“Little did anyone know, least of all class organizer Theodore Dann, that the New Castle High School graduating class of 1924’s decision to set up a small endowment with $100 would be the beginning of what is now the Henry Country Community Foundation,” is the start of a brief history of what is today a $22 million community foundation. Several other small funds were started as a result of that initial fund and by the late 1930s there were $25,000 in assets. By the 1950s the funds had grown to $75,000.
Today a giant oak of a community foundation has grown from that $100. With $22 million in assets, the foundation last year received gifts from 1,300 people totaling almost $700,000, gave out 404 grants totaling $650,000 and most importantly is positively altering the landscape in Henry County, IN (population 47,809).
Community Foundations are one of the best assets that a community can develop. I’ve seen numerous examples in my travels of the impact they can have.
What acorns are you planting today? Wouldn’t you love to be the Theodore Dann of your community?
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1 comment:
Thats my grandpa!!
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