In 1997, a group of individuals led by David Noack and supported by Foundation staff gathered to find a way to support families and individuals in critical need of one-time financial assistance.  Out of this group emerged a new fund called the Guardian Angel Fund.  Simultaneously and separately, a local woman named Helen Liljedahl passed away providing a $100,000 bequest to establish a similar fund she named the “Good Samaritan Fund.”  The marriage of these two concepts, today, forms the basis of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation’s Good Samaritan Fund.

Today, the Good Samaritan Fund has an active advisory board of about 20 individuals supported by the Foundation that seek out ways to impact the lives of people who are in need of emergency assistance.  A part-time volunteer coordinator works with agencies and reviews each case and determines the level of need.  Some of the cases involve the entire committee if a larger amount of funding is needed.

There are many situations that the Fund can assist with including rent or mortgage payments, period billing assistance, emergency Fuel Assistance, basic needs, emergency medical supplies, transportation to health care and vehicle repair.  

The Good Samaritan Fund can also give money to agencies that help with emergency circumstances.  Agencies that help with human services may receive grants from the Fund to help them assist individuals or families.  To date, we have received over 900 cases and been able to assist many of them through the Good Samaritan Fund.

The Good Samaritan Fund is funded by donations to the fund from individuals who want to assist others and continues to seek additional funding throughout the year.