The Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF) is pleased to announce that Jackson (Jack) and Donna Milhollan have been named the recipients of this year’s Northrop Family Excellence Award for Community Philanthropy (previously the Philanthropist of the Year Award).
Award criteria are as follows: Demonstrated exceptional generosity, relative to one’s ability to give, through personal financial gifts to local charitable causes; Demonstrated encouragement and motivation of others to financially support local charitable causes; Documented efforts to improve the quality of life in Washington County through volunteer leadership of local charitable and other community activities; and Documented efforts to advance philanthropy in general.
The son of former WCCF Philanthropist of the Year Thomas R. Milhollan, Jackson Milhollan has followed in his father’s footsteps regarding community philanthropy and service. Over the years Jack has served on many charity boards including leadership roles at the LeMoyne Community Center, the United Way of Washington County, and the Washington Financial Charitable Foundation. For many years, he served as a volunteer interviewer for Transitional Employment Consultants, helped Habitat for Humanity raise money through golf outings, and worked with the NAACP on get out the vote campaigns. According to Lisa Hannum, CEO of Domestic Violence Services of SWPA, Jack’s former company Precision Marshall was an annual leadership sponsor of the charity’s fundraising dinner. Precision Marshall was the sole sponsor of the DVSSP’s first Wild Things awareness game.
As a couple, Jack and Donna were drawn together by their commitments to family, community, and philanthropy. After overcoming many challenging experiences in her past, Donna was ready for a brighter future. During her days as a hard-working single mother, she made many sacrifices in order to take care of her children and others. A matchmaker attested that she deserved a loving partner who would take care of her, and ultimately, that led her to Jack. However, with a smile Jack attests, “That’s wrong . . . she takes care of me.”
The Milhollans annually support a multitude of local charities through the Community Foundation’s annual day of giving, WCCF Gives. Jack remarked that he participates in the event because “It’s so easy!”
Although the process of making their contribution through WCCF Gives is fast and efficient, the couple do give great consideration to which organizations they designate for support. Donna remarked, “I use my head, but I also look into my heart when I make my selections.” Reflecting on events in her own life, she said, “I like to support programs that help women and children to be safe, as well as those that enable children to grow up and have advantages.”
Charities supported by the Milhollans via WCCF Gives include: the CARE Center, CASA for Kids, Citizens Library, Domestic Violence Services of SWPA, Faith Christian School, Greater Washington County Food Bank, Highland Ridge Community Development, LeMoyne Community Center, Literacy Council of SWPA, Mental Health Association, Salvation Army, Southwest Training Services, Transitional Employment Consultants, Washington Area Senior Citizens Center, Washington City Mission, Washington County Gay Straight Alliance, Washington County Historical Society, WOMEN of SWPA, and Your Child’s Place.
The couple’s giving to the Washington Hospital Foundation is particularly noteworthy. According to Sara Schumacher, Executive Director of the Washington Hospital Foundation, “Jack and Precision Marshall have supported every major capital campaign of the Washington Hospital since 1991 and have sponsored all of our special events. Jack once stated that he participates as a contributor and advocate of the hospital because, ‘I believe we get tangible return to the degree that our employees and their families’ health needs are locally well served.’ As such, Jack has always taken a personal interest in the hospital, participating in roundtable discussions and tours with the hospital’s leadership over the years and has consistently honored his commitments to the hospital regardless of the economic climate. Precision Marshall was one of the first members of the Corporate Giving Club. Most recently, they were a major contributor to the CARE Center for Family Birth and Women’s Health campaign and have a Nurses Station named in their honor.”
The Foundation renamed its Philanthropist of the Year Award to the Northrop Family Excellence Award for Community Philanthropy in 2018 in recognition of the Northrop Family’s tremendous support of the Washington County community during their 116 years of ownership of the Observer-Reporter and Observer Publishing Company.
To learn more about the Foundation please visit www.wccf.net or call 724-222-6330.