The Unstoppable Anna Greenberg

Anna Greenberg has traveled and lived all over the world but fortunately for Anne Arundel County residents, she has always called Annapolis her home. Fortunately, because when the Annapolis native sees a need in the community, she takes action.

“I’ve been involved in every community that I’ve ever lived in,” said Anna, who served on the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC)’s Board from 2009-2015 and was CFAAC's Volunteer of the Year in 2017. “I love Annapolis and I am proud to call it my home.”

To Anna, joining CFAAC’s board was a way to get involved locally and learn more about the community’s hardships. “Annapolis is not only a beautiful, charming town, but as with any community, there are needs,” she said. “And there are dire needs that are only being met by the Community Foundation. It gives me a good feeling being involved with them. No matter what I give, I get back that much more. It’s a tremendous satisfaction that I am helping others. The Community Foundation touches everyone. It’s a wonderful resource.” 

Anna’s dedication to help others comes from her upbringing. Her parents moved to Annapolis just before the Great Depression and always took the time to volunteer and help others in the community. Throughout her life, Anna has followed in their philanthropic footsteps. Her list of contributions, board memberships, and leadership roles, on national, state, and local levels, is so prodigious that it is impossible to acknowledge it all. Anna’s most visible local contributions have been through the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Historic Annapolis, and of course, CFAAC.

In 2015, Anna’s friends established a CFAAC fund in her name, the Anne E. Greenberg Leadership Fund. The fund’s purpose is to support leadership and governance trainings and programs for Anne Arundel County nonprofits.

“Because I’ve served on national, state, and community boards, I know that being on a board means there is an obligation to fulfill,” she said about the fund’s purpose. “I think board members have to realize what their responsibilities are; it’s not just a credential to add to your resume. It’s the opportunity to do good and serve to your best potential.”

Anna said that she knows funds at the Community Foundation are well-managed and loves the ease of doing business with CFAAC. “I trust the Community Foundation,” she said. “They handle my fund efficiently and intelligently. I’m at peace knowing that my fund is helping other people all because CFAAC is managing it so well. Working with them is a sure bet; it’s easy and it’s safe. And the Community Foundation stays in communication with its donors. That’s very important to me.”

Anna, now in her 90s, is still very much a presence in Annapolis. She contributes to many organizations in the area including serving on the St. John’s College Board of Visitors and Governors. She often attends CFAAC events. “When I walk out of CFAAC philanthropy luncheons or events, I feel so good about being involved in this organization,” she said. “It was very personal for me to be singled out by the Community Foundation as Volunteer of the Year in 2017.”