Group wants to cultivate Wheaton arts

A Wheaton nonprofit announced plans on Tuesday to start an endowment fund geared specifically toward city-based endeavors.

Over the coming months, the DuPage Community Foundation will be seeking donors to help establish the "Endow Wheaton Initiative."

Organizers are hoping to create a seed fund of at least $25,000 in the next year before they begin considering proposals for how the money should be spent.

Joanne Mitrenga, the group's director of development, said the money would be used to toward cultivating arts and educational programming in the city, for instance, or supporting neighborhood improvement efforts. The money would all be steered toward nongovernmental groups located within Wheaton.

"Wheaton is the county seat, so there are a lot of areas where we know we can do some good," said Joan Morrissey, a board member who heads the nonprofit charity's grants committee.

The DuPage Community Foundation timed the announcement with the start of Wheaton's 150th anniversary celebrations, which kicked off during the July 4 holiday.

To solidify that link with the city, Mayor Michael Gresk lent his support to the cause Tuesday during an open house in the group's new Roosevelt Road office condominium.

"Here's an opportunity to make things better in the city of Wheaton not just now, or for the next 10 or 20 years, but for perpetuity," Gresk said. "This is something that will sustain Wheaton for generations to come. What can be cooler than that?"

The DuPage Community Foundation controls about $25 million in assets which are used to help fund not-for-profit organizations in the county. Last fiscal year, the group awarded more than $1 million in grants.

For more information about the Endow Wheaton Initiative, call Mitrenga at (630) 665-5556 or visit www.dcfdn.org.