Our History
The Foundation (formerly Kulynych Family Foundation II) was started by Petro Kulynych, who was born to Ukrainian immigrants in 1921. From humble beginnings, Petro's combination of hard work and good luck led him to become an early partner in Lowe's Companies, Inc. Petro cared deeply about helping others, and passed on his legacy of giving to his daughter and grandchildren, who continue to grow and operate the Foundation. His belief in Strong Starts and Second Chances has become our tagline.
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When the family foundation Board sought to rebrand the foundation, we considered our family's history and our hopes for the future. "Syla" means "strong" in Ukrainian, Petro's family's native language. (A slight variation on the Ukrainian pronunciation, we pronounce it "SEE-lah", with an emphasis on the first syllable.)
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Syla Foundation, literally meaning "Strong Foundation", has a deeper significance to us. We aspire for our funding to strengthen communities. Children and youth need strong starts to thrive, and adults deserve second chances to lead healthy, productive lives through economic opportunity and behavioral health.
OUR Vision
We dream of a world where children thrive and adults lead healthy, productive lives.
OUR MISSION
We seek partners who share our belief in strong starts and second chances. We fund mission-aligned organizations that support thriving youth, behavioral health, and economic opportunity.
OUR VALUES
Genuine Relationships
We build true partnerships with the organizations we fund, and we expect our grantee partners to understand and learn from the people they serve.
Compassion
Compassion goes beyond empathy to a desire to help. We look for partners who bring compassion to their work.
A Belief in People
Life throws curveballs, whether one is ready for them or not. People deserve supportive relationships, opportunities for change, and second chances.
Integrity
We strive to say what we do and do what we say. Communication is key. Our grantee partners embody this same commitment.