Starke County Community Foundation Highlights Gift Matching Opportunities

Posted on November 5, 2018
Author Michael Gallenberger, WKVI

Those planning to donate to one of the Starke County Community Foundation’s community funds have the chance to make their money go even further. The Lilly Endowment has announced a “2-for-1 dollar matching opportunity” for gifts to community funds, according to a Community Foundation press release. On top of that, the Starke County Community Foundation will match community fund donations dollar-for-dollar during its annual open house on Giving Tuesday, November 27.

The matching opportunities were highlighted by the foundation’s director of development Sarah Origer, during last month’s Community Impact Reception. She announced that the foundation has given out more than $400,000 in grants and scholarships so far this year. The foundation has also accumulated $12 million in assets.

Reception attendees had the chance to hear from two of the beneficiaries of Community Foundation funding. Starke County EMS Director Travis Clary said the Lucas device the EMS department was able to purchase has already saved several lives. Clary says the device, which performs CPR on cardiac arrest victims, has increased Starke County’s survival rate to 70 percent, 60 percent higher than the national average.

Additionally, Karen Zimmerman, the director of Little Lambs Preschool at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church said the Community Foundation’s Preschool Scholarship Program sets Starke County children on a track for success. She shared that many families worry about having to sacrifice their kids’ preschool education in order to make ends meet.

Lilly Endowment Offers Starke County Community Foundation Matching Opportunity

Published: November 10, 2014
By: Mary Perren, WKVI

Donors to the Starke County Community Foundation can double their support to the community funds. Lilly Endowment, Inc. has agreed to match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $250,000 for the next 18 months. Starke County Community Foundation Development Director Sarah Origer said no gift is too small.

“Our community funds are the funds that allow us to make our community grants every fall. These are the grants that go to support organizations like the Starke County Youth club and our library systems and the SCILL Center.”

Origer added these are incredibly important funds to build.

“Community funds allow the $10,000 grant to the SCILL Center’s welding program that they began in 2012. We’ve been able to grant to Community Services of Starke County, to the historical society, and the list goes on and on and on. It was grants from our community funds that allowed us to start the Starke County Preschool Scholarship Program,” she said.

Origer added the Lilly Endowment match will allow the Starke County Community Foundation to continue supporting organizations like those and others for many years.

“In 25 years, almost a million dollars will be granted to these organizations from that initial gift that we raise this year. In 50 years that number’s even more astounding. We’ll be able to grant $2.7 million back to the community, just from these funds that we’re able to raise over the next few years. The impact really is amazing.”

Visit www.ncif.org or contact Origer at 574-772-3665 for more information about how to contribute to the Starke County Community Foundation.