Betty Crump
A lifetime of giving back
“I love Buffalo — the people, the relationships, the direction, the football team,” remarked Betty Crump. “The Community Foundation has helped me feel even more connected and gives me one point of access to achieve multiple charitable goals.
While Betty’s love of Buffalo may not be unique, her history of giving is certainly inspiring.
Born in 1943 in Rochester, New York, Betty spent her childhood immersed in a variety of activities. “The most meaningful gift my parents gave me was that they made me learn one new thing a year,” Betty recalled.
This thirst for continuous education carried Betty into adulthood when she moved to Buffalo to be a teacher at Amherst High School before becoming a Certified Financial Planner™.
Betty also learned from her parents the importance of giving back. As a child, she donated 10 percent of her allowance to charity each week. As she got older, she also gave back time by volunteering at Friends of Night People for 45 years, and at FeedMore WNY.
Through a Fund established at the Community Foundation in 2007, Betty is able to support the organizations and causes that are important to her in different ways.
Each year, Betty provides support to address our community’s changing needs through her endowment. Reflecting on that priority, Betty said, “If the pandemic was not a changing need, I do not know what is. I was proud to support the WNY COVID-19 Community Response Fund in 2020. It was a brilliant way to support the nonprofits that so desperately needed help.”
In addition, Betty’s changing needs dollars have helped support other efforts, such as improving educational achievement through Say Yes Buffalo and protecting our environment through the Western New York Land Conservancy and Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper.
Betty does not have children and says that is one reason she named the Community Foundation in her Will, so she could continue to support the community she loves, in her name, forever.
“I admire the Community Foundation’s leadership role in Western New York,” Betty said. “I trust the Community Foundation to use my money according to my wishes after I am gone.”
This story is featured in our 2020 Annual Report.