A CENTURY OF GIVING
1926 – 2026
It Started with a Vision in 1926
When the Kenosha Foundation was established in 1926, a group of civic leaders came together with a shared belief that a thriving community depended on more than economic success. Charles C. Brown, Hugh E. Barden, Andrew H. Lance, Walter H. Alford, and Charles B. Voorhis understood that lasting community strength was built through service, stewardship, and a commitment to future generations. Their vision created a permanent charitable resource dedicated to improving the quality of life in Kenosha and laid the foundation for a century of local philanthropy. Today, their legacy lives on through the donors, leaders, organizations, and community initiatives that continue to shape Kenosha's future.
The Founders
Five Kenosha leaders. One shared vision for the future.
Charles C. Brown
A Founder Who Believed in Kenosha
Charles C. Brown was a prominent Kenosha banker and civic leader who devoted his life to the growth and betterment of the community. Beyond his work in banking, he supported the public library, hospital, YMCA, historical society, and numerous other charitable causes. His leadership and generosity helped establish a lasting tradition of philanthropic stewardship in Kenosha.
Charles C. Brown
A Founder Who Believed in Kenosha
Charles C. Brown (1854–1932) devoted his life to the growth and betterment of Kenosha, helping shape both its economic development and its civic institutions.
Born in Kenosha, Brown began his career as a clerk in a local store before becoming a successful businessman and one of the city's most prominent bankers. He served as president of the First National Bank of Kenosha and held leadership positions with other financial institutions.
Brown's legacy extended far beyond banking. He helped organize Kenosha's library and served for many years on its board, supported efforts to establish the hospital and YMCA, and participated in the work of the Kenosha County Historical Society. He also contributed to numerous charitable and community causes and was a leader in Kenosha's World War I Liberty Loan campaigns.
When he died in 1932, Brown left behind a legacy defined by leadership, generosity, and an unwavering belief in the power of community. As one of the four founders of the Kenosha Foundation, his commitment to civic responsibility helped establish a tradition of philanthropic stewardship that continues to benefit the Kenosha area today.
H. E. Barden
A Life of Service to Kenosha
Hugh E. Barden built one of Kenosha's most successful mercantile businesses, but his greatest impact came through his service to the community. He dedicated himself to organizations including Kenosha Hospital, the YMCA, Community Chest, Chamber of Commerce, and the Kenosha Foundation. His life was defined by generosity, humility, and a deep commitment to helping others.
Hugh E. Barden
A Life of Service to Kenosha
Hugh E. Barden (1869–1929) exemplified the spirit of civic leadership and service that helped shape Kenosha in the early twentieth century.
After graduating from Platteville Normal School, Barden came to Kenosha and entered the mercantile business in 1891, building what became The Barden Store, one of the city's successful dry-goods enterprises. Yet his greatest impact extended far beyond his professional accomplishments.
Beginning in 1922, Barden served on the Kenosha City Council, eventually becoming its president, while dedicating himself to a wide range of community organizations, including Kenosha Hospital, the Service League, the Salvation Army, the Elks, the Community Chest, the Chamber of Commerce, the YMCA, and the Kenosha Foundation.
His commitment to helping others continued until his final days. In December 1929, while organizing Christmas food and gift distributions for families in need, Barden became ill and returned home to rest, intending to resume his work later that evening. He died before he could do so.
Barden left behind a legacy defined by generosity, humility, and devotion to the common good. As a founder of the Kenosha Foundation, his life stands as a lasting example of the spirit of service that has helped sustain KCF for a century.
A.H. Lance
A Legacy of Helping Others Through Service
Andrew H. Lance spent more than six decades in Kenosha, rising to become a leading executive of the Simmons Company and a respected civic leader. Yet he was equally known for giving his time, resources, and personal support to those who needed help. His life reflected the spirit of using one's success to strengthen the community and improve the lives of others.
Andrew H. Lance
A Legacy of Helping Others
Andrew H. Lance (1862–1943) devoted more than six decades to Kenosha, building a distinguished career while giving generously of his time, resources, and personal support to the community.
After graduating from Racine College in 1882, Lance began his career by copying farmers' notes before rising through the Simmons Company to become its treasurer and first vice president. He became a respected industrial and financial leader while remaining deeply involved in civic and philanthropic efforts.
In 1918, Lance led the Kenosha Patriots Fund and continued throughout his life to support causes and individuals in need. He was known not only for his financial generosity, but also for giving his time, attention, and personal support to others.
As one of the four founders of the Kenosha Foundation, Lance helped establish a lasting tradition of community service and philanthropy. His life reflects the belief that a stronger community is built when people use their time, talents, and resources to help others.
W.H. Alford
Success Measured by Service
W.H. Alford was a leading figure in Kenosha's business and industrial community, serving as senior leader at Nash Motors and president of the Kenosha City Council. He was remembered by those who knew him as approachable, humble, and genuinely interested in helping others. As a Kenosha ofounder, he helped establish a tradition of philanthropy that continues today.
Walter H. Alford
Success Measured by Service
Walter H. Alford (1876–1930) was a prominent figure in Kenosha's business and industrial community whose career was marked by both professional leadership and a deep commitment to public service.
Alford came to Kenosha as vice president and comptroller of Nash Motors, where he became a respected leader in the city's growing industrial community. He also served as president of the Kenosha City Council, reflecting his commitment to civic life and the betterment of the community.
Those who knew Alford remembered him as approachable, humble, and genuinely interested in helping others. Charles W. Nash described him as a man who was deeply loved by the people of Kenosha, a reflection of the personal connections he formed through his service and generosity.
As one of the four founders of the Kenosha Foundation, Alford helped establish a lasting resource for the community and a tradition of philanthropic stewardship. His life reminds us that success is measured not simply by what we achieve, but by what we do with that success to make life better for others.
Charles B. Voorhis
A Founder with a Vision for Community
Charles B. Voorhis was a business leader and civic-minded philanthropist who served as vice president and sales director of Nash Motors Company. He helped establish the Kenosha Foundation and, when he left Kenosha, C.P. Heide succeeded him on the Foundation’s board. His leadership and generosity helped lay the groundwork for a lasting tradition of philanthropy in Kenosha.
Charles B. Voorhis
A Founder with a Vision for Community
Charles B. Voorhis (1870-1961) built a distinguished career in business before dedicating himself to philanthropy and community service. After working in the hardware and agricultural implement industries, he entered the automobile field and rose to become vice president and sales director of Nash Motors Company in Kenosha between 1916 and 1923. During his years in Kenosha, Voorhis became an active civic leader and was among the community-minded individuals who helped establish the Kenosha Foundation, laying the groundwork for a century of organized charitable giving.
Shortly after the Kenosha Community Foundation was founded, Voorhis moved to California, where he continued his commitment to helping others on an even larger scale. In 1928, he founded and endowed the Voorhis School for Boys, providing education and opportunities for young people from disadvantaged circumstances. His generosity ultimately led to the donation of the school's campus to the State of California, where it became part of what is now California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Throughout his life, Voorhis demonstrated a belief that success carried with it a responsibility to serve others.
Continuing the Vision
C.P. Heide
Christen P. Heide was an executive and inventor associated with Charles Nash and Nash Motors who became part of Kenosha’s early tradition of civic philanthropy. When Charles B. Voorhis left Kenosha, Heide joined the Kenosha Foundation’s board of directors, helping carry forward the vision of lasting community support.
C.P. Heide
Continuing a Legacy of Community Service
Christen P. Heide (1944–2004) was a business leader, inventor, and civic philanthropist whose career connected him to Kenosha’s growing industrial community. As an executive associated with Charles Nash and Nash Motors, Heide was part of the generation of business leaders who helped establish Kenosha as an important center of automobile manufacturing.
Heide believed that business success carried a responsibility to strengthen the community. When Charles B. Voorhis left Kenosha, Heide joined the Kenosha Foundation’s board of directors, helping carry forward the vision established by the Foundation’s founders.
That commitment extended beyond the Foundation. Heide and his wife, Anna, were early supporters of Ruth and Margaret Teuscher and helped preserve the historic schoolhouse that eventually became part of Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary & Arboretum. In 1965, the Heides provided financial and personal support that helped save the school and its grounds, continuing a legacy of community stewardship that later generations of the Heide family carried forward.
Today, the Heide family’s contributions to education, conservation, and community life remain part of Kenosha’s philanthropic story. Their legacy reflects the enduring belief that success is most meaningful when it is used to benefit future generations.
The Kenosha Community Foundation is grateful to our partners at the Kenosha History Center and University Library at Cal Poly Pomona for generously sharing their time and expertise in helping us research, locate, and preserve the history featured here.
The photograph of Charles B. Voorhis was provided by the Special Collections and Archives, University Library, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, from Box 1, Folder 38, “Charles Voorhis,” Voorhis Family Collection, Collection No. 0090.
A Century of Impact
100 Years of People, Place, and Purpose
1926
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1993
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2008
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2020
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2026
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A Vision Takes Root
In 1926, five civic leaders established the Kenosha Foundation as a permanent charitable resource for the community. Their vision was rooted in the belief that lasting community strength comes through service, stewardship, and a commitment to future generations.
Broadening Across Kenosha County
In 1993, the Kenosha Foundation became the Greater Kenosha Area Foundation, reflecting an expanded commitment to serving the needs of the entire Kenosha area. The name change marked a broader mission while preserving its focus on strengthening the community through philanthropy.
Growing With Kenosha
In 2008, Bob Schneider became KCF’s executive director, beginning a period of significant growth and community engagement. The Foundation’s assets grew from approximately $3.1 million that year to more than $7.25 million by 2014 as new endowments and partnerships expanded its impact.
Community Impact
In 2020, KCF continued its commitment to the Kenosha community during an extraordinarily challenging year. The Foundation distributed more than $736,000 in grants and sponsorships to Kenosha County nonprofits and scholarships to local students continuing its mission.
100 Years of Giving
In 2026, KCF celebrates a century of connecting donors with the causes and communities they care about. As it enters its second century, KCF continues the founders’ vision through enduring philanthropy, grants, scholarships, and partnerships that help shape Kenosha’s future.