Author Archives: octavia

Heart of Gold nominations now being accepted

Honor a volunteer with a Heart of Gold

It’s our favorite time of year! Heart of Gold nominations opened this week and we can’t wait to hear about the good things people are doing in LaGrange County. Since 2009, we’ve awarded the Heart of Gold award to honor individuals in LaGrange County who are making a difference through volunteerism.

Not only do we hear amazing stories of people spreading kindness and generosity, but the Heart of Gold recipient will have the opportunity to direct $1,000 to a charity of his/her choice in LaGrange County.

Nominations are being accepted through September 5, 2018. You can pick up a nomination form at the foundation office or make an online nomination here.

We’ll announce the Heart of Gold recipient at the award ceremony November 3 in Shipshewana. All of the nominees, along with a family member and the individual who made the nomination, will be invited to attend the breakfast.

A Year of Growing Good

Annual Meeting Held at Lakeside Occasions June 26

The LaGrange County Community Foundation celebrated a year of “Growing Good” in an intimate gathering with past and current board members and new funders at the 2018 annual meeting June 26 at Lakeside Occasions in Topeka.

Renea Boots, front, will join the LaGrange County Community Foundation Board of Directors in August.

The foundation was pleased to welcome new board member Renea Boots of LaGrange.

Boots has been with Farmers State Bank for 17 years and serves as the Chief Administration Officer. A graduate of Prairie Heights High School, she and her husband, Todd, live on the east side of LaGrange County.

In 2017, the foundation awarded $488,625 in grants of which $97,050 was awarded in scholarships and $78,610 was awarded in local funding requests.

“An important part of our mission is to inspire generosity in our community and that presents in many forms, not just financial.  We have so many amazing individuals in our community who serve as leaders, advisors and supporters and we would not be here without all of them,” said executive director Jennifer Tuttle.

Key developments in the past year included the launch of the Franky Sherman Memorial Building Fund to support a memorial pavilion at the LaGrange County 4-H Fairgrounds; the creation of the Natalie Kauffman Memorial Scholarship Fund and E. Marie Dwight Memorial Fund; and the continued growth as a Scholarship Granting Organization which currently holds funds for Howe Military Academy.

Col. James Benson, former superintendent of Howe Military, addressed the topic of leadership at the LaGrange County Community Foundation annual meeting June 26.

Keynote speaker James Benson, a retired Marine Corps officer and former superintendent of Howe Military Academy, addressed the topic of executive leadership to encourage all who have supported the LaGrange County Community Foundation to continue to be strong leaders.

In his address, Benson discussed the type of courage executives need to lead.

“Executive courage is the glue that connects decision making with success in the workplace and home. It is an element of leadership that permits a leader to accept measured risk, to make unpopular decisions, to challenge the odds, to create unhappy factions, and ignore and dismiss the foot draggers…” Benson said.

LCCF Youth Philanthropy Coordinator Laney Kratz also shared about the foundation’s commitment to developing youth leaders and how the foundation’s youth philanthropy program, LIFE, prepares youths for making critical decisions and encourages them to get involved in service.

Members of the LIFE program represent each of the three county public schools in grades 8-12, as well as Howe Military Academy.

     

     

2017 Annual Report

The 2017 Annual Report is here! Enjoy stories from the past year and see a snapshot of the work and activities we have done within LaGrange County. See highlights of our competitive grant awards, learn about our scholarship recipients and read our financial overview.

Download a PDF report now, or click on the cover above to read the online version.

LCCF Offers Ministerial Association Match

To celebrate and support the charitable efforts of the LaGrange and Shipshewana Ministerial associations, the LaGrange County Community Foundation is offering a matching program through April 30.

Gifts made to the Community Foundation’s Good Samaritan Fund through April 30 will be set aside for a matching grant to the LaGrange Ministerial Association and Shipshewana Ministerial Association. The Community Foundation pledges to match gifts to each association up to a total of $2000.

For example, if local donors give $2,500 for the benefit of an association, the Community Foundation will match $2,000 and grant that ministerial association a total of $4,500.

The matching grant will support the LaGrange Ministerial Association’s efforts to provide emergency support to residents who find themselves without shelter and need a place to stay.  The association assists adults whose lives have been disrupted through a change in employment, forced to find a new living situation or are seeking to rebuild their lives after imprisonment or addiction.

The matching grant also will support the efforts of the Shipshewana Ministerial Association. The churches of the association work together to provide emergency financial support to local families facing an immediate crisis. They also coordinate the Big Give program in November, providing area families with food and clothing.

Checks submitted to the LaGrange County Community Foundation during this time and for this purpose must specify on the memo line – Good Samaritan Fund – and indicate “LaGrange” or “Shipshewana.”

 

We Give Thanks grant awarded to area food pantries

Scott Emergency Food Pantry coordinator Eunice Gagnon, left, and Scott United Methodist Church pastor Christopher White, received a $2,000 grant from the LaGrange County Community Foundation in February to support local food distribution for families in need.

Clothes and Food Basket, Scott Emergency Food Pantry receive assistance

Thanks to the generosity of many local donors, the LaGrange County Community Foundation  awarded two organizations a total of $10,936 in February as part of the foundation’s We Give Thanks matching program to support local food distribution.

Over the holidays in 2017, the LCCF Board of Directors offered to match local donations to the We Give Thanks campaign “dollar-for-dollar” up to a maximum match of $5,000. As in past campaigns, local donors, still deeply concerned about the welfare of families stepped up to the challenge.

Organizations who received grants this year include the Clothes and Food Basket in LaGrange for $8,936 and the Scott Emergency Food Pantry at the Scott United Methodist Church in Shipshewana for $2,000.

Open two days a week, the Clothes and Food Basket provides food, clothes and hygiene products to needy individuals in LaGrange County. They also operate the Christmas Bureau which provides assistance during the holidays. During the Clothes and Food Basket’s 2017 Christmas Bureau they served 369 clients and their families, assisting a total of 1,497 individuals. During that time they provided fresh fruit, towels, sheets, hats, gloves, undergarment, children’s toys for Christmas, and a ham or turkey.

The Scott Emergency Food Pantry provides additional assistance for county residents. The congregation operates the emergency food pantry to help the needs of those who have lost a job, been laid off, on sick leave, death of a spouse, etc. They offer non-perishable items and a voucher for milk, bread, eggs and a pound of hamburger. The pantry is open on Wednesday afternoons.

LaGrange County Community Foundation awards $60,500 in grants

The LaGrange County Community Foundation awarded a $5,000 grant on Jan. 4 to support Night to Shine, a prom experience for individuals with special needs hosted by the LaGrange First Church of God. The event will be held Feb. 9 at the Farmstead Expo Barn in Shipshewana. From left are Night to Shine committee members from LaGrange First Church of God Ben Stuckey, Ingrid Lochamire, Kyle Coalson, Allisa Brown, LCCF executive director Jennifer Tuttle, Tara Watts and Lauren Harris.

Night to Shine, Youth for Christ among grant recipients

By Octavia Yoder | Program Officer

In December 2017, the LaGrange County Community Foundation awarded a round of funding totaling $60,500 for 12 projects benefiting LaGrange County.

The community foundation grants help local charities and nonprofit organizations provide services to LaGrange County families and individuals in the areas of arts and culture, health and human services, environment, recreation and education.

Ahead of Night to Shine in February, guests are invited to visit the Prom Closet and pick out a special dress or suit to wear for the evening.

In February, LaGrange First Church of God will host the second annual Night to Shine event in Shipshewana – a prom night experience for individuals age 14 and older with special needs.

Night to Shine is one of the 12 programs supported by a community foundation grant. The guests attend free of charge and are paired with “buddies” to experience an evening of music, dancing, games and activities. The church received $5,000 to help with the event.

Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana received $5,000 to support the LaGrange County Farm Wagon. The mobile food pantry makes weekly stops in LaGrange and Wolcottville with fresh produce.

Youth for Christ of Northern Indiana also received $7,500 to support the Campus Life programs in LaGrange County schools.

LCCF executive director Jennifer Tuttle, left, awards a $7,500 grant to Youth for Christ of Northern Indiana for the Campus Life programs at Westview and Lakeland schools. Joining Tuttle are Campus Life student Riley Rosendaul, Campus Life director Gerald Yoder, Campus Life student Xavier Tennant and Campus Life director Heidi Yoder.

Other grant recipients include:

  • Veterans Headstone Project, Replacement of damaged headstones, $2,120.
  • McMillen Health, K-12 preventative health education, $5,000.
  • WNIT, Education Counts Michiana, $10,000.
  • Lakeland High School, LaGrange County College Visit Program, $2,500.
  • Early Childhood Alliance, Parents as Teachers program, $5,000.
  • Mad Anthonys Children’s Hope House, Housing for LaGrange County families, $5,000.
  • Agape Childcare Ministry, Education materials and supplies, $3,380.
  • Science Central, Science 4U Outreach program, $5,000.
  • Otis R. Bowen Center, Opioid Treatment Center, $5,000.

 

Arianna Smith named 2018 Lilly Scholar

Arianna Smith, fourth from left, was named the 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar in December 2017. Smith was surprised with the news surrounded by faculty and staff at Lakeland High School. From left are Amy Sayers, Leah Stoltzfus, Sherry Severson, Rachel Stroup and Maggie Pechin.

Lakeland senior plans to study computer science

Arianna Smith, a senior at Lakeland High School, has been named the recipient of the LaGrange County Community Foundation’s 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship. In addition to the four-year scholarship to the accredited public or private Indiana college of her choice, she will also receive a $900 yearly stipend for required books and equipment.

Arianna Smith reacts to being named the 2018 Lilly Endowment Community Scholar. Smith was suprised with the announcement at Lakeland High School.

Smith resides in Howe with her parents, Bret and Vickie Smith. She plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in computer science at an Indiana college.

During her high school career, she has been involved in Show Choir, Spell Bowl and English and Science Academic Team. At the time of her application, Smith was ranked fifth in her graduating class with a 4.1 grade point average. She also is a member of Interact Club and National Honor Society.

During her freshman year of high school, Smith became intrigued with computer programming and taught herself programming languages using online resources. She serves as a teen leader in LaGrange County’s 4-H Spark Club, teaching children of all ages about computer science. Recently, she was selected by state administrators to design official lesson plans for SPARK clubs. She has also helped organize and create computer science clubs at local elementary schools.

Her community activities have included serving as a representative for Relay For Life, Cancer Services, Light the Night and tutoring middle and high school students. She also was selected as a state representative for the National 4-H Computer Science Delegate.

This year, 33 applicants, participated in LaGrange County’s Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship selection process. The foundation’s Lilly Scholarship Committee narrowed the field to five finalists based upon criteria that included scholastic profile, work history, financial need, community service, school activities, leadership, essays and interview performance.

The committee’s recommendations were forwarded to Indianapolis for final review and approval from Independent Colleges of Indiana.

Other finalists included: Taylor Targgart and Kiara Smith, both of Lakeland High School and Olivia Hibbs and Ashley Brown of Westview Jr.-Sr. High School. Each of the finalists will receive a $1,000 four-year renewable scholarship from the Lambright Leadership Scholarship Fund established by Kevin and Carrie Lambright in 2013.

Since 1998, a total of 37 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships, including Smith’s have been awarded in LaGrange County. The total amount awarded to local LaGrange County students through this opportunity exceeds $3 million.

ICI is a nonprofit corporation that represents 31 regionally accredited degree granting, nonprofit, private colleges and universities in the state. The scholarships are result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to help Hoosier students reach higher levels of education. This year, 143 scholarships were awarded statewide. There have been more than 4,300 scholarships awarded statewide since the program begin in 1998.