SIDNEY — “The Community Foundation of Shelby County was privileged to assist many charitably-minded people in the past year to support aspects of the community,” reported Marian Spicer, executive director. “Twenty-two new charitable funds were established, including several donor advised, scholarship, project and organization funds that benefit the community.”
Her report continues:
The not-for-profit public foundation governs 205 charitable funds totaling nearly $34 million. Its role is to carry out the wishes of community members by administering charitable funds that provide grants and scholarships for purposes outlined by a fundís establishing donors. Grants may be distributed to any organization in the U.S., but most are given in the Shelby County area.
Several charitable funds were established last year.
• FISH Fund
• Philip and Katrina Gilardi Family Foundation
• Habitat for Humanity of Miami and Shelby Counties, Ohio Fund
• Kermit T. Kuck and Ella M. Kuck Fund
• Lachey Family Scholarship Fund
• Tom and Angela Martin Family Fund
• Virginia Matz Foundation
• Virginia and Richard Matz Scholarship Fund
• Leo J. Meyer Scholarship Fund
• Hugo and Thelma Meyer Scholarship Fund
• Prime the Pump Fund in Loving Memory of Alma Wilson Allinger and Robert Lochard Allinger
• Russia Coalition Playground Fund
• Ruble Family Keep Art in Your HeART Fund
• Sidney Alive Fund
• Samaritan Works Fund
• Bob Sargeant Skills Scholarship Fund
• Shelby County Skills Scholarship Fund
• Five Gift Accounts, short-term donor advised funds.
Additionally, several local residents created charitable fund agreements that will establish new funds through their estates.
Gifts for these and other existing funds are welcome at any time and should be made payable to the Community Foundation of Shelby County with the fund name noted on the memo line. Credit card gifts may be made to any charitable fund by clicking the “Donate” button on the Foundation’s website at commfoun.com.
The Community Foundationís Match Day was held on Dec. 3, known nationally as Giving Tuesday. Match Day was an effort to raise visibility and giving by offering a dollar for dollar match of up to $5,000 to 16 local charities. Each charity exceeded the match amount and a total of $377,791 was raised and distributed. To participate, a charity needed to have an organization fund housed at the Community Foundation.
Scholarships for students pursuing skilled and technical training became a new effort of the Foundation. The first Skills Scholarships application deadline is March 12 and 10 $2,000 awards are available.
A record 205 Community Foundation Partners gave to support the Foundationís community grants program. Because of their generosity, $39,475 will be offered to local organizations this spring.
Two workshops for not-for-profit organizations and one for community residents were held. A program on legal issues for charities was cohosted by the Shelby County Bar Association and a fundraising seminar was cosponsored with Edison State Community College and Shelby County United Way. The Community Foundation also collaborated with four other organizations to host a seminar on estate planning.
The 2020 Community Foundation officers are Doug Borchers, chair; Cindy Helman, vice chair; Karen Fortman, secretary; and Dave Monnier, treasurer. Trustees are Kurt Barhorst, Janice Benanzer, Rudy Keister, Mike Lochard, Diane Reiss, Norm Smith and Amy Zorn. Staff members include executive director Marian Spicer; donor relations director Jessica Fortkamp; accounting manager Jeanne Hoying, CPA; scholarships and grants administrator Juli Smith and accounting administrator Barbara Stueve.
In 2020, the Foundation will continue working with local residents wanting to give to charitable causes in the community, especially in the area of skills scholarships. For more information, contact Jessica Fortkamp at 937-497-7800 or e-mail at [email protected].
