Schmitz joins Tomorrow’s Kids Endowment Fund Committee

Tomorrow’s Kids Endowment Fund will expand its base of experience by the addition of Kathy Schmitz, executive director of the Vilas County Economic Development Corporation (VCEDC).

“Kathy comes to us with a world of nonprofit experience,” said Tomorrow’s Kids Endowment Committee Chairman Nic Weight. “We look to lean on her knowledge of both the business and nonprofit world to help move our $1 million capital campaign forward toward its goal.”

In 2018, Kathy and her husband, Doug, along with their Kenyan partner, created the nonprofit organization Okoa Toto in Kenya. The words Okoa Toto mean “save the child” in Swahili. Kathy and Doug were successful at bringing together other individuals who shared their vision to provide a home, food, education and health care to a dozen Kenyan children.

Schimtz’s role as executive director of the VCEDC is to support current business and attract remote workers, entrepreneurs and expanding businesses to Vilas County in support of their mission to build a strong, resilient North Woods economy with an entrepreneurial mindset.

“I have always had a passion to help children in difficult circumstances,” said Schmitz. “When I was asked to become involved with FORK (Feed Our Rural Kids) and the Tomorrow’s Kids Endowment Fund, I was honored to have the opportunity to be part of a vibrant local organization with such a critical mission.”

The Tomorrow’s Kids Endowment Fund is a financial safety net built to ensure the economic viability of FORK’s efforts to support children for generations to come.

Currently FORK operates five nutritional support programs serving the children of the Phelps and Northland Pines School Districts; FORK Cares, Meals Now, Formula Support, Jump Start, and seven local Children’s Pantry locations.

In addition to Weight and Schmitz, committee members for the foundation include Brian Fritz, Nancy Schuler and Jed Lechleitner.

More information can be found at feedourruralkids.org.

Individuals who would like to donate toward the capital campaign can go to feedourruralkids.org/tomorrows-kids. To talk with a representative from the endowment committee, reach out via email at tomorrows-kids@feedourruralkids.org and committee members will set up an appointment to talk.

Feed Our Rural Kids is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.