Community Foundation of Jackson County Honors Donors and Celebrates Community Impact at 2017 Annual Event
MAQUOKETA, Iowa — The Community Foundation of Jackson County (CFJC) celebrated a successful year of community impact with donors, nonprofits leaders and community partners at its annual event on Thursday, November 16, at the Decker House in Maquoketa, Iowa.
The event celebrated many Foundation successes, including $334,000 in endowment payouts that will support the needs of Jackson County nonprofits.
“Jackson County has so many caring people who really make a difference for our community,” said CFJC Executive Director Mary Jo Gothard. “We appreciate the greater good that happens throughout Jackson County because of their generosity.”
Jackson County donors, nonprofits and businesses have created funds at CFJC, growing total assets to $8.4 million dollars. Last year, the Foundation made grants and scholarships totaling $651,000.
The event honored local donors Steve and Elaine Kahler, who supported expansion efforts to bring Vision To Learn, nonprofit that offers free vision screenings and glasses to kids, to Jackson County. During the 2016-2017 school year, the Vision To Learn mobile clinic provided 135 Jackson County students with free screenings. Those requiring a prescription (74) each received two free pairs of glasses—one to keep at school and one to take home. The pilot program was supported by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Theisen’s Home*Farm*Auto, Klauer Optical, and the Kahlers.
Gothard also recognized three retiring members of the board Darwin Schipper, Chris Nissen, and Kerry Schepers for their gifts of time, talent, and treasures. She also introduced three new board members who will join the Foundation in 2018: Ann Burns, Tom Feuerbach and Luanne Huckstadt.
Guest speaker, Nancy Van Milligen, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (CFGD), highlighted recent successes since CFJC affiliated with CFGD in 2012, including the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, Parks to People, and Heart & Soul.
“I really believe that our partnership makes our region stronger,” said Van Milligen. “Thanks to an anonymous donor grant Dubuque’s Campaign for Grade-Level Reading expanded to Jackson County, improving the reading skills of hundreds of local students. In Bellevue, Heart & Soul will encourage job creation and retention, rural philanthropy, youth engagement and a culture of entrepreneurship. Parks to People will work to connect state parks and create trails for a more vibrant community. And efforts are underway to meet the urgent need of childcare in Jackson County.”
In addition, Darwin Schipper, board president, announced grants totaling $84,000 to the following nonprofits and programs:
- ISU Extension and Outreach of Jackson County - $25,000
Together We Build: Jackson County Fair & Extension/4-H Outreach Center - St. Stephen's Food Bank - $9,000
Backpack Food Distribution in Jackson County - Jackson County Campaign for Grade-Level Reading - $8,000
Summer Adventure 2018 - Maquoketa FFA Alumni - $8,000
Maquoketa Agricultural Learning Center - City of Bellevue - $7,000
Cole Park Playground Project - LaMotte Area Advancement - $7,000
Pump Up The Playground - Ohnward Fine Arts Center - $4,500
Light Up My Life! - Maquoketa Farmers Market - $2,500
2018 Food Bank Voucher Program - Philanthropy Board in Jackson County Fund - $2,500
Youth Grantmaking - Jackson County Food Donation - $15,000
Support to Six County Food Pantries - Maquoketa Alternative Classroom - $500
The MACnificent Cafe
These grants were supported by Iowa’s County Endowment Fund Program. This initiative, unique to Iowa, makes grants to create a strong community foundation infrastructure in 84 counties like Jackson that do not hold state-issued gaming licenses. The CFJC grants out 75 percent of these funds and invests the remaining 25 percent in a permanent endowment that generates interest to be distributed in future years.
Community foundations are charitable organizations that administer funds to benefit their communities and improve the lives of people in their geographic region. Nonprofit organizations and community members can create endowment funds at CFJC to benefit charitable causes. These funds are invested and pay out five percent annually to the designated nonprofits, providing a reliable source of income to sustain organizations’ operations forever.
Gifts to endowment funds at the Community Foundation are eligible for the Endow Iowa 25 Percent State Tax Credit. Community members can contribute to more than 200 endowment funds established by nonprofits throughout Northeast Iowa, which provide sustainable sources of income for these essential community service organizations.
For more information, visit www.dbqfoundation.org/CFJC.
The Community Foundation of Jackson County was established in 1982 as the Maquoketa Area Foundation to help individuals throughout Jackson County make a positive impact on the communities they care about. From a humble beginning consisting of $3,000 in donations, a seven-member volunteer board created a nonprofit organization to accept donations and bequests and make grants back to the community. In 2012, it joined the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque as an affiliate foundation. To learn more, visit www.dbqfoundation.org/cfjc.