Giving Back - A Family Value | Community Foundation of Louisville

Giving Back—A Family Value

"We want our daughter to be prepared for the joy—and responsibility—of giving back to the community."

Photographed at Eastern Area Community Ministries, which provides emergency financial assistance, a Dare to Care food bank, and Latino Outreach Services to help Latino citizens fully integrate into the community.

Ernest and Ona Marshall

Ernest and Ona Bass Marshall have dedicated their professional lives to healthcare—Ernest is an OBGYN and Ona's career has been in hospital administration. They have also dedicated their lives to raising their daughter, Meagan, and instilling the values of working hard, doing your best, and giving back.

"We feel a strong connection to healthcare, so we support several health-related causes," explains Ona. "Each of us has also had the opportunity to receive a great education, which has led to some great opportunities. We want others to have those same opportunities, so we give to educational institutions as well as organizations that help people on their educational journey."

One of their local favorites is Eastern Area Community Ministries, a faith-based, grass-roots organization that brings together dozens of congregations, businesses and groups to help out their neighbors in need. In addition to its emergency financial assistance and Dare to Care food bank, EACM offers Latino Outreach Services to help Latino neighbors fully integrate into the community, which the Marshalls support.

Ernest and Ona have always made charitable giving a part of their lives, and they want their daughter to share that same passion for giving. "Our fund at the Community Foundation allows us to include Meagan in our family's giving," add Ernest. "When we are no longer here, she'll have some important decisions to make regarding these charitable dollars. We want her to be prepared for the joy—and responsibility—of giving back to the community."