Grace Bailey is the new full-time Operations Director at the Marietta Community Foundation. (Photo Provided)

For nearly 50 years, Marietta Community Foundation has served as a cornerstone of Washington County; connecting passionate donors with worthy causes and seeking to improve quality of life for all.

This important work has been completed by a small but mighty team. As the number of funds and requests for support have increased, so has the need for additional staff.

Marietta Community Foundation is proud to announce the addition of a full-time Operations Director, Grace Bailey.

A Marietta native, Bailey attended St. Mary Elementary School and graduated from Warren High School. She then obtained a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Xavier University, and a master’s degree in middle childhood education from Ohio University.

After teaching middle school English for a couple of years in Dayton, Grace moved back to the Mid-Ohio Valley to be closer to family and make an impact in her hometown.

“I believe in the importance of blooming where you’re planted, and improving your community,” said Bailey. “I grew up knowing the importance of community coming together, and I am so blessed to be in a position where I can return the kindness and generosity afforded to me by becoming a steward for the community that set me up for success. Marietta Community Foundation is a pillar of our community, and I can’t think of a better place to make a local, yet widespread, impact.”

She joined the Foundation on July 25 following employment at Rigel Recovery as a program assistant and then a program and enrollment specialist. At Rigel Recovery, she organized and streamlined chemical dependency programming for four separate facilities across the county.

Bailey enjoys weight lifting, reading, and gardening. She volunteers for Light the Night leukemia organization and often participates in 5K races for charities supporting causes like the National Park Foundation, Global Kitchen, and the Organization for Autism Research.

The internal structure of the Foundation has shifted slightly to accommodate this growth. Heather Allender remains president and CEO, Britani Merritt has transitioned to donor and program services director, and Courtney Wentz has shifted to communications and marketing director.

“Growth is the most exciting kind of change,” said Allender.

“We believe that this new structure better utilizes the individual strengths of our team members, and in turn, will provide better support for our fund holders, donors, local nonprofits, and community members seeking assistance.”

She said if someone is not familiar with the services of the foundation, she encourages them to visit their office or website to discover how neighbors are making a difference and how someone can get involved in making our community a better place.