The Couple That Keeps on Giving

Kathy and Paul Hermes. Photo Kathleen Cei

Hermes Honor Parents Through Donor Advised Funds

For Paul and Kathy Hermes, the time was right in 2018 to establish several funds at The Foundation. Each set up a donor advised fund in memory of their parents, and together they created a donor advised fund in their own name to simplify how they do their charitable giving.

"We want part of [our fund] to have a legacy here in the area and part of it to have a bigger footprint," Paul says. "Kathy's very interested in basic needs, food and people. I'm interested in the arts, music and theater and things like that."

Kathy has a long commitment of supporting basic needs. Twenty years ago, she lead the food pantry at her church in Colorado where they previously lived and she is now involved in supporting similar activities in Connecticut. The fund she estsblished in memory of her parents is the Jane and Joe Drumgool Fund.

Since his retirement in January 2018, Paul has been active on a number of boards, both for-profit and nonprofit, serving in multiple leadership roles. The Fund he established in memory of his mother is the Patricia Hermes Fund.

"The reason we set up our charitable fund with The Foundation is because of the generations of knowledge it has about our local community. We are hoping to learn where our gifts can best be applied and see this as a partnership in doing good," says Paul.