What is the Starke County
Community Foundation?

What The Community
Foundation Can Do For You

Types of Endowment Funds to
Which You Can Contribute

How The U.S. Tax Code
Encourages Charitable Giving

Contact us

Foundation Funds

Agency Endowment Funds
Designated Funds
Donor Advised Funds
Field of Interest Funds
Non-Permanent Funds
Scholarship Funds
Unrestricted Funds
Complete list

Starke County Grants

Scholarships 2006
Lilly Scholars 2006
Fall Grants 2005
List from 1996 - 2005

More Information

2005 Summer/Fall Newsletter
Memorial Giving Sheet
Parents As Teachers

Starke Community, by Mitchell A. Markovitz, commissioned by the Starke County Community Foundation. Unveiled at the annual Fall Grants banquet on November 21, 2002, the poster is based on the Ludlow home in the historic 'Quality Hill' neighborhood in North Judson. For a closer look, and information on purchasing a copy, click here.

part of the NICF family

Website Hosting
Courtesy of Nitline.net

Grant Reception Highlights Giving and Receiving in Starke County

The Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Inc. (NICF) accepted the largest gift to date for the Starke County Community Foundation at the SCCF Fall Grant Reception held November 30, 2005 in Knox, Indiana.

The gift is an in-kind gift of real estate. The property is Rolling Dunes subdivision located on Toto Road between 700 east and 750 east. Rolling Dunes currently has 30 developed lots in Phase I of which nine have homes. Phase II is not yet developed but will add an additional 26 lots.

The donors are Roger and Sally Ciapara from Fruitport, Michigan. Previously Roger and Sally owned R.S.I. Wholesale, Inc., a multi-location building supply company in three states. In 1997, they sold the business to Allied Building Products Corporation. The Ciaparas still own the building located at the intersection of SR 10 and SR 39, East of North Judson.

Cherry Gumz, SCCF President and Bob Ax of 1st Source Bank

The NICF plans to sell the property as soon as possible. The proceeds from the sale will fund the Rosa of Indiana Endowment Fund established by the Ciaparas to benefit the following agencies in Starke County; Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Starke County Council on Aging and the Starke County Humane Society.

The Ciaparas' charitable intent is to aid needy families in Starke County and the Starke County Humane Society because of their love of animals. By establishing this fund, their gift will continue forever for the benefit of Starke County and its citizens.

Mat Swanson, NICF President, accepted the gift and expressed the Starke County Community Foundation's appreciation.

Bob Ax, Regional President of the Western District, First Source Bank presented Cherry Gumz, SCCF President, with a check for $25,000. This was in response to an anonymous donor's challenge match of $100,000. First Source has a Donor Advised Fund with the Starke County Community Foundation.

The Starke County Community Foundation awarded six local community organizations and charities with funds totaling over $19,900.00 from their Unrestricted Funds.

• The Art Circle Institute, Inc. was awarded $4,060.00 for art supplies for their Art 1000 Team Project.
• The Caring Place, Inc. received $1,321.00 for a copier for their Starke County office.
• Funds for new signs welcoming people to the town of San Pierre were given to the Center for Rural Outreach and Public Services, Inc. (CROPS) in the amount of $2,200.00.
• The Friends of the Erie JK Line received $4,450.00 to use toward the purchase of stone for the rail-trail project.
• Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum will use their grant of $6,190.00 for electric and brake work for their locomotives.
• St. Vincent De Paul Society received $1,700.00 to help them meet the needs of Starke County residents.

Currently the Starke County Community Foundation has over 50 endowment funds and assets totaling more than $2.5 million. The Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Inc. serves Fulton, Miami, and Starke Counties. The NICF's assets total more than $13.5 million.

For information about donor services provided by the Northern Indiana Community Foundation, Inc. and the counties it serves, contact Terri Johnson, Executive Director at 574-223-2227 or 877-432-6423.