If you ever doubt that just one idea can make a profound impact for the community in which you live, read on! In the summer of 1990, Dr. John Birdzell was summering at his vacation home in Michigan. The town where he was living had something they called a community foundation. The idea intrigued him and, upon further research, he found it to be a way that people could work together to benefit their community forever.
Dr. Birdzell brought this idea to Crown Point and arranged a meeting with some friends from the Crown Point Rotary Club. Harold Wheeler, Joe Nerney, Tim Sendak, Mike Grant, Larry Rouge, Herman Barber, and his son John Birdzell were in attendance. He explained how a foundation would allow people to make charitable gifts. Those gifts would then be collected and invested and the income generated would benefit their community forever! Harold Wheeler made the initial investment of $1,000. Those founding members bought stationary, stamps, and business cards and in August 1990, founded the Crown Point Community Foundation.
So what is a community foundation? First, donors can make a charitable gift in any amount. Those gifts and the gifts of others are pooled together to form the principal that will generate investment income. The goal is to grow the base fund with a portion of the growth designated for distribution to various local causes.
Pat Huber, President of the Crown Point Community Foundation credits the good management of funds for the foundation’s success. “Can you imagine that something you do today will still be having an impact 1,000 years from now?” asks Huber. “That is what endowment building is all about. We have transformed an initial gift of $1,000 in 1990 and other gifts throughout the years into a community foundation that is now worth close to $24 million!”
The impact on the community is as impressive as the growth of the foundation. To date, the Crown Point Community Foundation has given away just under $8 million. The foundation uses the money distributed each year in a variety of ways. They award scholarships to high school students. They have a scholarship program for women over the age of 21 who wish to return to school. They also help underwrite the Symphony on the Lawn, which draws thousands who listen to classical music on a summer evening at no charge. This year, the performance will be on Saturday, July 25, 2015. One of the biggest impacts they make, however, is in awarding grants to local non profit organizations.
There are many ways that people make gifts using the Foundation. Gifts can made to the Unrestricted Fund. Money placed in this fund is distributed by the Foundation to where they see the most need. Gifts can also be made to a Restricted Fund. In this case, the donor chooses a particular organization that they would like to benefit with the income from their gift.
Donors can either make individual gifts or combine their gifts with those of others. One way of combining gifts is the “Women’s Giving Circle Fund: The Power of the Purse”. Any woman can belong to this group. All they have to do is make a gift to that fund either monthly, quarterly or annually. Each year, one half the income from this fund will go to the Unrestricted Fund and the other half will be distributed to local organizations. The decision as to who benefits is made by the members at a summer luncheon. There are currently over 75 women who are members of this group.
“Oftentimes, women’s causes are chosen. For me, it’s very meaningful to be part of a group of women that helps women in need,” says Sally Nalbor, a member of the Women’s Giving Circle. In the past 10 years, this Fund has paid out over $80,000 directly to local organizations.
“Beyond the gift giving, we really pride ourselves on being a connector for the community,” says Huber. “For the past six years, we have hosted a Volunteer Fair. This introduces community members to many local organizations and to the volunteer opportunities that these organizations have available.” This year, over 70 organizations will be represented and over 300 people are expected to attend. This year’s Volunteer Fair will be held on Saturday, March 7th, 2015, from 10 am – 3 pm at the Crown Point High School Cafeteria.
“At a recent board meeting, we asked ourselves how Crown Point would look had their not been a Foundation,” said Huber. “It’s not that students would not attend college without us, but we have certainly eased the burden for so many students in paying their tuition. Non profit organizations would still exist, but perhaps they would not be able to help the community as much without us,” explains Huber. “There would not he a Volunteer Fair and most likely would not be a Symphony on the Lawn.” The effects of the Foundation are seen all around Crown Point, from the Courthouse to the Bike Trail to the hundreds of non profits helped each year.
What is next for the Foundation? “This year, we are giving away $25,000 to celebrate our 25th Anniversary! Anyone with their own Fund will be included in a monthly drawing with the winner receiving $1,000 towards the charity of their choice. In addition, anyone making a donation in any particular month will be entered into a monthly drawing and two winners will receive $500 towards the charity of their choice.”
The Crown Point Community Foundation is for everyone. “Please do not be intimidated or think that you have to have a lot of money to make a difference,” encourages Huber. “For as little as $25, you can change your community for the better!
For more information on how you can get involved, please call the Foundation’s office at (219) 662-7252. You can also find them on Facebook as well as visit their website at http://www.thecpcf.org/.