On October 13th, the Winona Community Foundation was proud to honor Gloria Siewert with the 2026 Founders Award, which honors individuals who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to improving life in the Winona area through the use of their time, talent, and treasure.
Gloria arrived in Winona exactly 60 years ago and has actively contributed to making Winona better. Whether volunteering at local schools, supporting her church, organizing community projects, fundraising for important causes, or comforting women facing breast cancer through the Knitted Knockers program she brought to Winona, she has consistently seen a need and stepped forward to help.
As part of the award, Gloria chose to direct $5,000 from the Founders Fund of the Winona Community Foundation to the WInona Health Foundation’s Breast Cancer Fund and Simulation Lab. The Foundation wishes to express its gratitude to all who attended to make the event a success!
About the Winona Community Foundation
The Winona Community Foundation is a catalyst for igniting generosity and building the vibrant and enduring place we call home. The Foundation exists to support and build our community. We work with donors, nonprofits and professional advisors to meet immediate and long-term community needs through giving and granting. Our team of professionals are deeply familiar with the short-term, mid-term, and long-term needs of our community, as well as the nonprofits that are working to address those needs.
The Winona Community Foundation offers a range of charitable options and funds for individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits to accomplish their philanthropic goals. As your trusted partner, resource, and steward for community philanthropy, the Foundation is committed to helping every individual give back in a way that is both meaningful to them and the causes they care about.
We strive to support and improve our community. We believe philanthropy has the power to transform lives and shape the future of our community and world. And, we believe everyone has the potential and capacity to be a philanthropist. With that as our guiding principle, we work to help people of all means improve our community and world – today and in the future.
