Johanna Metcalf died on July 19, 2018. The Foundation mourns her. She has been at the heart of our work for the last forty years. Her approach to philanthropy always began with humility. She was acutely aware of the dangers that accompany privilege and helped us maintain a culture of openness and reflection. Her empathy for those who had been marginalized or excluded, her love of the arts and deep belief in the potential of culture for transformation, underpins the Foundation’s work. She had great faith in the ability of remarkable people to accomplish extraordinary things, and she backed them unreservedly.
She gave countless hours to the Foundation beginning in the seventies when she and her husband George gathered trusted friends and family to help shape their giving. She was always a catalyst, a provocateur, an enthusiast and a risk taker. She brought her acute intelligence to every meeting, but also a great sense of fun and deep generosity of spirit.
Her contributions to Casey House, Victoria College, Frontier College, and others were legion and took many forms. Her support for and generosity towards the Foundation’s work and people was bottomless.
She will be greatly missed, but her legacy surrounds us.
We have seen wages stagnate, while food has become cheaper but less healthy. This is the downward spiral we have been on for some time. The only solution is to start reversing the trends.
