WORDS: Shannon Evans
PHOTOS: Wendy Dewhurst
On her 19th birthday, Veronica Thames (then Veronica Lequeux) boarded a plane and reluctantly said goodbye to her old life. Tears flowed in this movie-like scene, with her friends and boyfriend waving her off at the bottom of the escalator. She traded the cool winter of cosmopolitan Buenos Aires for the comparably sleepy town of Boca Raton, Florida, in sauna-like July. It was a difficult life transition at a critical age and the very definition of culture shock. But within the rocky soil of this unsettling time, a seed began to grow.
“As hard as it was, I recommend experiencing this awakening moment—to uproot oneself and dive into the unknown,” Veronica says. “Eventually, I decided to live out one of my favorite sayings: ‘Wherever you go, there you are.’ It’s not the circumstances that define a person, but rather what they choose to do with them. And quickly, I saw I was in the land of opportunity.”
The Buenos Aires Veronica knew boasted pockets of prosperity juxtaposed with political unrest, poverty, and suffering. Children begged in the streets. One day, a young Veronica and her mother found a small boy sobbing near the railroad tracks. His dad had sent him to beg for money to buy potatoes for dinner, but instead, he’d spent all he had on a video game.
“My mother bought him food, talked about school, and connected him to a local church,” Veronica remembers. “Small acts of kindness like that have ripple effects we may never see. Later, I moved here and realized my privilege. It was then I decided that—especially as a young Latina immigrant—my job was to create opportunities for others.” Her relocation became a gift in disguise, and she resolved to grasp every opportunity sent her way.
A few weeks after moving to the U.S., Veronica started college and eventually graduated from Florida Atlantic University. That step tipped the first domino of a long line of achievements: an internship at a terrific company paid for most of her master’s degree. She took leadership positions in clubs and discovered that her voice and engagement could create change. She entered the healthcare field and, after a string of career promotions, landed in Manatee County—and into the world of philanthropy.
From Senior Vice President & COO at Gulf Coast Community Foundation to her current role as Executive Director of Manatee Community Foundation (MCF), Veronica’s “leap of faith” into philanthropy fulfills that desire first kindled when she stepped into a new life: having gratefully accepted every opportunity, she can now pay it forward.
Manatee Community Foundation
Located in the heart of west Bradenton, Manatee Community Foundation works to “partner with our citizens to strengthen and enhance our community through philanthropy, education, and service—now and forever.” For Veronica and her small but mighty staff, every day starts the same: they wear many hats and hit the ground running. And in this field, there is a lot of ground to cover.
“Ninety-nine percent of the world would change places with you and I in the blink of an eye,” Veronica often says. “This is philanthropy’s challenge: the needs will always outnumber the resources. But that’s not a reason to give up. In fact, it’s the opposite.”
MCF’s story began when a former publisher of the Bradenton Herald, Dot Ridings, saw ever-growing needs in Manatee County. In 1998, with investment from The Knight Foundation and three men who shared both ambitions and names—Bob Blalock, Bob Christopher, and Bob Beall—MCF made its debut. Now, over 25 years later, MCF has invested nearly $60 million into this community. And with Veronica just shy of a year at its helm, the foundation continues to amplify its mission in impactful ways.
More than money
Veronica and her staff recognize a major area of focus: building strong donor relationships.
“Unlike other nonprofits, a community foundation is charged to serve the community in perpetuity,” Veronica says. “We will always be here to honor our donor’s wishes, to inspire philanthropy across generations, to care for and protect their legacy.”
MCF recognizes the strength in numbers; it works with a group of donors called Manatee Matches, who pool their resources for collective impact. To date, they have given over $1 million to agreed-upon causes, which, leveraged, has resulted in over $2 million in impact.
“Although it’s hard to measure, the impact beyond dollars given is even greater,” Veronica explains. “It’s the convenings around issues, leveraging of resources, and connection of those who may not otherwise work together that far outweigh the dollars.”
One concept Veronica hopes to communicate more widely is the importance of family philanthropy. For example, one generous couple set up donor-advised funds for their grandchildren, and every year, each child presents ideas to their grandparents on how they propose to improve the community.
“These kids were aged three to 19,” Veronica says. “The presentations ranged from a drawing to a PowerPoint, to a video—one of them even did a dance. These grandparents are not just giving money; they’re leaving a legacy of a giving mindset. Everyone can be a philanthropist,” she adds. “It’s not about the funds given. It’s the commitment, the drive to make a difference, and imparting that behavior to future generations.”
When it comes to her own daughter, Veronica shares a similar mindset. “She’s a little philanthropist in the making. When I discovered she’d broken her piggy bank open and given her savings to friends to make sure all had money,’ we talked about the power of intentional, strategic giving.” Veronica helped her daughter choose a nonprofit to support. Then, her daughter washed old golf balls and sold them on the golf course, along with seltzer water, to raise funds for an animal welfare organization.
“Her desire to help people is innate, and I love that,” Veronica says. “She will create a better future for others.”
Building up nonprofits
When it comes to nonprofits, MCF partners with donors to help them reach their philanthropic goals and dreams while achieving the greatest impact. It also invests in the capacity-building of its nonprofit partners through training, education, grants, and advice.
“We want to be an extension of our partners’ missions,” Veronica says. “We like to say, ‘This is your house, too; come and live in it.'” She means that literally: MCF offers nonprofits free meeting spaces in their west Bradenton office. They also share online webinars and in-person training on topics crucial to nonprofits’ success.
Together with their donors and partner foundations, such as The Bishop Parker Foundation and the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation, MCF grants funds to organizations working in the areas of human services, education, animal welfare, the environment, civic engagement, arts and culture, and health.
“Our county is growing faster than most,” Veronica says. “One challenge we’re facing is the diversity of that growth. Different cultures have different needs, and we need to be sensitive to those.” Through its Changemakers Collective program, MCF invests in minority-led nonprofits. “Many of these organizations are already doing incredible work,” Veronica adds. “We want to be there to help lift them up.”
Spirit of Manatee: spreading the joy of philanthropy
The annual Spirit of Manatee event provides an opportunity to celebrate philanthropy at a county-wide level. Recognizing those who have given their time, talent, and treasure to the community, the luncheon includes award presentations and inspiring speeches from honorees. This year, MCF received the most nominations ever. The community-based selection committee faced a difficult job choosing award-winners.
“We’ve received such positive feedback about Spirit of Manatee, with the most stated word being ‘inspirational.’ That’s our goal—to showcase incredible people so that others are inspired to join this quest. And they are. Manatee County is an incredibly authentic and tight-knit community in the best way. If we can leverage that connectivity and authenticity, we’ll go far.”
Philanthropy—a team effort
For Veronica, leveraging that connectivity is one of the most exciting things. For example, the foundation—although non-partisan—advocates for public policies it believes will make the community stronger. Recently, in partnership with Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance and Women’s Resource Center, MCF gathered community leaders across Manatee and Sarasota counties with Representative Vern Buchanan for important conversations about the crisis in child care.
“We’re a convener,” Veronica says, “but we do it in partnership.”
There’s a reason the word partner features in MCF’s mission: it’s at the heart of everything here. As Veronica partners with the board and her staff to carry out a shared vision, so the organization collaborates with donors, businesses, government, other foundations and nonprofit organizations, and community leaders—all who strive to see Manatee County thrive.
“Philanthropy is a team sport,” Veronica says. “One act of giving can change the world, and the ripple effects can move the needle. Together, we can achieve so much more for our community.”
How can you get involved?
- Explore MCF’s website for different ways to engage: www.manateecf.org
- Join their capacity-building initiatives (board members and nonprofits)
- Donate online, contribute to a fund, set up your own fund, or sponsor a scholarship.
