'FRIENDS OF CARROLL COUNTY' SUPPORT CARROLL COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Sept. 2, 2015 -- The Carroll County Community Foundation honored 'Friends of Carroll County' members at a dinner on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at the Wabash and Erie Canal Interpretive Center in Delphi, Ind. The celebration event was to thank donors for their support of the community through the Foundation.

Guest speaker Dr. Janet Ayers, professor Emerita Purdue University, shared Carroll County’s Focus on the Future background and accomplishments since it was established in 2007. The organization is a forum where the diverse interests in Carroll County can come together to shape a shared vision for the county. It builds unity by creating a network of knowledgeable, committed leaders whose purpose is the betterment of Carroll County.

Carroll County’s Focus on the Future accomplishments includes creating a task force each for economic development, leadership development, tourism, marketing and infrastructure. Community leadership is enriched by the 200 graduates of Leadership Carroll County.

Abigail Huffer Diener and Dr. Christopher Huffer shared their vision for creating an unrestricted community endowment fund through the Carroll County Community Foundation. They learned the lesson of giving from their father Jim Huffer. “It was an unspoken expectation that we were to give back to the community where we lived. With this continued expectation and Lilly Endowment’s match, this was an excellent opportunity to increase the impact of our giving,” said Dr. Huffer. 

Community Foundation president Hilda Burns updated the group about Lilly Endowment’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) VI match initiative that ends March 31, 2016. “Carroll County donor contributions are eligible for $309,000 of the $500,000 match,” she said. “These funds will be used to award grants to Carroll County nonprofits that provide important programs and services to community residents. When the match is successfully met, there will be an additional $40,000 in annual grant dollars for the community.”

With the match, donations to unrestricted community endowment funds will be matched $1 for $1. Donations to the Community Foundation’s other types of funds will be matched $.50 for every $1 given. 

Gifts through charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts also qualify during the match period. These types of gifts make it possible to receive an income during the donor’s lifetime or for a number of years, and a portion of the gift qualifies for the GIFT VI matching funds. If you would like to know more about how these gift plans can help you secure your personal financial goals and make a gift with greater impact, contact the Foundation. All inquiries are confidential.

The Friends of Carroll County was established as a way for people to support the work of the Community Foundation.

The Carroll County Community Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable organization governed by a volunteer board of local citizens. The purpose of the Foundation is to serve the interests of donors, to make grants and to act as a catalyst around issues of community importance in Carroll County. In addition to providing community support through endowed funds, the Foundation offers such services as a free will planning guide that is designed to help individuals as they prepare to work with their estate planning advisors. Contact the Carroll County Community Foundation at (800) 964-0508 or visit the Web site at www.cfcarroll.org for a free copy of the will planning guide or for more information.