Celebrating Jones County’s Voices of America: Jacob Oswald
This story is part of our Voices of America initiative. Learn about this initiative and read more stories here.
The Jones County Community Foundation is proud to celebrate America’s 250th birthday by honoring Voices of America.
Jacob Oswald of Monticello is one of eight regional voices lifted up to share the stories of people who hold our community together two and a half centuries after our nation’s founding.
“What really matters to our citizens is at the heart of the Voices of America initiative,” said Sheila Tjaden, Community Foundation Executive Director. “We value every voice as we work with donors, make grants and serve as a trusted convener addressing shared community needs.”
In his role as Monticello Park and Recreation Director, Oswald wants the community to understand how parks and recreation add value to a community. He works to help the entire community come together to be a part of meaningful projects and shares many opportunities to get outdoors, move, and be with others.
Recently Oswald served as the convener for Monticello Give to Grow. He led a team of volunteers as they captured a $100K endowment challenge grant and grew the local fund to near a half million dollars. The fund will pay out annually to jumpstart the most important innovations for Monticello. Oswald successfully engaged many new donors to invest in their shared future.
Voices of America events will be hosted by the Foundation and take place this summer. They will feature a six-foot tall American eagle. Look for the table, take a family photo with the American eagle, and help write the story of our community on America’s 250th birthday. Hearing directly from individuals will help the Foundation make decisions on grants and initiatives in the coming year.