Community Foundation Honors David Hardie as Distinguished Philanthropist
Celebrating a legacy of exceptional giving and community support
INCLINE VILLAGE, NEV (August 24, 2023) – This summer, Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation gathered its donors in celebration of over $100 Million in grants given to nonprofit organizations and named David Hardie as Distinguished Community Philanthropist for his legacy of giving through the Community Foundation from 2003–2023.
Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation is a nonprofit public charity dedicated to cultivating community philanthropy to enhance and preserve the quality of life at Tahoe by partnering with donors like David Hardie to support quality programs provided by local nonprofit organizations. “From the moment he became involved at the Community Foundation decades ago, David has been paramount to the growth of the organization and its impact on our community,” said the Community Foundation’s CEO Claudia Andersen. “He has been a leader in philanthropy and friend to the organization, as well as to those he supports through his generosity.”
David Hardie’s love for Lake Tahoe began during his childhood. He and his wife Jan purchased their first home in Tahoe in the early 1980’s, and when he moved to the region full-time in 2003 after selling an operating company, he donated the low-basis stock to the Community Foundation with a focus on supporting the local community. “Our family has a long history of supporting local communities, and Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation was a great fit for continuing that tradition.” Hardie said. Since then, he has utilized the Community Foundation for his philanthropy and has served as a volunteer on its Board of Directors.
David Hardie donates to a wide range of causes that he’s passionate about including historical and cultural preservation, well-being, education, environment, and many other programs that support the protection and transformation of his local community.
Through his passion and leadership, Hardie made the very first donation to the Community Foundation’s Tahoe Fire Safe Fund in 2021, which was the impetus in creating the fund to support the Community Foundation’s Tahoe Fire Safe Initiative. “Fire prevention, protection, and education has remained one of Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation’s top priorities for many years,” said CEO Claudia Andersen. The Tahoe Fire Safe Fund allows the Community Foundation to fund important projects by working with local experts to identify highly impactful fire mitigation and prevention projects with a focus on improving fire safety and protecting the people and places of Tahoe. The Tahoe Fire Safe Fund also leads efforts to maintain and expand affordable homeowner and property insurance options for Tahoe communities. “After several years of smoke and fire devastation in our region, and having personally lost two insurance carriers, I felt there was an immediate need.” Hardie said. “I saw an opportunity for the Community Foundation to address this need by collective funding focused on fire prevention in the region.”
Thanks to David Hardie’s leadership in supporting the Community Foundation’s Tahoe Fire Safe Initiative, now anyone can donate to the Tahoe Fire Safe Fund by visiting www.parasol.org and clicking “Donate Now” to play an important role in fire prevention and protection in our community.
“My family all share a love of Lake Tahoe and I have found that the Community Foundation has great knowledge of the needs of the Tahoe area,” said Hardie. “My wife Jan and I have found that assisting the Foundation in its growth of over $100 Million in grants has provided great satisfaction to us.”
David Hardie has been a leader in philanthropy in Tahoe for decades. Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation has recognized the impact he has made in hopes that his leadership will encourage others to invest in their community and its transformation through philanthropy as well.