KCCF Celebrates 51 Years At Annual Luncheon
November 13, 2019 at 1:05 a.m.
KCCF Celebrates 51 Years At Annual Luncheon
By David [email protected]
At the Kosciusko County Community Foundation’s 51st Annual Celebration Luncheon Tuesday, the people who help the Foundation help the community rise to greatness were generously thanked by the Foundation staff.
“You may notice on your cupcakes that part of our theme for this luncheon and for our annual report, you’re going to notice that says 50. But the sign earlier said 51st Annual Luncheon. So what is the deal with that?” KCCF CEO Suzie Light said in her introductory remarks. “Well, the deal is, that we launched our 50th anniversary in August of last year, and we’re wrapping it up with a party, and you’re at the party.”
She told the crowd that, “We’re here to celebrate you. We’re here to celebrate you the donor, those who have given. You, the volunteer, who has shared their time with us. You, who have served, sharing your talents with us.”
Light thanked the Foundation’s current and past board members, committee members and Foundation staff. She took a moment to give a “very special welcome” to those in the audience who lost a loved one in the past fiscal year, which was from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. Many of those lost loved ones were memorialized with gifts in their honor to the Foundation.
Board member John Warren introduced the 2020 board officers, who were elected at the annual board meeting earlier this month. They are Sally Mahnken, president; Kevin Deardorff, vice president; Scott Reust, secretary; Steve Snyder, treasurer; and Light as CEO.
Light then recognized retiring board member Karen Nelson. The resolution of appreciation, passed by the Foundation board, stated Nelson served on the board from September 2014 to August 2019. She also served on several committees and helped shape organizational policy for the Foundation.
“I’m going to miss you,” Light told Nelson, tearing up.
A video was then shown of how the Foundation began in 1968 as the Greater Warsaw Community Foundation with assets of $871 and grew to the KCCF with 482 component funds of over $62 million. It annually awards millions of dollars in charitable grants.
Mahnken reported some of the highlights from the fiscal year of July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019.
“The generosity of our donors allowed us to award over $3.2 million in charitable grants from all of our funds,” she said. “Nearly $590,000 in scholarships were awarded to over 230 local students in our community for college, university or vocational training.”
The Foundation had 357 community volunteers, and donors gave nearly $7.9 million and established 44 new funds at the Foundation.
“And that is quite the accomplishment in a year. And we really thank you for having trust in us to carry on your dreams for your future and the future of our community,” Mahnken said.
She noted the Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary with 10 area nonprofits as they rose to the Endowment Challenge 50. The nonprofits raised $10,000 for their endowments, which was matched with $40,000 made possible by the Dekko Foundation, KCCF, the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation and the Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation.
Mahnken also talked about the establishment of LaunchPad, a coalition working with the Chamber of Commerce and United Way and other community partners “to increase access to high quality childcare and early learning for our children birth to age 5 in the community.”
She said LaunchPad will release its strategic plan today.
“We’re very, very proud of their efforts on this coalition,” Mahnken concluded.
Foundation Development Director Brenda Rigdon introduced special speaker Mackenzie Cloutier, the executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates. Cloutier shared CASA’s experiences as part of the Endowment Challenge 50 last year.
Cloutier started as a volunteer with CASA in 2008, served on the board, became an associate director in 2010 and then director in 2011.
“Because our organization’s title is Court Appointed Special Advocates, it is not uncommon for people to believe that we are court or county employees and operate under a county umbrella. However, this is not the case. CASA of Kosciusko County is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization. We are comprised of a staff of four. We currently have 64 volunteers and 17 board members,” she said.
CASA’s mission is to “recruit, train and support our volunteers so that they can represent the voice of children who have been brought into the court system due to no fault of their own,” she said.
After giving a history of CASA’s founding in Seattle, Wash., and a video of the local CASA, Cloutier said, “In 2018, and so far in 2019, we average 63 volunteers donating roughly 4,000 hours, representing 215 children. If we did not have volunteers, and a judge had to appoint representation for these children at taxpayers’ expense, this year the county would have had to spend approximately $600,000. Our program’s yearly budget is less than half of that.”
She talked about how generous and supportive the businesses and residents of Kosciusko County are, and how easy it is to apply for a grant from the Foundation. Since 1999, CASA of Kosciusko County has received $119,000 from the Foundation to “help improve the lives of the children we serve.”
CASA, along with Baker Youth Club and Joe’s Kids, have partnered together, with the support of the KCCF and K21 Health Foundation to host a presentation by Elizabeth Smart on April 23, she announced.
Smart was abducted from her home at age 14 in June 2002. Held captive by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, Smart was repeatedly raped, drugged and forced to endure religious rituals, until earning her freedom in March 2003, according to biography.com. She has since become a noted activist and author.
Cloutier talked about the EC50 and how the publicity surrounding the challenge helped CASA raise funds to keep it successful.
After Cloutier’s presentation, Rigdon gave a historical overview of the Foundation and the Gift VII Challenge. In the challenge, the Lilly Endowment is offering a 2-for-1 match up to $500,000 in gifts to community funds. The $500,000 raised for the community funds will be matched with $1 million from Lilly Endowment for a total of $1.5 million in unrestricted community funds. Over the past 12 months, $380,000 of that half a million has been raised, meaning there’s still time for donors to give.
Associate Director Stephanie Overbey discussed what the Foundation is working on now. From the Hometown Chats this past summer, she said some of what was heard was not a surprise: community members are proud of their schools; residents feel their communities are safe, friendly and good places to raise children; and the county is grateful for its healthy lakes. There was a big concern about housing and childcare, which are issues the Foundation has been working on.
The number one issue that came out of the Chats that was surprising, she said, was “a desire by everyday citizens to be engaged in planning and visioning for their communities.” They want their towns to articulate a vision and a plan for their communities, and for their voices to be heard on that planning. They want improved sidewalks, parks, playgrounds and community centers. They want access to grocery stores, high-speed internet, recreation and health opportunities. They want their towns to plan for those things, Overbey said.
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At the Kosciusko County Community Foundation’s 51st Annual Celebration Luncheon Tuesday, the people who help the Foundation help the community rise to greatness were generously thanked by the Foundation staff.
“You may notice on your cupcakes that part of our theme for this luncheon and for our annual report, you’re going to notice that says 50. But the sign earlier said 51st Annual Luncheon. So what is the deal with that?” KCCF CEO Suzie Light said in her introductory remarks. “Well, the deal is, that we launched our 50th anniversary in August of last year, and we’re wrapping it up with a party, and you’re at the party.”
She told the crowd that, “We’re here to celebrate you. We’re here to celebrate you the donor, those who have given. You, the volunteer, who has shared their time with us. You, who have served, sharing your talents with us.”
Light thanked the Foundation’s current and past board members, committee members and Foundation staff. She took a moment to give a “very special welcome” to those in the audience who lost a loved one in the past fiscal year, which was from July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019. Many of those lost loved ones were memorialized with gifts in their honor to the Foundation.
Board member John Warren introduced the 2020 board officers, who were elected at the annual board meeting earlier this month. They are Sally Mahnken, president; Kevin Deardorff, vice president; Scott Reust, secretary; Steve Snyder, treasurer; and Light as CEO.
Light then recognized retiring board member Karen Nelson. The resolution of appreciation, passed by the Foundation board, stated Nelson served on the board from September 2014 to August 2019. She also served on several committees and helped shape organizational policy for the Foundation.
“I’m going to miss you,” Light told Nelson, tearing up.
A video was then shown of how the Foundation began in 1968 as the Greater Warsaw Community Foundation with assets of $871 and grew to the KCCF with 482 component funds of over $62 million. It annually awards millions of dollars in charitable grants.
Mahnken reported some of the highlights from the fiscal year of July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019.
“The generosity of our donors allowed us to award over $3.2 million in charitable grants from all of our funds,” she said. “Nearly $590,000 in scholarships were awarded to over 230 local students in our community for college, university or vocational training.”
The Foundation had 357 community volunteers, and donors gave nearly $7.9 million and established 44 new funds at the Foundation.
“And that is quite the accomplishment in a year. And we really thank you for having trust in us to carry on your dreams for your future and the future of our community,” Mahnken said.
She noted the Foundation celebrated its 50th anniversary with 10 area nonprofits as they rose to the Endowment Challenge 50. The nonprofits raised $10,000 for their endowments, which was matched with $40,000 made possible by the Dekko Foundation, KCCF, the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation and the Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation.
Mahnken also talked about the establishment of LaunchPad, a coalition working with the Chamber of Commerce and United Way and other community partners “to increase access to high quality childcare and early learning for our children birth to age 5 in the community.”
She said LaunchPad will release its strategic plan today.
“We’re very, very proud of their efforts on this coalition,” Mahnken concluded.
Foundation Development Director Brenda Rigdon introduced special speaker Mackenzie Cloutier, the executive director of Court Appointed Special Advocates. Cloutier shared CASA’s experiences as part of the Endowment Challenge 50 last year.
Cloutier started as a volunteer with CASA in 2008, served on the board, became an associate director in 2010 and then director in 2011.
“Because our organization’s title is Court Appointed Special Advocates, it is not uncommon for people to believe that we are court or county employees and operate under a county umbrella. However, this is not the case. CASA of Kosciusko County is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization. We are comprised of a staff of four. We currently have 64 volunteers and 17 board members,” she said.
CASA’s mission is to “recruit, train and support our volunteers so that they can represent the voice of children who have been brought into the court system due to no fault of their own,” she said.
After giving a history of CASA’s founding in Seattle, Wash., and a video of the local CASA, Cloutier said, “In 2018, and so far in 2019, we average 63 volunteers donating roughly 4,000 hours, representing 215 children. If we did not have volunteers, and a judge had to appoint representation for these children at taxpayers’ expense, this year the county would have had to spend approximately $600,000. Our program’s yearly budget is less than half of that.”
She talked about how generous and supportive the businesses and residents of Kosciusko County are, and how easy it is to apply for a grant from the Foundation. Since 1999, CASA of Kosciusko County has received $119,000 from the Foundation to “help improve the lives of the children we serve.”
CASA, along with Baker Youth Club and Joe’s Kids, have partnered together, with the support of the KCCF and K21 Health Foundation to host a presentation by Elizabeth Smart on April 23, she announced.
Smart was abducted from her home at age 14 in June 2002. Held captive by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, Smart was repeatedly raped, drugged and forced to endure religious rituals, until earning her freedom in March 2003, according to biography.com. She has since become a noted activist and author.
Cloutier talked about the EC50 and how the publicity surrounding the challenge helped CASA raise funds to keep it successful.
After Cloutier’s presentation, Rigdon gave a historical overview of the Foundation and the Gift VII Challenge. In the challenge, the Lilly Endowment is offering a 2-for-1 match up to $500,000 in gifts to community funds. The $500,000 raised for the community funds will be matched with $1 million from Lilly Endowment for a total of $1.5 million in unrestricted community funds. Over the past 12 months, $380,000 of that half a million has been raised, meaning there’s still time for donors to give.
Associate Director Stephanie Overbey discussed what the Foundation is working on now. From the Hometown Chats this past summer, she said some of what was heard was not a surprise: community members are proud of their schools; residents feel their communities are safe, friendly and good places to raise children; and the county is grateful for its healthy lakes. There was a big concern about housing and childcare, which are issues the Foundation has been working on.
The number one issue that came out of the Chats that was surprising, she said, was “a desire by everyday citizens to be engaged in planning and visioning for their communities.” They want their towns to articulate a vision and a plan for their communities, and for their voices to be heard on that planning. They want improved sidewalks, parks, playgrounds and community centers. They want access to grocery stores, high-speed internet, recreation and health opportunities. They want their towns to plan for those things, Overbey said.
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