May – Don’t Get In A Jam

Dear Friends,  

You are a big part of creating a recipe for a great tomorrow in Noble County. As a donor, you are making a mark that can’t be erased. This is part of your legacy that will never be forgotten because a legacy is the one thing that outlives us all.

I often think of some of the recipes that have been passed down by my grandma for generations—Old-Fashioned Apple Pie, Homemade Chicken and Noodles, and Strawberry Jam. Do you have any of those recipes saved for prosperity on the original yellowing paper showcasing the faded and smudged ornate penmanship? That’s a legacy—a heartwarming, delicious legacy.

Giving through your will is another way to establish your family’s legacy. Unfortunately, only 46% of adults in America currently have a will in place—that equates to thousands of people in Noble County alone. You don’t want the court to determine what happens to your money, your belongings, and your legacy, do you? This can put undue stress and heartache on your family while they are still grieving your loss. Planning ahead, and crafting a will now, is the solution to this problem; yet the majority of Americans never do this.

As a generous donor, we want you to consider creating a will as a gift to your loved ones. Making those decisions today will make your wishes crystal clear when the time comes. And, while you’re thinking about your legacy, it’s simple to allocate just 5% of your estate to the Community Foundation of Noble County designated for an endowment named in honor of your family. Think about it, won’t you?

 

Like the tattered and torn recipes of days gone by, your legacy lives on. Don’t get in a jam by waiting too long, contact me today,

Brad Graden, Executive Director and Donor
260.894.3335
Brad@cfnoble.org

P.S. I’d be happy to send you an Estate Planning Guide to make Leaving Your Legacy even easier for you. Just call me!

 

April – Give It Twice

Dear Friends, 

There’s nothing like comfort food around the holidays. Aren’t potatoes the most delish and nutrish of all the carbs? We think so! And we hope you’ll enjoy this Twice Baked Potato Casserole recipe—it tastes so nice, you bake it twice! 🥔🥔

We’re really getting into recipes of all kinds this year at the Community Foundation. It’s a personal mission to create a recipe for a greater tomorrow—and you can help! Here’s how…

Generous people like you frequently ask us how they can provide income for their children and also make a gift to the Community Foundation of Noble County. That’s where the Give It Twice Trust comes in!

At death, this popular giving tool allows you to transfer your IRA (or other asset) to fund a Charitable Remainder Trust (CRT) for a specified term of years that you get to decide. The choice is yours!

For the years that you designate, your family receives the income first. Then, the balance of the trust can be directed to the Community Foundation of Noble County. Thus, the name—Give It Twice Trust—first you give it to your family, then you give the remainder to charity. It’s a gift so nice, you give it twice!

 The Benefits are twofold (see a theme, here?)

 You can continue taking care of your surviving spouse and/or children with the unused portion of your retirement account for the allotted time you designate.

  1. You can create an estate tax deduction and savings from this charitable gift by supporting the work of the

Community Foundation of Noble County.

It’s like regular giving, but twice as good! Contact me today and I’ll help you leave your charitable legacy,

Brad Graden, Executive Director and Donor
260.894.3335
Brad@cfnoble.org

March – Giving Is As Easy As Pie

Dear Friends,

Math geeks and donors unite because March 14th is National Pi (π) Day. Of course, we like to celebrate it as National Pie Day 🥧 because it reminds us that GIVING IS AS EASY AS PIE.

Mathematically, Pi (π) is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Does knowing that make us sound seriously smart or notably nerdy? Wait, don’t answer that!

A better question might be, “Who is super generous and understands that if everyone in Noble County gave just 5% of their estate to the Foundation in the next 10 years that this could result is $29.3M in donations”? That’s you! I think we can all agree that 5% is not a lot. In fact, 5% of an Old-Fashioned Indiana Sugar Cream Pie leaves plenty for you to enjoy yourself and more than enough to share with others.

Speaking of sharing, we hope you’ll enjoy this delicious Hoosier Classic Sugar Cream Pie recipe as a reminder that together we can cook up a recipe for a greater tomorrow. Think about it, if everyone planned now to make a 5% estate gift to the Foundation later, that would increase the grantmaking to our county by over $1M annually.

Additionally, we conferred with those math geeks who celebrate the actual Pi (π) Day and they did some calculations for us. They said if we keep up this 5% giving trend for the next 50 years, we could raise $104M in donations. That could build a healthy county, create a downtown historic district, increase educational attainment, create a skilled workforce, or break the cycle of poverty! Like a good recipe, when it’s all combined, it really adds up.

Call us at 260-894-3335 and we’ll help you with a 5% planned gift that will change Noble County for now and forever.

GIVING REALLY IS AS EASY AS PIE,

Brad Graden, Executive Director and Donor
Brad@cfnoble.org

**********
The History of Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie

While there is no one set origin of
Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie, the dish is
said to have been popularized by the Amish and Shaker communities in
Indiana during the 19th century when
they were running low on supplies.

It was known as “Desperation Pie” because its ingredients could be found
in almost any pantry, making it easy to make at any time throughout the year.

The Shakers believed in eating hearty
and healthy food. They must have had
a sweet tooth, though, judging by
sugar cream pie.

In 2009, the Indiana General Assembly officially elevated the status of this humble dessert—that’s when Sugar
Cream Pie was named the official
Indiana state pie.

You Are A GEM!

Dear Friends,

YOU ARE A GEM! It’s true! You’re right up there with diamonds and rubies in our book! In fact, the impact made through grantmaking at the Noble County Community Foundation only happens because of you!

YOUR DONATIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
That’s why we’re always on the lookout for ways to make generosity even easier for you. After all, we understand that your schedule is full and your time is limited. But you can still be a dedicated supporter of the Community Foundation.

WE HAVE THE PERFECT GIVING TOOL FOR YOU!
This is where our G.E.M. Program comes in! G.E.M. stands for GIVE EVERY MONTH and is an effortless way for you to support the Community Foundation 12 times a year by filling out a single form just once.

IT’S THE EASIEST WAY TO BE A CHEERFUL GIVER!
This ‘SET IT AND FORGET IT’ philanthropy is gaining traction as one of the most popular ways to give across the country—including here in Noble County. That’s right, this recipe for EPSOM SALT GEMS is about to come in super handy with all the time you’ll be saving. You can now escape from the winter chill and relax in a nice hot bath—all while knowing that your charitable giving is set up and ready to create a recipe for a great tomorrow right here in this place we call home.

Let me help you SET IT AND FORGET IT,

Sincerely,
Brad Graden, Executive Director
Brad@cfnoble.org
1599 Lincolnway South, Ligonier, IN 46767
260-894-3335

Winter Storm Warning – Office Closed

Our office will be closed 2/2, 2/3 and possibly 2/4. Please leave a message for us at 260.894.3335 or email. Staff will be working from home. Be safe.

Office Closed Nov. 17, 2021

Friends, our office will be closed on Wed., Nov. 17, 2021 for staff training.
Please leave a message for us by calling 260.894.3335.

CFNC Looking to the Future

CFNC Looking to the Future

After celebrating its 30th anniversary, the Community Foundation of Noble County (CFNC) is turning its focus to the future.  When the community foundation was founded in 1991, its office was located in the Noble County Office Complex–South in Albion.  In December 1999, the foundation moved to its current location south of Ligonier on US 33.  The current location has served the foundation and the Noble County community well, but many factors have prompted the community foundation’s board of directors to begin thinking about next steps.  These factors include sustainability, community involvement, and community investment.

 

The board of directors of any nonprofit organization has three primary legal duties known as the “duty of care,” “duty of loyalty,” and “duty of obedience.”  Looking at the “duty of care,” board members have the responsibility to ensure an organization has adequate resources and that it manages those resources effectively.  Using this as part of the decision-making process, it was determined that potential capital expenditures associated with the current location make it less fiscally sustainable. The board will look for a well-suited location that supports the operational sustainability of the foundation and promotes good stewardship of the foundation’s resources.

 

The board is beginning the process of evaluating potential locations.  The hope is that the location will be in, or within walking distance of, a community’s population center thereby promoting greater connectivity between the foundation and the community where it is located.  This can increase both the foundation’s involvement in the community and the community’s awareness of the foundation.  The board is also looking at the potential of investing in more than one dedicated space in order to maintain its presence in the current community along with other areas in the county.  This investment could make strides towards lessening some of the gaps identified by stakeholders during focus groups and surveys conducted by the community foundation in 2019. These gaps included bridging educational opportunity with economic opportunity, early childhood education & child care, and housing. The forming of the early childhood coalition, Noble Thrive by 5, by CFNC, Noble County EDC, and United Way is a step in that direction. The foundation hopes to invest in a current community asset with the intention of enhancing the asset’s value to the community.  Lastly, the foundation is researching the potential uses of the current property to see how it could best benefit the community foundation, Ligonier, and Noble County.

 

The mission of the Community Foundation of Noble County is to improve the quality of life in Noble County by serving as a catalyst for positive change, enabling donors to carry out charitable intent, and making grants. The foundation’s board and staff greatly appreciate all that the current location has provided over the past 20 years.  Now, they are excited to see how a new location will support the community foundation in its role as a community leader and positively impact Noble County moving forward.

 

2022 Top Honor Students Interviewed

The Community Foundation of Noble County recently interviewed ten top honor students in the final phase of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship nomination process for Noble County.  These students were selected to interview based on their applications submitted in September to the community foundation which were reviewed by a panel of judges representing the central, east and west part of Noble County.

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship provides four years of full-tuition and required fees awarded to one well-rounded high school senior who resides in Noble County, who will receive a diploma from an accredited Indiana high school by the end of June 2022, and will pursue a full-time baccalaureate course of study at an accredited public or private college or university in Indiana. Community Foundation of Noble County also requires community service, volunteerism, extra-curricular activities, leadership roles and honors and awards and at least a 3.80 high school grade point average.

Students interviewed were:
Kolton Bailey – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
AnnaBella Brown – Canterbury High School
Audrey Brumbaugh – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Diego Flores – West Noble High School
Aletha Hoover – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Jackson Hoover – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Will Hoover – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Seth Knepper – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Christopher Miller – West Noble High School
Joshua Prater – East Noble High School

Names of the top candidates will be submitted to Independent Colleges of Indiana, Inc for final selection of the recipient. ICI is a nonprofit organization that represents 29 regionally accredited, degree-granting, nonprofit, private colleges, and universities in the state.  The Noble County recipient of the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship will be announced in early December 2021. Finalists not selected for the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship will receive a $1,000 scholarship from the Community Foundation of Noble County

The Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships are the result of a statewide Lilly Endowment initiative to 1) to help raise the level of educational attainment in Indiana; 2) to increase awareness of the beneficial roles Indiana community foundations can play in their communities; and 3) to encourage and support the efforts of current and past Lilly Endowment Community Scholars to engage with each other and with Indiana business, governmental, educational, nonprofit and civic leaders to improve the quality of life in Indiana generally and in local communities throughout the state. A total of 143 Lilly scholarships are awarded statewide.

Pictured from top left are: Kolton Bailey, AnnaBella Brown, Audrey Brumbaugh, Diego Flores, Aletha Hoover, Jackson Hoover, Will Hoover, Seth Knepper, Christopher Miller and Joshua Prater.

2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Interviews

2022 Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship Interviews – Tuesday, October 19, 2021 at 6 pm at the Community Foundation of Noble County, 1599 Lincolnway South, Ligonier IN.

Students selected to interview:
Kolton Bailey – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
AnnaBella Brown – Canterbury High School
Audrey Brumbaugh – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Diego Flores – West Noble High School
Aletha Hoover – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Jackson Hoover – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Will Hoover – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Seth Knepper – Central Noble Jr/Sr High School
Christopher Miller – West Noble High School
Joshua Prater – East Noble High School

Students should arrive between 5:30 pm and 5:45 pm. Please do not arrive sooner than 5:30 pm.
Students should dress appropriate for the interview as if it is for a job.  Interviews will start at 6 pm with the six judges.  Interviews may last until 9 pm.  If you have a school obligation that evening, please let us know as soon as possible.  We will do our best to accommodate your need to leave early.

  • Social distancing will be practiced, and masks are optional.
  • Feel free to park in front of the building around the circle drive – just pull your vehicle over to the side so other cars can pass.
  • Students don’t need to prepare anything in advance. You will know the answers to the questions we ask.
  • Light snacks and sandwiches will be available before or after for students. However, feel free to eat something before you arrive.
  • Please bring a photo/senior photo with your name, contact information, college major, college choice (if known) with you. We will also take individual photos.  If you forget to bring one, that is okay. It can be emailed to Jennifer@cfnoble.org
  • Students are asked to leave the building once their interview is over.