Neither Aleli nor Brian Colón come from wealth. And yet by opening their home to fundraising efforts and lending their names at community events, they have helped raise millions of dollars for worthy causes. In fact, they joke that they rarely have meals with friends without charging them for seats at fundraising dinners.

When the Colons were starting out, they were involved in the Foundation’s Future Fund. Brian, currently managing partner at Singleton Schreiber law firm and formerly elected state auditor, served on the Board of Directors  of this group that encourages young people to think philanthropically, and was also a Foundation Trustee.

The couple could think of no better way to honor Brian’s late parents than creating the Rafael and Shelly Colón Memorial Endowment at the Albuquerque Community Foundation _____ years ago. Through this fund, they and their son Rafael designate awards each year to organizations as diverse as Popejoy Hall, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Ronald McDonald House Charities, MESA and the robotics team at Van Buren Middle School where Aleli taught math and other subjects for 21 years. She’s now director of curriculum and instruction for Technology Leadership High School.

“Few social or philanthropic platforms do as good a job of evaluating systems and identifying places to invest energy and resources that bring systemic change and direct impact as the Foundation,” Brian says. “Its leaders are forward thinking and intentional about how to impact justice along with social and structural change. It’s absolutely the gold standard in our community.”