community leaders in their hometown of Muscatine, Iowa, as well as with diplomats on the world stage, always maintained a humility and approachability that few such figures possess. They were world citizens who could relate to anyone and were committed to understanding how they could further appreciate and perhaps help the furthest reaches of our globe.

Before and upon their passing, Richard and Mary Jo Stanley have chosen to support the causes important to them through establishing several field of interest funds at the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine.

This grant will create impact in the intersectional housing space, supporting project capacity and barrier reduction for success. Goals of the neighborhood revitalization project are aimed at unleashing a triple bottom line advancement of family housing stability, education, and health within the identified neighborhood. The target area has the highest percentage per-capita of the community’s school children, and 78% of the school-age children receive subsidized lunch.

To learn more, donate, or set up a designated fund, visit www.givinggreater.org or call 563-264-3863.

The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine is a community-wide, county-wide charitable organization actively working to improve the quality of life in Muscatine County through philanthropy.

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