Giving Hope, Women's Giving Circle is proud to present the third of five inspirational women as we recognize and celebrate Women's History Month. This week we remember the Giving and Hope done by Ms. Margaret Dunning.

Ms. Margaret Isabel Dunning

Margaret Dunning was born in 1910 and spent the majority of her life as a resident of Plymouth, Michigan. She had various careers throughout her long life, all of them in the Plymouth community. Her first act of local philanthropy occurred in 1947 when Ms. Dunning and her mother purchased a property and building to house what would later grow and become the Plymouth District Library and now bears her name as the Dunning Hough Library. Later Ms. Dunning served on the board of Community Federal Credit Union in Plymouth from 1962-1984 and served as President for 19 of those years. During her tenure, the CFCU assets grew from $1 million and 1 office to $40 million and 6 offices. The credit union established the Margaret Dunning Scholarship Fund in 1989 in her honor.  And when the Plymouth Historical Society was looking for donors in 1971 and again in 1998, to help them build a new museum building and make additions, Ms. Dunning stepped up not once but twice and donated over $1 million to assist with the multiple projects. Ms. Dunning established the Margaret Dunning Foundation in 1997 as a private grant making foundation. The Margaret Dunning foundation has assisted countless charities since its beginning many of which support our local community and women, children, and families! Ms. Dunning passed away in 2015, just before her 105th birthday.  What a wonderful woman, life and legacy to honor.