3 Questions with Joscelyn Stone

Over the next year, we’re going to roll out 3 Questions, a series that introduces to you—or in many cases, re-introduces to you—our Quad Cities Community Foundation team. They’re the women and men behind the work, partnering with donors across our community to transform the region through the generosity of our donors. Today, we begin with one of the newest members of our Community Foundation team, Joscelyn Stone.

Name: Joscelyn Stone 
Hometown: Richton Park, Illinois
Position: Director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship

You recently joined the Community Foundation team. What attracted to you the mission, and how have you seen the mission lived out in the first month of your new job?  

I was inspired by the idea of transforming our region. I’ve lived in the Quad Cities since 1999—this is my home. I raised my family here. Our community—my home—is poised to make tremendous, long-lasting changes over the next several years, and I’m excited to be part of that transformation.

During my first month on the job as the new director of donor engagement and stewardship, a group of three cyclists created a fund at the Community Foundation called Break the Cycle. They made personal donations and rallied the community to donate as they trekked down the Mississippi River on a 21-day journey from Minnesota to New Orleans. 

Each day, they shared on social media a vignette of a local person who needed help to “break the cycle” of abuse, neglect, poverty… real cycles that impact real people in our community who need help. The three gentlemen hoped to raise $42,000. When they completed their journey, the effort had raised over $108,000, given by Quad Citizens (and some outside our region) to help fund three nonprofits that work on these vital issues. They found an opportunity to make a transformational gift and used the Community Foundation as their instrument. It was thrilling to watch the journey unfold. If this is just the start of this type of work, I’m excited to see what unfolds next. 

What has been most surprising about the work so far?

I previously interacted with the Community Foundation as a grantee, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but the mission here is truly at the forefront of every action taken by our team. At each meeting I’ve attended in my short tenure here, someone connects what we’re doing to the mission or recommends a change to make sure that our plans will truly move the needle forward positively. Transformation is a constant, driving, strategic goal that we strive to achieve with nimble and focused work. It is absolutely invigorating to contribute to this effort.

What is one thing you love about the Quad Cities?

I love our community spirit! Nestled in our little bend of the Mississippi River, Quad Citizens love LOCAL. Their support for local shops, restaurants, markets, and artists means that there is always something exciting and unique to experience here. My favorite restaurant in the world is a small spot in downtown Moline that specializes in creating a gourmet dining experience from locally sourced farm-to-table ingredients.