Wilder Supporters Share Why They Give
Generous donors like Faith Her, Mike and Kathy Buendgen, Ilse and Omar Akbar, and the Mayer and Bongard families share how and why they support Wilder.
Mike and Kathy Buendgen
Living in a small town like Morris, the atrocity of the killing of George Floyd and the outpouring of peaceful protests can seem like a world away. As a country, we have swept many issues of social inequity and injustice under the rug for too long. This is why we are happy to partner with Wilder through our giving. In Wilder, we have found an organization that does not look the other way at poverty, discrimination and social injustice. Wilder is trying to address these systemic problems head on. And, it is doing so in a sustained, purposeful, peaceful way.”
—Excerpt from a letter sent by donors Mike and Kathy Buendgen, June 21, 2020
Ilse and Omar Akbar
"We are happy to support the work that Wilder does as donors. We’re passionate about education, public policy, and racial equity, and we appreciate how Wilder supports whole families in early childhood education, delivers school-based and culturally specific mental health services, and engages a wider diversity of voices in public policy.
I (Ilse) have roots in Saint Paul, and my parents were connected with Wilder’s work, so I found out about the organization through them. We stayed connected to the mission through some of Wilder’s Board members throughout the years. It’s phenomenal to have Wilder’s unique presence in the Twin Cities community.”
—Ilse and Omar Akbar
Wilder Donors Bond Through Family and Shared Commitment to Give Back
Dave and Sherla Mayer met Ron Bongard when their adult son, Pete, started dating Ron’s daughter, Becky. Later, the two families found a new common interest: Supporting Wilder’s work with children, family and older adults in the community.
Dave and Sherla have supported the Saint Paul community for most of their lives. Dave worked at Wilder for more than 30 years, and Sherla was a juvenile probation officer. As Wilder donors for more than 25 years, Dave and Sherla are inspired by how the Child Development Center prepares young children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.
Ron Bongard’s passion for giving stems back to his youth. His family lived in public housing and received welfare support. Ron says that as an adult, he has been blessed in many ways, including financial security.
He enjoys giving back and knowing the difference it makes for families like his own. The two families found connection in their shared values when Ron joined the Mayers at Ordinary Magic, Wilder’s signature fundraising event. Ron was impressed as he
got to know Wilder, and he especially appreciates that Wilder programs help families cope in difficult times, like rent support and chemical dependency counseling. He views Wilder as “not just doing a little good for a lot of people, but doing a lot of good for a lot of
people.”
Dave, Sherla and Ron raised their kids to be aware of career, giving and volunteer opportunities that support the community. Pete—who is now married to Becky—says he and his wife now model these values for their own children.
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