Jim Lonergan of Grapevine said he has always been involved in giving back to community through the years, and had wanted to start a foundation for some time.

The idea, the right friends and the need all came together last year. Dallas and Fort Worth both have their big, longstanding community foundations, but none representing the mid-cities area really existed.

"It's not that we've been underserved, it's just where we sit geographically," Lonergan said. "[Now] we have people and companies that have established roots here."

He started talking about his idea informally and then with a group that got down to specifics: They wanted a foundation that would target youth in the Northeast Texas area.

"The people who wound up directors are friends, our kids go to school together," he said.

They named it Serious Air Community Foundation for two reasons, Lonergan said. The first is the obvious sports reference, and the second is because they are serious about the foundation's mission and hope it will be "providing breath to those under the weight of life's circumstances," he said.

Serious Air was registered with the state as a foundation in October 2012, and had its launch party Dec. 6, 2012. Since then, it has had a fundraising skeet shoot.

Five funds will provide grants for specific causes.

One is a police/firefighter/EMS personal relief fund to help officers who are seriously ill or injured outside the line of duty. A family would apply for a grant, and once approved, the foundation would directly pay bills for them.

An underprivileged youth fund will pay camp tuition for families who can't afford it.

A school safety fund will contribute money to school districts for training and equipment needs.

Another fund will help families displaced by fire, flooding, tornadoes, etc.

Finally, an education scholarship fund is aimed at both getting kids involved in Serious Air with their own nonprofit projects and awarding $500 scholarships to those who participate.

From those funds, 98 cents of each dollar contributed goes directly to the charitable cause involved. Serious Air is all volunteer.

The group also will help set up foundations for families who want to start their own.

The nine cities served are: Southlake, Grapevine, Westlake, Roanoke, Trophy Club, Keller, Flower Mound and Lewisville.

Fundraising events include a Sept. 16 golf tournament at Trophy Club Country Club, 500 Trophy Club Drive. The fee is $175 for individuals and includes lunch and dinner.

On Oct. 10, Serious Air will be the featured partner in the launch of the new Mercedes CLA and S class models at Park Place Motorcars, 1300 Texan Trail in Grapevine. The event spotlighting the foundation starts at 7 p.m. For more information, visitwww.seriousair.orgwww.seriousair.org.

Board of directors

• Jim Lonergan, president and executive director of the foundation. Most recently CEO and general manager of Mobology LLC in Dallas.
• Michael N. Foster, president and CEO of Basa Resources Inc. in Addison
• Robert C. Nelson, president of strategy and corporate development for Baker & Taylor, a Charlotte, N.C., -based media distribution company
• Christopher Schembri, COO of Camelot Strategic Marketing and Media
• Kathy A. Buckley, vice president of finance, RadioShack Corp.
• Shannon G. Guthrie, attorney in the Benenati Law Firm, which has offices in Bedford, Addison and Boyd
• Contact information: Serious Air Community Foundation, P.O. Box 93841, Southlake,TX 76092. 817-899-0932. www.seriousair.org