Western Home Foundation is a charitable organization that supports and secures the mission of Western Home Communities - to assertively create fulfilling lifestyles for those we serve - through philanthropic gifts, stewardship, and education.
Through our generous donors we continue to pursue mission focused goals to build a future of growth and responsibility.
The Western Home Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the mission of Western Home Communities.
Your generosity helps us continue providing compassionate care and innovative services.
OVER 100 YEARS OF COMPASSIONATE INNOVATION
Founded in 1912 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, Western Home Communities began with a bold vision—to provide a place of care and dignity for aging members of the Evangelical Association. Thanks to a generous gift from the Pfeiffer family, the community opened its doors and soon began serving seniors of all faiths. What started as a single home has grown into one of the largest single-site continuing care retirement communities in the country.
From “Small House” nursing cottages for dementia care to a state-of-the-art wellness and aquatic center, innovation has always guided our mission. Jorgensen Plaza, a vibrant hub on the main campus that is open to the public, offers fine dining, therapy services, a salon and a pub—creating a community where seniors don’t just live, they thrive.
SUPPORTING TODAY - INVESTING IN TOMORROW
Established in 2000, the Western Home Foundation exists to enhance the lives of our residents and team members. Every donation helps improve care, expand services, and create new opportunities for staff development and resident enrichment.
Susan Steffy
Director of Administrative Services
President - Cedar Falls Operations,
Chief Experience Officer
Donors make a difference
Estate Giving
Planned giving allows you to make a lasting impact beyond your lifetime. Options include bequests, trusts, and beneficiary designations—each offering a meaningful way to support our mission for generations to come.
Charitable Gift Annuities
A CGA is both an investment and a gift. By donating a lump sum of cash, stock, or other appreciated assets, you receive guaranteed income for life while supporting Western Home Communities. Once established, your rate of return remains fixed—regardless of market fluctuations.
Interested in learning more? Talk to the Foundation today to explore how a charitable gift annuity can work for you.
Your Support Matters
The Western Home Foundation thrives because of donors like you.
There are many ways to give:
Gifts of cash
Pledges
Employee matching
In-kind gifts
Real estate gifts
Retirement plan gifts
Stock transfers
Automatic withdrawals
Planned gifts (bequests and life insurance)
Charitable gift annuities
Required minimum distributions
Our beginning
The Western Old People’s Home of the Evangelical Association opened in September of 1912 in Cedar Falls, IA. It was so named because it was westernmost retirement home for that religious denomination in the United States. A gift of land and $20,000 for construction from the Pfeiffer family made it possible for the Evangelical Association to build a home for aging church members. Matriarch Barbara Pfeiffer had been a long-time member of the Cedar Falls Church, and supporting the cause struck the family as a fitting tribute to her life and legacy.
In the next 12 years, the home opened its doors to seniors of other faith backgrounds and increased its ability to care for seniors.
The Western Home Foundation was established in 2000 and is dedicated to the stewardship of funds intended to improve the quality of life for residents and expand opportunities for employees.
View stories of giving
Memorials
Many families support the work of the Western Home Foundation in memory of their loved ones, who experienced a fulfilling lifestyle as residents of Western Home Communities.
These donations help fund amenities that carry on the mission of the next generation of residents such as memorial benches placed throughout our campuses, a bus for transportation to events and activities and renovations that keep our communities comfortable and up to date.
In 1911, Henry and Annie Merner Pfeiffer donated his parents’ farmstead plus $20,000 so The Evangelical Association could build a place for aging church members to call home. The denomination had looked for a location in its westernmost states for eight years.
The Pfeiffer family continued giving over the years, making residential additions and a chapel possible. Countless others have supported the mission of Western Home Communities since then.
Creative Giving
When your organization’s mission is “to assertively create fulfilling lifestyle,” giving can be fun and creative! People living with dementia enjoy riding around campus in a Polaris Ranger that provides fresh air and friendly waves. Residents and community neighbors take more walks around campus, knowing they can sit a spell (or read a book) on any of the benches provided by donors. And this short video shows how one family helped make our pickleball courts a reality.
Scholarships
The foundation awards scholarships annually to help deserving employees reach their educational goals and to build a trained workforce for the future. Most recently, donors endowed a health sciences scholarship fund in honor of the late director of development, Mary Taylor, shown here making previous scholarship awards.
"I’m so grateful that I was chosen by the committee for this scholarship. With this scholarship money, I’ll be able to pay for some of the materials and bills for my upcoming nursing program."
Naming Gifts
Since 1911, many more families have joined the list of those investing in the lives of those who live and work at Western Home Communities. Their names like Pfeiffer, have cemented a place in the story of WHC: Martin, Stanard, Nation, Thuesen, Jorgensen, Deery & Grosse.
Their gifts helped fund each new vision form innovative ways to serve older adults, from smaller environments that create home for people with dementia to large gathering places that foster well-being – socially. Physically and emotionally.
“The household model of care where residents have privacy and dignity is very important. Having your own room is important for rest and confidential conversations. We’re put on earth to do good things, and this is a good thing.”
Marlene Deery – Windridge resident
Special Projects and Amenities
Residents have enjoyed many great amenities like a pool, putting greens, a pickleball court and so much more to make life more enjoyable.
These special projects are often made possible by family and friends who want to honor a loved one. The Western Home Foundation can help you fund many different special projects to enhance life for our residents. All you have to do is dream about it.
Employee Appreciation
Working at Western Home Communities gives employees a unique perspective on life. They learn from the wisdom and experiences of an older generation because they have time to develop relationships with them. Many employees say its more than a job – it’s a calling that fills them deep with purpose.
The work can also be demanding and even emotional as employees watch people, they’ve grown to love, face unexpected health challenges and tough transitions. It’s not unusual to see an employee visiting a resident when they are off the clock, just to brighten their day.
The Employee Appreciation Fund lets grateful residents and families show their support. The fund is used to recognize employee teams throughout the year with surprises such as pizza parties, food trucks, gift cards and many logo’d items.
"Part of my giving stems from the awesome care my mother-in-law received when she lived at Nation Cottage. Those employees went above and beyond. They treated her with the utmost respect and, I believe, extended her life. Now, as a villa resident, I find that employees always talk to me, even when I don’t know who they are! They all work hard and I love living here."
Steve Armbrecht - Villa Resident