The sixth generation gives back with an unrestricted fund.

Every family has traditions—unique rituals and customs that are repeated and practiced regularly so that each generation absorbs them, continues them, and maybe alters them enough to leave a legacy for the next.

Farming is the tradition for which the Bishop family is most well-known. With the sixth generation of Bishops proudly carrying on and expanding their ancestors’ work, another tradition is coming to the forefront—community service and philanthropy. With this in mind, the sixth-generation siblings, Sarah Bishop DellaVentura, Carrie Bishop Healy, and Ryan Bishop, started the unrestricted Bishop Family Fund within The Guilford Foundation (TGF) in 2024.

“My father worked with his cousin Jonathan. Johnathan retired just before COVID-19 and never received a proper retirement celebration. After my father retired last year, we decided to organize a retirement and success party to celebrate their time, work ethic, and dedication,” explains Bishop DellaVentura, Co-CEO. “Both are not materialistic people and understand the community needs in Guilford. Establishing the fund was the perfect way for people to give a gift with meaning and lasting impact.”

Bishop DellaVentura, who served on the board of TGF for six years, thought immediately of creating an unrestricted fund. It is the third fund within the TGF portfolio, started by various generations of the Bishop family. The Al & Gene Bishop Fund, honoring the fourth generation, benefits young people seeking innovative and challenging hands-on experiences in vocational and industrial arts. The Jonathan & Nancy Bishop Fund for Musical Opportunities, started by the recent retiree and his wife, seeks to enrich young people’s lives through musical experiences. As an unrestricted fund, the new Bishop Family Fund supports the overall mission of TGF and gives the board of directors flexibility in choosing how to distribute the proceeds best. 

“Our family has always been very philanthropic. Every generation has served on boards and in churches. We’re involved in the community and have something near and dear to us,” Bishop DellaVentura says. “We chose an unrestricted fund because we trust in the board of TGF. There is so much thought and care that goes into the grantmaking process. They do such amazing work.”

Each generation has made its impact on the business of Bishops Orchards. Over more than 150 years, the farm has grown to include Pick-Your-Own, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, a winery, a creamery, and live entertainment each weekend. The Round Up at the Register program that started during the pandemic allows customers to add less than a dollar to their purchases to benefit a different local organization monthly. It raises about $60,000 annually for organizations such as the SARAH Foundation, Women & Family Life Center, and the Guilford Arts Center.

“The community members are shopping local, so we want the money to stay in the community and put it to the right purpose,” Bishop DellaVentura says.