Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
At the Fellowship Missions’ annual celebration on Oct. 20, Fellowship Missions and Kosciusko County Community Foundation (KCCF) announced the creation of the Fellowship Missions All For Love Endowment Fund, a fund that will provide a consistent, annual stream of revenue that Fellowship Missions can use for building renovations, maintenance, equipment and furnishings.
KCCF announced a $600,000 matching grant that will match every dollar raised for the endowment with a dollar that Fellowship Missions can use for the “right now” capital needs of their women’s and children’s home and next step housing. The matching grant was made possible through dollars KCCF received through Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) IX initiative.
Fellowship Missions will use the “right now” grant from KCCF to support three important housing priorities, including:
• Paying off the mortgage of Thrive Farm, a home for women and children.
• Remodeling Thrive Farm to better meet the needs of the families who call it home.
• Purchasing property for a women’s next step home.
Today, Fellowship Missions provides emergency shelter for 46 individuals. Thrive Farm is expected to add space for 12 to 15 more individuals, while offering women and children a more home-like environment as they work toward a stable future.
At Thrive Farm, and eventually, a next step home, residents will have opportunities to build life skills, prepare for employment, access mental health support and develop tools needed to move toward independence, according to a news release from KCCF.
“This match provides Fellowship Missions with an amazing opportunity to meet our current needs while investing for the needs of the future through endowment ensuring that we can fulfill our mission to serve for generations to come,” said Eric Lane, executive director of Fellowship Missions.
“Housing remains one of our top strategic priorities,” said Stephanie Overbey, CEO of the Community Foundation. “We are grateful for Lilly Endowment’s investment in our community and for Fellowship Missions’ commitment to creating safe, supportive places where neighbors in need can find hope and help.”
GIFT IX is part of Lilly Endowment’s statewide initiative to strengthen Indiana community foundations’ ability to improve quality of life in their communities. Through GIFT IX, the Endowment has awarded matching grants totaling $124.5 million to community foundations serving Indiana counties, helping them grow financial resources and support high-priority community projects and programs.
Kosciusko County Community Foundation Inc. is a public charity whose mission is to bring caring people and charitable endeavors together to inspire generosity and strengthen communities. The Community Foundation grants over $4 million annually in the areas of education, health, arts and culture, recreation, civic projects, environment and human services. Gifts made to the Community Foundation are tax-deductible. For more information, visit www.KCFoundation.org, call 574-267-1901 or visit 102 E. Market St., Warsaw.
Fellowship Missions serves individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Kosciusko County through emergency shelter, next step housing and supportive programs that help residents move toward stability and independence.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, it remains especially committed to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
