Once a beloved anchor of downtown Fort Worth, Leonard’s Department Store offered a unique shopping experience to all who visited. Founded in 1918 by brothers Marvin, and Obie Leonard, the store “sold everything to everybody,” making it a local retail giant until 1974.

For the Leonard family, it wasn’t just about making a sale. It was about serving the community. Today, the store’s legacy lives on through the Leonard’s Museum. Thanks to the efforts of Marty Leonard, daughter of Marvin, and Lauren Leonard, granddaughter of Obie, the museum features over 2,000 artifacts, including the “Howdy Neighbor” box sent to Fort Worth newcomers, the original store directory, and a railcar from the original M&O Subway. As one museum visitor who was moved by the memories resurfacing told Marty, “The museum has just about everything except a box of tissues.”

The collection recently relocated from the family-run museum to its forever home at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The new location will enable the Museum’s tens of thousands of annual visitors to appreciate the impact of Leonard’s business and civic leadership on Fort Worth’s history.

NTCF was honored to work alongside Marty to create a sustainable and permanent home for the Collection. The Leonard’s Museum Collection Endowment Fund at North Texas Community Foundation will provide perpetual support for the collection and preserve the Leonard’s story.

“North Texas Community Foundation has been a true partner in helping provide the future of the Leonard’s Museum for years to come by giving it a permanent home in the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.” — Marty Leonard

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The Esch family has a longstanding tradition of making charitable contributions together. When considering how to structure their giving, John Esch and his sons, Grainger and Gregor, set up a donor advised fund at NTCF. As a CPA and attorney, John recognized the inherent tax benefits, growth capacity, and strategies offered to expand the fund’s giving potential. The fund also allows the family to make significant contributions to various nonprofits, supporting causes that resonate for each family member.

Gregor Esch, TCU alumni and longtime Board member of Easter Seals of North Texas and Miracle Fields of DFW, was born with cerebral palsy and has provided support for organizations that provide robust services for those with disabilities. Grainger, a local actor and therapeutic clown at Cook Childrens, connects with organizations that address homelessness, environmental protection, and arts for children. John has served on many boards including as Chair of the James L. West Center for Dementia Care and the Bobby Bragan Youth Foundation and has particular interest in all levels of education. The Esch family regularly participates in NTCF grant cycles to pool their donations with others and maximize their impact.

In 2021, the family deepened their philanthropic involvement by establishing the Mary G. Esch and Mary N. Esch Endowment Fund for the TCU Burnett Medical School to honor the memory of wife and mother Mary Norwood Esch and John’s mother, Mary Guinn Esch. The fund annually supports the Scholarly Pursuit and Thesis program while offsetting the costs of new student research projects each year.

The Esch family exemplifies the power of giving together to create a legacy that reflects their shared values and strengthens the Fort Worth community they hold dear.

“Philanthropic giving is more a learned trait than an inherited one. It brings great joy to Grainger, Gregor and me to continue to broaden our learning and our activity together through the amazing resources so thoughtfully provided by NTCF.” — John Esch

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On a Tuesday morning in October, students in Glen Rose sat in the auditorium, tapping their feet and swaying to the rhythm of music. Unlike your average Tuesday, they were not listening to the radio or streaming music from their phones. The audience of almost 2,000 came to hear classical music, performed exclusively for them thanks to the generosity of the Wasilchaks.

Fran and the late John Wasilchak established the Wasilchak Charitable Fund at North Texas Community Foundation to enrich the lives of students in Glen Rose ISD through scholarships and arts education programs. Since 2009, Mrs. Wasilchak has collaborated with various organizations to increase students’ access to the arts through performances and workshops with professional musicians.

This year, Mrs. Wasilchak partnered with the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth to bring their “Building Blocks of Music” program to Glen Rose. The program featured two concerts performed by a 14-piece chamber orchestra, and all students in Glen Rose ISD were invited to attend.

“Words cannot express the gratitude Glen Rose ISD feels for the opportunity to experience such an amazing day,” said Susan Wright, assistant superintendent of instruction at Glen Rose Independent School District. “Many of our students would not have the opportunity to experience a concert like this if it were not for the vision and commitment of Mrs. Wasilchak.”

To further engage youth with the arts, chamber musicians will return to teach a master class for Glen Rose High School band students next Spring. This opportunity gives students the chance to experience and learn about professional performances, as well as interact with and learn directly from musicians.

“These programs increase their understanding and love of music in a way that will stay with them their entire lives,” Mrs. Wasilchak noted.

The Wasilchak Charitable Fund is endowed, meaning that the Community Foundation will continue their legacy for generations to come. If a future symphony conductor or soloist is announced as being from Glen Rose, Texas, it likely will be because of Fran and John Wasilchak.

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For John Snyder, success is about more than bank accounts and dollar signs. It’s about making the largest charitable impact in the most strategic and efficient way possible. Since its inception in the early 80’s, the Nancy and John Snyder Foundation supported nonprofits that protect our most vulnerable neighbors, particularly those that do so through a faith-based approach. After nearly three decades of managing his private foundation, John began to consider other vehicles for his giving.

Through his research, John discovered that the Community Foundation could help accomplish his charitable goals — without the administrative and compliance burdens of managing a private foundation. In 2015, he converted his family’s foundation into a donor advised fund at NTCF. Grants from the Fund continue to support high-performing organizations addressing critical needs in Tarrant County, such as Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, The Center for Transforming Lives, Presbyterian Night Shelter, Union Gospel Mission, and many more.

“Had I known how easy it would be, I would have converted to a donor advised fund sooner. NTCF’s team took stress off my shoulders and strengthened our charitable giving.” — John Snyder

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More than just a donor, Sally has volunteered as a board member for over 30 nonprofit organizations, including Tarrant Area Food Bank, Leadership Fort Worth, Cancer Care Services and North Texas Community Foundation. Her father’s need for hospice care led Sally to become a driving force in creating Community Healthcare of Texas – the largest nonprofit hospice provider in the state.

“It’s important for me to give to causes I care about so that my favorite health and human needs nonprofits can carry on in providing much-needed services to our community,” said Sally McKeen.

Today, Sally honors her parents’ legacy of giving by managing the endowed Doris C. and Harry K. Werst Fund. She also utilizes her personal fund at the Community Foundation to strengthen area nonprofits, respond to community needs and support veteran organizations in memory of her late husband, Major General Chet McKeen. As a Legacy Society donor, Sally finds peace of mind knowing that a portion of her own estate will continue to ensure the longevity of the organizations and causes she supports – long beyond her lifetime.

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With retailers, restaurants, bars, art venues and event spaces closed or operating at reduced capacity, many local creatives and service industry employees are experiencing significant financial hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“We wanted to figure out a way to potentially give back, and we came up with an idea,” said Marty.

That’s when the Englanders partnered with Near Southside Inc. to launch the Southside Culinary Arts Retail Entertainment and Service Fund (Southside CARES) to offer financial relief grants to employees of businesses located in the district. Through their fund at North Texas Community Foundation, the Englanders provided the lead gift to the effort in addition to providing a match for gifts.

The Englanders also lent their space for a virtual benefit concert featuring Grammy award-winning artist, Leon Bridges, to help rally support of Southside CARES. Within a matter of hours, the Englanders’ gift was matched and more than 1,650 individuals donated to the fundraising over $175,000.  

“We believe giving is more contagious than this disease,” continued Marty.

Thanks to the generosity of the Englanders and the Fort Worth community, over 550 community members received financial support from Southside CARES. For many, the Southside CARES grant was the only financial assistance they had received since the pandemic began.

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Dedicated to helping children with special needs or health concerns, the endowed Maurine V. Goodrich Fund at North Texas Community Foundation has a special relationship with the Audiology Program at Cook Children’s, which works to tackle even the most complex hearing conditions for nearly 20,000 patients each year. In 2018, the Fund made a grant to provide cochlear implants to help children in loud settings such as auditoriums and restaurants.

In 2019, the Maurine V. Goodrich Fund provided a generous follow-up grant to help even more families by providing the information, education, and equipment necessary to address single and bilateral hearing loss to nearly 20 children and their families.

Despite being small in size, hearing aids and cochlear implants make a giant impact on the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss.

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“It’s not about charity, it’s about making a difference. It’s about making our community a better place. It’s not about service being good for the soul. It is more fundamental. It’s about leaving something behind, to make a mark that lasts, to make ourselves count.”

Linda Dipert, Founding Member

Each year WIP members consider funding proposals in the areas of culture, education, environment, family and health and wellness in the Arlington community. Each member makes an annual gift of at least $1,000 and pledges their time and insights to the grantmaking process. By pooling these charitable dollars, their collective impact is greater than any one member could achieve alone.

Since its inception, WIP has invested over $1 million in nonprofits serving the Arlington area, transforming the lives of thousands of families.

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During their lives, the Wilsons provided generous personal and financial support to organizations that helped make Fort Worth a culturally vibrant community. They opened a donor-advised fund at the North Texas Community Foundation to structure their giving and leave a lasting impact on the city they loved.

Now that Mary and Juan have both passed away, their children continue to work with the Community Foundation to fulfill their parents’ philanthropic goals. While all three siblings have moved out of the area (although one continues to spend part of the year in Fort Worth), they honor their parents’ memory by continuing to support the venerable Fort Worth institutions that make the city a better place to live and that their parents loved.

In 2018, the Wilson Fund supported 22 organizations, including Saint Patrick Cathedral, where they attended Mass daily, the Amon Carter Museum, the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Van Cliburn Foundation, UT Southwestern Medical Center, the TCU Ranch Management Program, Historic Fort Worth and the Fort Worth Garden Club, among others.

Mary and Juan embraced the virtue of charity in all its forms. Now, the North Texas Community Foundation is honored to work with their family to enhance the community they cherished.

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