A woman who needed crucial dental care had no insurance or money to pay for it and was considering forgoing the procedure.
But that’s not how Key West rolls, and the woman got what she needed — help, both financially and dentally.
Other Keys residents have received rental assistance, avoided utility shutoffs or obtained medications they could not afford, all because the late Marion Stevens planned ahead and put money aside before her death in 2000 to establish an endowment with the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, ensuring that her support of Key West’s kids, people, arts and equality would continue.
When Stevens died on May 4, 2000, just short of her 90th birthday, she had made arrangements for her commitment to the Keys to continue, states a release from the community foundation. Her instructions were broad enough to meet changing needs and specific enough to reflect her values. She wanted her giving to benefit children, support the visual and performing arts, combat discrimination and improve quality of life for future generations of Keys residents.
Over the years, the Marion Stevens Fund has supported many organizations, including Bahama Village Music Program, Samuel’s House, Wesley House Family Services and the Key West Art and Historical Society.
The Marion Stevens Fund at the community foundation is also helping Metropolitan Community Church continue its own tradition of service and assistance.
Established in 2001, the foundation’s Marion Stevens Fund has awarded more than $1.1 million in grants, distributing more than its original value while continuing to support causes Stevens cared about.
In accepting a recent $28,000 grant from the foundation’s Marion Stevens Fund, the church’s Joan Higgs recalled Stevens’ generosity.
“She was a wonderful, generous benefactor for people in need,” Higgs said. “She suffered a good bit of human unkindness herself, and that made her even more committed to helping people.”
Stevens arrived in Key West in 1957. Around 1960, she and her husband, artist Paul Stevens, opened Artists Unlimited gallery, initially on Front Street before moving to Duval. For about three decades, the gallery helped shape the island’s arts community.
She also helped the Key West Junkanoo Band get its start. She spoke forcefully on civic issues, helping lead the successful movement against high-rise development in the 1970s. And she never hesitated to storm into city hall to lodge some sort of complaint.
An endowment allows generosity to serve community needs today while maintaining resources for future giving, said Elizabeth Brown, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys. Assets remain invested, while investment growth and a measured approach to grantmaking help sustain support across generations.
“Marion left clear instructions about the causes she wanted her fund to support, and those wishes continue to guide its advisers today,” said Brown. “We’re honored to help carry out her vision. Her fund has already given more than its original value and continues to support the community she loved.”
More information is at 305-292-1502 or cffk.org.
