This note was included in our May e-newsletter, which can be found here: https://conta.cc/3eyzXuq
I hope this newsletter finds you well as we all adjust to a new world. When the scope of this global pandemic became apparent in mid-March, the Steuben County Community Foundation board of directors made some quick and important decisions. Emergency bylaws were drafted and approved allowing the board to efficiently conduct business. The SCCF staff was uprooted nearly overnight and now are working from multiple corners of the community. We have transitioned all of our work to a (temporarily) remote operation and will continue as long as necessary. This means that scholarships are being processed, grants are being paid, and we’re hard at work to connect generous donors with important community needs. We look forward to seeing donors and guests at the SCCF office once we reopen in Stage 4 of Governor Holcomb’s Back on Track Indiana plan, currently scheduled for June 15.
In March, we shared that the SCCF board activated the Steuben County Disaster Response Fund to support Steuben County nonprofits navigating and responding to the impacts of COVID-19 in our community. Since then, SCCF has provided a grant of $50,000 from this fund to support Cameron Memorial Community Hospital. FIST members directed 15 small grants to local nonprofits for operating relief. Generous donor advised fund holders awarded proactive grants to a few of the nonprofits who were among the hardest hit by COVID-19. Since the fund was established in March, community members have contributed more than $87,000 to this fund, and a grant from Indiana United Ways and Lilly Endowment Inc. provides a total of more than $325,000 in the Disaster Response Fund. SCCF is partnering with the Steuben County United Way to deploy grants efficiently and effectively. There is more work to be done, but we have a good baseline started thanks to our generous donors, volunteers, and board members.
Our hearts go out to all who have suffered as a result of the pandemic. We thank you for your understanding of the current situation, and your continued belief in the power of giving where you’re living. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions you may have.
Jennifer Danic
SCCF President and CEO
260-665-6656
jdanic@steubenfoundation.org
