City of La Salle foundation created to focus on growth, development, social justice

A new foundation in La Salle was announced Monday by founder Dani Piland to support community and economic development in the city.

The foundation, called The City of La Salle Foundation, has a mission to support community and economic development while focusing on creative, sustainable growth that acknowledges La Salle’s history and natural resources and prioritizes social and economic justice.

This Foundation comes after many years of working with other passionate, dedicated people who pour their hearts and souls into this community. Our mission is clear — bring this town together to create the kind of beautiful, dynamic, vibrant hometown we all know La Salle can be.

—  Dani Piland, founder

Piland said the foundation is committed to improving the lives of youth, LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) folx and the working poor within the La Salle population.

“This foundation comes after many years of working with other passionate, dedicated people who pour their hearts and souls into this community,” Piland said. “Our mission is clear — bring this town together to create the kind of beautiful, dynamic, vibrant hometown we all know La Salle can be.”

The foundation is a new nonprofit with completed 501c3 forms and is registered with the IRS as a tax exempt organization. Piland said she will finalize a board of directors in the next six weeks and the foundation will begin tackling projects following its fundraisers this summer.

The foundation’s most immediate projects, according to Piland, include addressing the lack of affordable and reliable childcare for working parents and the establishment of a safe, empowering youth center for adolescents.

Other initiatives under consideration include projects related to public safety, ongoing concerns about clean water and supporting the arts community. The foundation anticipates completing a comprehensive community needs assessment in 2023, and the outcomes of this assessment will inform its priorities through the strategic planning process.

The first fundraiser for the City of La Salle Foundation will be Quiet Fest on June 2 and 3. Quiet Fest is an arts and music festival that features musicians, visual artists, comedians, filmmakers and others in venues across the city of La Salle.

The event supports local artists and businesses and provides opportunities for community members to engage directly with creative content and explore the arts. A well-known event of this type is the Alternating Currents festival in the Quad Cities. More information is available at https://www.alternatingcurrentsqc.com/.

Piland said its initiatives are informed by community needs, productive working relationships with stakeholders and a collaborative, flexible approach that permits us to respond to persistent problems with thoughtful, innovative and evidence-based solutions.

The foundation is not affiliated with the city government, nor the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation.

The foundation can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cityoflasallefoundation. To make a donation, get involved or for more information, email Dani Piland at cityoflasallefoundation@gmail.com.