Keeping It Local: A legacy rooted in community

By Erika Ritchie, Greater Green Bay Community Foundation

October 23, 2025 — For more than 60 years, Sally and Tom Ebenreiter made Oconto County their home, and their community their cause. They believed in the power of education, hard work, generosity, and service, and they lived those values every day.

When Sally and Tom created the Ebenreiter Fund through the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, it established a structure for ongoing support of the community they loved.

They named their daughters —Sue, Carol, and Lisa — as successor advisors, ensuring there would be a way the family could carry forward those same values and continue supporting their hometown long after they were gone.

“At the time, I knew little about it, other than sometimes hearing about their giving or helping to review the local opportunities,” recalls Carol Mosher. “Later it became clear this legacy of giving would be passed to us, for us to continue.”

Today, the sisters work closely with the Community Foundation to understand the current needs of their hometown. Though they no longer live in the area, they appreciate the partnership that keeps them deeply connected to the place that shaped them.

“The area will always be special to me because it’s where I began and gained the foundation for the rest of my life,” says Lisa Streu. “The Foundation has been instrumental in allowing us to see all that Oconto County is offering to its residents before deciding which projects to support.”

These local insights and trusted guidance help the family ensure each grant truly reflects Sally and Tom’s priorities — from supporting education to strengthening families and sustaining vital community services.

“They always told us we have a responsibility to give back to the community,” remembers Sue Ebenreiter. “I am most proud of the fact that our family has chosen to consistently do something to help the world become a better place.”

The Ebenreiter family’s story is just one example of how a family fund can preserve values, strengthen communities, and inspire future generations. Their commitment shows how local giving can remain deeply personal while having a lasting impact. As families consider how to shape their own legacies, choosing to support the communities that shaped them — like Sally and Tom did — becomes a powerful way to make a meaningful difference.

By 2048, an estimated $124 trillion is expected to transfer across generations. The Community Foundation is uniquely positioned to help families navigate this transition, offering tools like donor advised funds and legacy planning to ensure that giving remains aligned with personal values and community needs, helping to strengthen the places you love most.

Learn more at ggbcf.org or call 920-432-0800 to explore options for keeping your giving local.