Brown Family Teachers’ Fund

The Brown Family Teachers Fund supports the TEACH Grants Program, providing grants specifically to classroom teachers in the Ridgedale Local Schools. This endowed field of interest fund was migrated to Marion Community Foundation in 2024 from the Ridgedale Local School District. The Brown Family Teachers Fund honors David’s memory and his family’s on-going commitment and support of the Ridgedale community.

David & Anne Brown raised their five children, all of whom graduated from Ridgedale, on their family farm, Maken Bacon Farm, near Morral.

David (1929-2003) was a 1951 graduate of Marion Harding High School and held a degree in animal science from Purdue University. He was the son of Marion notables W. Hoover and Ava (King) Brown, the founders of Wyandot Inc, well-known in Marion for their popcorn and snacks.

David’s ties, and those of his family, to the local agricultural community are significant. He was a member of the Wyandot County Soil Conservation Board, Wyandot County and State Cattlemen Associations, Wyandot County Pork Producers, and past state director of the Ohio Pork Producers Council. His business ties included a board position with Wyandot, Inc., Bank One, Wyandot County Farm Bureau, and Grand Prairie Cemetery Association.

As part of the TEACH Grants Program, the Brown Family Teachers Fund awards grants to Ridgedale Local Schools to assist individual classroom teachers, or small teams of classroom teachers, foster and develop programs, projects, events, or lessons for kindergarten through 12^th grade classrooms.  Grants are awarded to the school district for the benefit of individual classroom teachers, or small teams of classroom teachers, so they may have the funding necessary to implement impactful, interesting, stimulating, motivating, innovative, or creative programs, projects, events, or lessons in the classroom that are not supported by regular school budgets. 

Read more: Dave & Anne Brown Family Fund