Jessica Stevens
Volunteers from Upper Susitna Valley communities have taken on the spirit of Jessica Stevens as they build the Foundation named in her memory. Seeking to encourage compassionate health care, innovative education, active enjoyment of the natural environment, and community enrichment through the arts and cultural expression, Foundation Advisors are building an endowment that will support community efforts forever.
Jessica Stevens embodied this spirit as she worked tirelessly for 14 years to transform healthcare in the region. Her efforts transformed a single-provider clinic with a shoestring budget, into a federally qualified community health center with a staff of 40 health-care professionals housed in a new, state-of-the-art rural clinic facility. Until her tragic, accidental death in 2007, Jessica had been extremely active in the area’s arts community, always an inspiration for others wanting to give back to their community.
Since its founding in 2008, the JSCF Advisory Board has raised and endowed over a quarter of a million dollars to perpetually support local nonprofit groups’ efforts to build healthy communities in the Upper Susitna Valley. This region is an immense portion of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, bordering Denali State and National Parks. Its residents are renowned for being independent people with a tremendous community spirit, and JSCF is proud to play a role in improving their lives.