Noble County Technology Fund

Donor Fund Story:

In the 1990s, NobleCAN was founded so that Noble County could have access to the Internet. After the private sector began serving Internet to Noble County, NobleCAN disbanded. However, the NobleCAN (Noble Community Access Network) board had to decide what to do with the remaining funds. Doris Goins, one of the board members, stated “NobleCAN board decided it would be beneficial to county residents to deposit all remaining funds into the Noble County Community Foundation (NCCF) when it disbanded, thus creating the Technology Fund.” Grace Housholder, another NobleCAN board member, stated, “We felt it was a good use of the money NobleCAN accumulated while serving the people of Noble County.”

The Technology Fund has limited funds, yet they are still able to fund projects. Goins states that the fund assists organizations such as Drug Free Noble County, Junior Achievement, Common Grace, Community Table, and The Crossing. Housholder writes, “We help with technology needs, in a limited way. But every little bit helps!”

The main founders of this fund included the NobleCAN board of directors: Doris Goins, Grace Housholder, Mike Gordon, Tom McConnell, Jennifer Steffey, and Jeff Stephens.

The goals of this fund include granting funds to non-profit and government agencies which need assistance in obtaining technology education, hardware, or software.

Goins states, “The nature of the community foundation allows our small fund to be incorporated into a much larger investment pool that would yield better returns than if invested solely by the NobleCAN board.” The Noble County Community Foundation, Inc. seeks to invest for the future.

Housholder said, “We felt the money would be invested well and grow. We knew the Noble County Community Foundation, Inc. would help publicize the fund and find suitable people/organizations to receive grants from the fund. We knew the Foundation was 100 percent trustworthy and safe.”

Housholder has been living in Noble County since she was 10. Her dad, George O. Witwer, is an influential person in her life. Mr. Witwer believes in community foundations and the role they play in the community at large.

Housholder said, “We and other members of our family agreed community foundations help our communities in untold ways. I am a long-time (30+ years) employee of KPC Media Group, a family-owned company. As an editorial writer/reporter/community volunteer, I have seen over and over again the good the foundation does.” Housholder appreciates Noble County for the people, organizations, and foundations.

Goins was born and raised in Celina, Ohio.  She and her husband were drawn to the Kendallville community in 1983, because it was “comparable in demographics to communities we had lived in previously.”  She is the former director of the Kendallville Public Library, former business owner of Loving Stitches, and is now a nationally certified quilt judge. She and her husband have one son who lives in Jasper, Indiana with his wife and infant daughter.

Goins said, “I’ve seen many wonderful changes to the community over the years which can be attributed to the action of its citizens. One of the best has been the establishment of the Noble County Community Foundation, Inc. which provides funding for so many excellent programs that benefit everyone in the community whether directly or indirectly.”

Goins appreciates Noble County because of the way the people “come together to solve problems and keep working to raise the standard of living for all the residents.”