Stories
Board Member Spotlight: Jenna Ramsey Mitchell
With a longstanding passion for children, families, community and Kentucky, Jenna Ramsey Mitchell is the perfect fit to serve on the Board of Directors for Blue Grass Community Foundation. Jenna, along with her daughters Saylor and Presley, and her husband Matthew (University of Kentucky women’s head basketball coach) are forging a legacy that extends beyond the court.
In 2014 Jenna and her family started the Mitchell Family Foundation in partnership with Blue Grass Community Foundation, with the mission of cultivating character. They also organized their personal giving at BGCF, through the Jenna and Matthew Mitchell Family Foundation. Recently, their giving has taken a more urgent turn as the world grapples with the devastating consequences of COVID-19. Through their Jenna and Matthew Mitchell Family Foundation, and personally, they have donated more than $412,000 to assist local efforts to feed families and provide basic necessities to those suffering hardships and job loss.
The Mitchell family’s donations have included $132,000 to Fayette County Public Schools to fill backpacks with meals and cleaning and hygiene supplies. Their generosity is helping FCPS families in need pay for their utilities, as well.
In addition, the Mitchells are showing support for fellow Wildcats with a $25,000 donation to the UK Student Emergency Relief Fund. This fund provides services and support for students experiencing uncertainty around basic needs and/or financial distress, which may otherwise prevent them from continuing their education.
The Mitchells also donated $45,000 to the Coronavirus Response Fund, a collaborative effort of BGCF and United Way of the Bluegrass. The Fund has awarded almost $600,000 in grants to local and regional nonprofits responding to critical needs.
“Blue Grass Community Foundation can count on our continued support,” said Matthew.
The Mitchells’ giving has reached deep into the community with specific donations to The Well of Lexington, Children’s Charity of the Bluegrass, Lighthouse Ministries, Arts Resilience Initiative (a collaborative effort of BGCF and LexArts), Nourish Lexington and the EastEndFeeds effort powered by East End Tap and Table.
“During this incredibly unsettling time, our focus as a community must remain on supporting each other in every way we possibly can,” said Jenna. “Matthew and I are extremely grateful for the support we’ve received over the past 15 years from this incredible community. It is time for us and all who are able to support our community with actions that create certainty where uncertainty exists.”
If you want to join Jenna and Matthew’s charitable endeavors, consider a contribution to one or more of the following: