Letter from Chairman Wayne A. Reaud
2021 marked a milestone for the Beaumont Foundation. We celebrated our 20th anniversary of service to the less fortunate, and we surpassed $175 million in awarded grants. It is an outstanding legacy that we intend to expand upon in the coming years. I am proud of how these past two decades have demonstrated our continued commitment to the Foundation's mission: enriching lives - enhancing futures.
I am pleased with both the accomplishments of our grantees and with our very detailed grant-making selection process. The Beaumont Foundation ensures all grant money is invested wisely by holding grantees accountable through strict monitoring protocols. The Foundation's management and staff have worked in concert with the Board of Directors in developing and refining our organizational structure and decision-making capability, while remaining faithful to the Foundation's mission.
When the Foundation was created, it was universally believed that a central challenge facing poor Americans was a phenomenon known as the Digital Divide. There was a clear socioeconomic gap between those with access to computer technology and those without. During the first five years, Beaumont Foundation developed and implemented a national program to help bridge the Digital Divide and became a leader in this vast undertaking. We provided technology related grants and funding valued at $75 million. These grants furnished schools, community centers and individuals with Internet-enabled laptops and related technology across the nation.
In 2006, the Beaumont Foundation broadened its mission and began providing direct monetary grants to organizations dedicated to helping the less fortunate. Since 2006, the expanded purpose of the Foundation is clearly demonstrated by the diverse nature of these grants, which total just over $100 million. Our largest area, education, includes scholarship programs that promote continuing education opportunities for qualified young adults. College scholarships are awarded at multiple schools covering tuition, fees, and textbooks for deserving individuals. We also have an Excellence in Education teacher’s award program providing recognition to outstanding kindergarten through high school teachers.
The Beaumont Foundation also committed to providing much needed relief for a variety of underserved and needy: we have provided grants to promote healthcare and cancer treatment; we have supported every food bank throughout Texas to feed the hungry; we assist with foster care clothing programs throughout Texas; and we fund social service grantees. These grants continue to make a very meaningful impact on the communities being served.
Whether due to natural disasters such as major hurricanes or flooding tropical storms, the Beaumont Foundation responded to provide much needed assistance and relief to struggling families. During 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic tested America’s spirit. The rapid escalation of the pandemic created an unprecedented level of uncertainty and volatility. At the height of the pandemic, millions had lost their jobs and were unable to feed their families. The Beaumont Foundation, along with food banks and pantries across Texas, is proud to be a part of those who answered the call.
The Beaumont Foundation has made great strides forward in the last 20 years, and we are excited about what the future holds. Grateful acknowledgement is owed to our many dedicated grantees and partners, all of whom steadfastly support our mission. We will continue to be a voice for the less fortunate. Though the task confronting us is seemingly insurmountable, it is and always will be the driving force behind the Beaumont Foundation’s efforts to improve the lives of everyone we can reach.