A number of years ago a resident asked Laguna Woods Village management how he might donate a quarter of a million dollars to improve the community he cherished. At that time there was no tax-deductible structure to accept his gift so he didn’t make the donation.

John Parker never forgot this story. When he became president of Golden Rain Foundation, he asked the treasurer, Diane Phelps, to get a group together to form a charitable entity that could accept such donations.

In 2017, a group of residents led by Diane met monthly to plan an organization designed to serve the community. The first meeting on April 26, 2017, was attended by residents Diane Phelps, Joan Milliman, Lucy Parker, Mary Stone and Advisor Betty Parker, who was the Chief Financial Officer of Village Management Services. Resident Leslie Mogul joined the group later, when her expertise was needed.

Village Community Fund was modeled after the successful Leisure World Foundation of Mesa, Arizona. Sandra Lacklore, President of the Arizona Foundation at the time, served as a consultant to the group. With the help of resident Dan Kenney, they found Quadrant Law Group of Irvine, who executed the incorporation on December 13, 2017.

Incorporating Officers were John Parker, President; Kay Levingston, Secretary; Mindy Armstrong, Treasurer; and Diane Phelps and Betty Parker were on the board as Advisors. Donations from these officers and advisors funded the incorporating and start-up costs for the next few years