Jennifer McBride serves as our Office and Scholarship Manager. Her role primarily focuses on the Foundation’s daily operations, greeting visitors, processing donor gifts, coordinating board and committee meetings, as well as managing the Foundation’s scholarship programs.  

McBride holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Trine University. She worked for LaGrange County government for 17 years, and previously worked at the Town of Shipshewana. One of her passions is reaching and serving youth – she has been a dedicated volunteer in church youth group programs for the past several decades.

McBride is a lifelong LaGrange County resident and lives in Howe with her husband, Rick. She has three children and three grandchildren.

McBride volunteered as a scholarship evaluator for the Foundation’s Community Scholarship Program in the past and was eager to dive into her new role this February. She is responsible for building and managing the online applications, promoting opportunities to local youth, coordinating volunteer evaluators, and presenting the final awards to students.

She is excited to be a part of the Community Foundation team.

“My heart is for the people of the community,” McBride said. “I enjoy being able to help others,” she added.

The LaGrange County Community Foundation is a growing nonprofit charitable organization focused on inspiring and sustaining generosity, leadership and service in LaGrange County. The Foundation is seeking to hire an Office and Scholarship Manager and Program Intern. Ideal candidates for these positions would be passionate members of a dynamic team with the goal of growing community assets.

Office and Scholarship Manager Job Summary:

The Office and Scholarship Manager reports directly to the Executive Director. The candidate is responsible for managing office operations, providing administrative support to the LCCF office, and managing the Foundation’s scholarship activities and programs.

Program Intern Job Summary:

The Program Intern will be engaged with a supporting role in the implementation of the Foundation’s grantmaking and scholarship programs. The position will work directly with the Foundation’s Program Director to support grantmaking and scholarship initiatives and community outreach. Open to current college sophomores, junior, seniors and graduate students attending an Indiana college or university.

Application Process

• No phone calls, please.
• Email resume to Octavia Yoder, Executive Director, here.
• Apply by Tuesday, December 12, 2023.

LaGrange Partners, an interagency meeting for nonprofit organizations and entities providing services for LaGrange County residents, will meet February 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Linder’s Tavern on Main in LaGrange.

Partners provides a forum for learning about resources, discussing current issues, networking, and keeping up to date on existing services in LaGrange County.

The meeting is open to nonprofit staff, board members, volunteers and interested community members who want to connect and learn more about the nonprofit sector in LaGrange County.

Meetings are on the second Tuesday of every other month, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Locations vary. The meeting format includes time for lunch, agency announcements, networking, and a featured presentation on a focus topic.

To register for the February LaGrange Partners meeting, click here.

Guests will be able to pre-select a meal. Payment will need to be made directly to Linder’s on the day of the meeting.

To learn more about LaGrange Partners, visit LCCF.net/LaGrangePartners.

LaGrange Lodge no. 144 creates permanent unrestricted endowment

As the Knights of Pythias LaGrange Lodge no. 144 closed the chapter on a 128-year-old history in 2018, the creation of a permanent endowment fund at the LaGrange County Community Foundation will allow their charitable legacy to live forever.

In December, the Knights donated $55,000 to create a permanent unrestricted endowment at the Community Foundation. While the fund will provide long-term support for community grantmaking, their gift also will be matched 2-for-1 through a matching grant from Lilly Endowment.

The Knight’s search for a meaningful gift came at an opportune time: it was a rare chance for the Knights to triple their gift and create a permanent charitable legacy. The Endowment is providing $2 for every $1 contributed to LaGrange County Community Foundation unrestricted endowments during the matching period, October 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020, up to $500,000. 

With the Lilly 2-for-1 match, the Knights’ gift now becomes $165,000. The income from the fund will support charitable projects in LaGrange County as determined by the LCCF Board of Directors.

“The members of our Lodge no. 144 feel very fortunate to have our donation grow and benefit several organizations thanks to the LaGrange County Community Foundation,” said Gordon Olds, a Knights of Pythias member.   

 “We are humbled by the generosity of the Knights of Pythias. Their gift establishes a permanent legacy and will provide long-term funding to nonprofits working to improve LaGrange County,” said Octavia Yoder, LaGrange County Community Foundation Associate Director. “We are thankful for their partnership and support in the Lilly Endowment matching grant.”

The Knights of Pythias

Chartered on October 16, 1890, the Knights of Pythias are one of the oldest fraternal organizations in LaGrange County.

In 1912, the group began meeting in the upstairs of what is today Foltz Bakery. In those early days, the meeting space contained ornate furniture, velvet robes, oil paintings and valuable memorabilia with gemstones. Those items were used during the Knights’ induction ceremonies. The Knights sold the building in 2008.  

Among their philanthropic interests, the Knights of Pythias count many as beneficiaries. They sponsored Little League Baseball teams, the LaGrange County Police Department, Special Olympics, ARC Opportunities, LaGrange County Council on Aging, LaGrange County 4-H, Clothes and Food Basket, Habitat for Humanity, Reason 4 Hope, LaGrange County Historical Society, United Fund of LaGrange County, ARK Animal Rescue, Youth for Christ, Relay for Life, Night to Shine and Agape Mission.

Their most popular fundraiser was selling Plyley’s caramel apples at Corn School.

While Knights of Pythias focused on supporting local needs, much of the draw for its members was the social aspect of the club. Being a part of the lodge was a tradition the members did not take lightly; many members today had grandfathers who were also a part of the lodge.

The Knights can count among their group eight 50-year members: Duane Billman, Allen Connelly, Gordon Frost, Richard Long, Jack Olds, Roger Olds, and the late Harvey Lambright and Duane Sams.

One member said as a young boy his father worked in the fields from dawn until dusk, but made the Knights meeting a priority. Even when the weather was impassible with blowing snow and ice, members trudged through knee-deep drifts of snow.

Before his passing, the late Duane Sams shared with the Community Foundation his proudest moment as a 50-year member: pinning a 50-year pin on his grandfather. Not many members had Sam’s privilege.

With the Knights’ gift to the Community Foundation, their charitable legacy will live forever.