Bill was two months shy of turning 100 years old when he passed away and bequeathed $12.5 million to PCCF, the largest gift in the Foundation’s history.

Bill left instructions in his will regarding how PCCF should distribute the funds. He had special relationships with two Porter County nonprofit organizations that he wished to support: the United Way and the Salvation Army. Through Bill’s bequest, the Ruth B. Jewell Fund for the United Way, honoring his mother, and the William H. Jewell Fund for the Salvation Army, honoring his father, were established.

An Indiana University Kelley School of Business graduate, Bill’s desire was to enable Porter County students to have this same educational opportunity. His gift also created an endowed fund for students pursuing an undergraduate degree in the Kelley School of Business called the Harriett Baxter Scholarship Fund, honoring his grandmother.

Anchored by Bill’s belief in investing in Porter County’s future and furthering education, the fourth endowed fund provided post-secondary funding for students starting at a very young age. This source of funds provided PCCF, in partnership with First Things First Porter County, the opportunity to launch Seeds of Promise, a fund for future education.

Beginning January 1, 2023, Seeds of Promise sets aside $100 for every baby born to a Porter County resident, as a head start toward their education beyond high school. The $100 gift serves as seed money for a 529 college savings account. The Seeds of Promise funds are held in an account administered by PCCF until a college choice direct 529 savings account is opened on behalf of the child. The $100 seed money is then gifted into the child’s account.  

This modest sum carries immense potential. Studies from Washington University show children with even small savings accounts are significantly more likely to pursue higher education; these children are three times more likely to enroll in college and more than four times more likely to graduate from college than those with no savings account. Additionally, when a mother is presented with this opportunity for her baby, symptoms of maternal depression decrease.

The program is free for anyone to sign up and only takes a few minutes to do so. In just over a year, Seeds of Promise has already touched the lives of hundreds of Porter County families.

The creation of Seeds of Promise is a testament to PCCF’s commitment to our community and embodies the Foundation’s guiding principle of strengthening the community through lasting generosity and leadership.

Since 1996, PCCF has partnered with community members to establish endowed funds that provide financial resources to nonprofits and student scholarships. Endowments are powerful tools for our community as they enable long-term growth and the sustainability to provide support to our community forever.

While many community members have deep roots with nonprofit organizations and want to create funds to ensure their long-term sustainability, there are community members that seek counsel from the PCCF board and staff about community needs. PCCF can work with anyone to help curate unique giving opportunities based on an individual’s specific interests, the needs of the community, or a mix of both.

To learn more about the Porter County Community Foundation or Seeds of Promise, please visit PCCF.gives. To enroll your baby in Seeds of Promise, go to FirstThingsPC.org/Savings and complete the enrollment form.

Strength in numbers — that’s the aim of community foundations across the Region to amplify impact and foster positive change.

It’s a strategy that can adapt as circumstances change, especially considering the needs of the community are continually shifting.

Whether it’s through building a strong educational foundation or by strengthening neighborhoods, Northwest Indiana foundations are evolving to meet the needs of its residents. Here is what some of the area’s local foundations are focusing on in 2024.

Capacity building

One of the greatest areas of need is capacity building within nonprofit organizations and local communities, says Kelly Anoe, president and CEO of Legacy Foundation.

“For nonprofit organizations, we help to build their capacity by providing training in areas that they identify as needed,” she said. “It could be in grant writing, board development, leadership development, strategic plan development, new software needs or other areas. We then tailor our training around what they identify as their greatest needs.”

During its next grant cycle, Legacy Foundation plans for a portion of available funds to go toward capacity building services.

“The Legacy Foundation serves Lake County, but we need to make sure our organization can be competitive on state and federal levels to access resources outside Lake County,” Anoe said. “If we can use our dollars to help the organizations leverage additional funding, we see that as an impactful way to use our funding.”

Early childhood literacy

Addressing challenges when it counts the most can help alleviate other issues down the road. That’s why Bill Higbie, president and CEO of the Porter County Community Foundation, says investing in early childhood education is key to making a difference in the community.

“It’s a very long-term approach,” he said. “One of the key things we learned is that 85% of brain development occurs in the first three years of life.”

It’s a critical time to provide the county’s youngest residents with the best start possible, he said.

“We thought if we could make a difference there we’d see an improvement in a variety of other areas and make the community healthier, more vibrant and better overall,” Higbie said.

The First Things First Porter County initiative is a community effort to support families, healthy beginnings and quality early learning for every Porter County baby. Through funding from the Lilly Endowment, the Porter County Community Foundation has helped provide access to prenatal and postpartum health care for mothers, preventive and comprehensive care for infants, family support, and quality early learning for children 0 to 3 years old.

“We were able to pair our own funding with their generosity and create this initiative that involves getting our youngest residents the best start possible,” Higbie said.

The Porter County Community Foundation is also partnering with the Porter County Public Library system and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to provide the funding needed to offer a free book to every child in the county ages 1 to 5.

“Reading is critical to brain development and we were surprised to learn that so many homes are without books, or have very few books,” Higbie said. “Getting books into the hands of young families goes along with our belief that getting it right when it counts the most is what we should be doing.”

The foundation also received an estate gift that allows the organization to set aside $100 for an educational savings account for any baby born to a Porter County family, Higbie said.

“Not only does this help financially, but it creates an ecosystem within the family where they know they have this resource that will help a child continue their education after high school,” he said.

Continued educational support

Supporting high performance outcomes in K-12 and higher education institutions is a continuing focus of the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation, executive director Bill Hanna said.

The organization is continuing its work with the Big Shoulders Fund, a Catholic Chicago-based organization that supplies elementary and high school students with academic support and scholarship opportunities. In 2019, the foundation contributed $16 million to the fund to extend programming to Northwest Indiana, specifically to 20 schools and 6,000 students within the Diocese of Gary.

“We’re really excited about this partnership and believe a lot of big things are going to come from that this year,” Hanna said.

This partnership has also played an important role in helping Aquinas Catholic Community School expand by securing funding for scholarships, federal lunch programs, curriculum materials and staff training.

The foundation has continued its work with Purdue University as well to launch a hospitality immersion program, create the Dean V. White Real Estate Finance program and continue furthering opportunities for students at the Mitchell E. Daniels Jr. School of Business.

Healthy neighborhoods

Through partnering with Crossroads YMCA and Boys and Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana, the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation is focused on strengthening the wellness and safety of neighborhood families.

A new $70 million Hammond Destination YMCA project will serve as a cornerstone attraction and once finished, will be three times larger than the current YMCA in the city. With state-of-the-art amenities and diverse programs, Hanna says an estimated 50,000 residents will benefit annually.

Last year, the foundation also committed $10 million toward Tolleston Opportunity Hub’s initiative, a new 40,000-square-foot facility that will include and connect the YMCA and Methodist Hospital. The facility will feature amenities like urban gardens, a central kitchen, pool, physical therapy, pharmacy and urgent care services.

Hanna said working with large community networks throughout Northwest Indiana allows the foundation to reach more people.

“Everybody deserves to have these things and have these opportunities,” he said.

Connecting communities

By strategically investing in Rise NWI, organizations like the Legacy Foundation are providing ongoing support to advance community causes and issues, Anoe said.

Rise NWI is the Legacy Foundation’s civic engagement program that offers opportunities to become civically engaged within a community. Through training and resources, residents can become advocates for improved quality of life in the Region.

Engagement can be one of the biggest challenges organizations like the Legacy Foundation face in addressing the region’s needs, Anoe said.

“We work with some of the most energetic and passionate people in our communities who are dedicated to making a positive change,” she said. “However, we often see the same people over and over again who come to the table through giving of their time, talent and resources.”

One of the challenges the organization faces is pulling in new people to have an even greater impact, she said.

“If we could get all community residents working together toward a common goal, could you imagine what a great impact we would collectively be able to achieve?” Anoe said.

Mobilizing philanthropy

Expanding the impact and reach of grants by becoming a data-informed organization is one of the Legacy Foundation’s strategic pillars moving forward. The organization recently adopted a new strategic plan that will lead to the launching of programs and initiatives this year, Anoe said.

To mobilize philanthropy, the Legacy Foundation is refining its grantmaking process to ensure the alignment with evolving needs of local organizations. It’s also using more data to understand community challenges, while identifying strategies to enhance scholarship application rates.

“We also have the opportunity to match donations that are made to our grant funds,” Anoe said. “If any donors want to make donations, we’re able to match those two to one.”

Other initiatives on the horizon

By working with government officials and organizations in rural areas, the Dean and Barbara White Family Foundation is looking at opportunities to expand its reach.

“We’ve been working with township trustees in the Shelby area,” Hanna said. “You’re going to be seeing a lot of activity there.”

The foundation is also continuing its work with the Multi Agency Academic Cooperative (MAAC) Foundation, which is a first responder training organization based in Northwest Indiana.

“We like the collaborative effort that also focuses on working with partners like the Y, hospital systems and schools to help train,” Hanna said. “That provides the opportunity for constant, positive interaction between health and safety officials and the general public.”

The Legacy Foundation is working on a new neighborhood leadership initiative similar to Neighborhood Spotlight, a collaboration that began in 2013 to help communities improve quality of life by building stronger partnerships, building organizational capacity, coordinating programs and leveraging external funding.

“I think the neighborhoods will be really excited,” Anoe said. “We will be officially announcing that later as we develop it.”

The Porter County Community Foundation is exploring the idea of supporting initiatives in the areas like transportation, affordable childcare and housing, Higbie said.

“We have some effective organizations working in those arenas, so we’re in conversations with them to see if that partnership could be beneficial,” he said. “We’re always responding to nonprofit organizations engaged with significant development projects so we can support those, ranging from animal causes to food pantries. We want to be as helpful as we can.”

In addition to giving as part of your estate planning, Anoe says there are several opportunities for residents to get involved in making a difference in their communities now.

“If you see there is a listening session or neighborhood forum by a local nonprofit, or a town hall meeting, show up to those events and meetings,” she said. “I think sometimes it can feel intimidating if you’ve never been involved or active before, but they’re such welcoming environments. People want to see new faces and hear new voices. It’s about showing up and making your opinion known.”

“When I was a young girl, I asked my father, ‘Why do you help so many people in our community?’” Suman said. “His reply, ‘You can have as much money in the bank as you’d like, but that money only helps you. When the money helps others, that is when it has value. Whatever we have, we must share.’”

From that day forward, her father’s message was not lost on her, but grew. And today, one only has to speak with Suman for a few minutes to learn philanthropy is at her core.

“As a member of this community, it is my responsibility to share a little bit of what I have for the benefit of others,” she said.

 And share she does, giving from her heart always for the benefit for others. 

Among the many local organizations she supports, the Porter County Community Foundation (PCCF) is grateful for her friendship. Like all relationships, her connection to the Foundation has grown over the years, from making an annual donation, to the establishment of several permanent endowment funds, benefiting the Valparaiso Family YMCA, Porter County Museum, Chesterton Art Center, and Valpo Parks Foundation.

The impetus: to ensure her community thrives. Forever.

“This is my community, and through the Community Foundation, I can support it in ways that I believe will make the most impact.” Suman said. “I have faith and trust in the Foundation that my gifts will go to where they can do the most good. I may not always be here, but my philanthropy will be.”

Suman gives from her heart, not so much for her own personal pride or legacy, but for the lasting effect and benefit of others.

“Agra will always have my heart, but Valparaiso is my home, and I want to see it thrive for generations to come. Like my father said, when the money helps others, that is where value comes into play.”

A businesswoman, philanthropist, and mentor, Suman’s love and pride for her community radiates, thanks to the selfless gifts she has established. PCCF appreciates Suman for entrusting the Foundation to carry out her wishes. By working together, we are able to “do the most good.”

For more information on how you can give like Suman, please contact the Foundation!

What is an IRA Charitable Rollover?

An IRA charitable rollover, also known as a qualified charitable distribution, enables those 70½ or older to transfer up to a limit of $111,000 in 2026 from their IRA to charities like PCCF.

Benefits for You

The benefits for you with an IRA charitable roll over are numerous. By directing your IRA funds to PCCF, you can significantly lower your taxable income, potentially pushing you into a lower tax bracket and saving you thousands of dollars. Individuals over 73 must take required minimum distribution (RMD) from their IRAs each year, so an IRA charitable rollover allows you to fulfill your RMD obligation while supporting worthy causes. Your contribution goes directly to PCCF and allows you to give to your favorite charitable organizations through a designated fund, maximizing its impact on the local community without incurring administrative fees. Additionally, establishing a named fund with PCCF creates a lasting impact on the causes you care about.

Georgia Bricker started a scholarship fund with her IRA.

Emily Remster utilized IRA funds to create an endowment for the Morgan Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Community Benefits

Your contribution helps PCCF address critical community needs in areas like education, healthcare, arts and culture, animal welfare, human services, and environmental protection. Funds reach vital local nonprofit organizations working tirelessly to improve the lives of Porter County residents. Your generosity fuels innovative solutions and sustainable programs creating a brighter future for the county.

Ready to Take Action?

The PCCF team is available to answer your questions and help you explore the potential benefits of an IRA charitable rollover. They can guide you through the process and tailor a giving strategy aligning with your financial goals and philanthropic aspirations.

An IRA charitable rollover is a win-win proposition. You gain tax advantages while making a meaningful  contribution to the well-being of your community. Consider using this strategic giving tool to leave a lasting legacy and build a stronger Porter County for everyone. We look forward to partnering with you and your professional advisor.

Make a difference and save on taxes. Call PCCF today!

Every day, people across Porter County depend on dozens of nonprofit organizations. They keep people fed, sheltered, educated, employed, and much more. Budgets are often tight for these essential organizations, and they depend on the support of generous community members to continue providing and expanding their services.

The Porter County Community Foundation (PCCF) is our county’s community foundation dedicated to partnering with individuals and organizations that would like to offer support to nonprofit organizations that matter to them and to provide leadership to our community.  Founded in 1996, PCCF uses the power of endowment funds to help generous, philanthropic individuals turn an initial gift into a perpetually expanding well of support for organizations and causes the donor cares about.

“Our guiding principle is strengthening our community through lasting generosity and leadership,” said Samantha Bean, director of marketing and communications for PCCF. “We are grateful to be in a position to bring together and facilitate conversations with passionate community members and nonprofits to help make our community an even better place to live and work. 

PCCF works with individuals and organizations that are interested in investing in our community through philanthropy. The aim is helping the prospective donor invest in the nonprofit missions that matter most to them. This is accomplished primarily by facilitating and pooling philanthropic donations through the creation of endowed, or permanent, funds. The focus is on the sustainability of local nonprofits to enhance the community. Prospective donors can add funding to existing funds or create new funds. Donors may choose to name the fund after their family or loved ones to honor them by establishing a legacy in their name. PCCF has endowed funds to support arts, animal welfare, education, the environment, human services, youth programs, and more. 

“We work with donors to find the best way to meet their charitable and financial goals,” Bean said. “An endowment is a tool for these generous people to support causes that matter to them, not just today but forever. That’s the purpose: to create and grow steady, predictable charitable resources that continue for generations to come.”

The funding made possible by the endowed accounts enables PCCF to offer grants and scholarship support. In 2023, PCCF awarded over $4,500,000 in grant funding to Porter County nonprofits and over $195,000 in scholarship support to local students for both college and vocational school. This shows the wide-range of giving options and, more importantly, the impact the work that community foundation is doing has on our community. 

PCCF grants help make possible many of the positive headlines you read about local nonprofits expanding their operations. One recent example is Hilltop Neighborhood House’s upcoming soup kitchen, which is already under construction.

“We awarded $60,000 in grants to Hilltop to support their Mission Kitchen,” Bean said. “The soup kitchen is scheduled to open in April, and it will be serving meals three days a week to the community. That’s powerful and highly needed.”

Over the course of PCCF’s history, there have been times when the community has identified a need or opportunity that required special attention. Two years ago, the PCCF board of directors saw an opportunity to enhance the work being done around early childhood education and launched First Things First Porter County (FTF). As a separate 501c3 nonprofit, FTF supports initiatives focusing on early childhood learning. In partnership with PCCF, FTF launched Seeds of Promise, a program where every baby born to a Porter County resident is automatically eligible for a $100 grant to be invested for their post-high school educational expenses. This program is funded through a permanent endowed account by PCCF. That is the beauty of the work that PCCF is doing; the funds raised are being used to impact and make a difference in our community in so many ways. 

“We’re always thankful for our donors and their incredible generosity,” Bean said. “We encourage anyone who wants to learn more to visit us online on our website or social media. You can also give us a call, and someone will be more than willing to speak with you. We have people call our office all the time saying, ‘I want to be charitable. How can I make that happen?’ and we help them.”

For more information about PCCF, visit PCCF.gives or call 219-465-0294.

Travis is a touring speaker, author, and motivational wellness educator who spent 14 years in the military and emergency services as a U.S. Marine, police officer, and firefighter, and he will be hosting an empowering course on leadership, mental wellness, and resiliency.

The First Responder Mental Health Initiative is guided by a leadership committee representing fire departments, law enforcement agencies, emergency medicine service professionals, hospital system leaders, clinicians, and chaplains.

President and CEO of the MAAC Foundation, Celina Weatherwax said, “We are incredibly grateful to the Porter County Community Foundation for their generous support. This grant will allow us to expand training opportunities and resources to include mental health and resiliency to continue positively impacting the first responder community.”

Constant exposure to traumatic events, life-threatening situations, working long hours away from family members, and living under high-stakes conditions all contribute to an increased risk of mental health conditions and suicide rates. Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression for firefighters and police officers are as much as five times greater than the general population, according to statistics posted by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

“First responder careers are known for being dangerous and physically demanding, but the conversation is just getting started about the mental and emotional challenges these roles present. Porter County Community Foundation is proud to support our first responders and this mental health initiative,” said President and CEO of PCCF, Bill Higbie.

About the MAAC Foundation

The MAAC Foundation is transforming the landscape of first responder training across Northwest Indiana, the state, and the country. With a comprehensive, inclusive campus, they provide access for all first responders, EMT personnel, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and K9 officers, to train at their state-of-the-art facility at no cost. The MAAC is a top provider of safety, emergency preparedness, and response training with more than 15 buildings, including classroom spaces, residential structures, a live burn building, a flashover chamber, and a 4-story tower. Additionally, the facility boasts over 40 tactical props spread across 30+ acres. For more information about the MAAC Foundation, please visit MAACfoundation.org. 

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library (DPIL) is dedicated to inspiring a love of reading by delivering high-quality books each month to the homes of children at no cost, and it is now available to the children of Porter County!

Who Can Sign Up?

Families can now register eligible children, Porter County residents aged zero to five years, on the DPIL website here. If more than one child under the age of five lives in a household, each child can be signed up and receive their own books.

How Does It Work?

Six to eight weeks after registration, each child will receive their first book, “The Little Engine That Could.” Books will continue to arrive in the mail monthly until the child’s fifth birthday, and every book is age-appropriate and hand-selected by the Imagination Library team. Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is available to all children, at no cost to the family, regardless of income.

How Was This Made Possible?

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Porter County is made possible by the support of the Porter County Community Foundation, the commitment from the State of Indiana to further support and grow early literacy education across Indiana, and the partnerships with First Things First Porter County, Porter County Public Library System and Westchester Public Library System.

“The Porter County Community Foundation, along with First Things First Porter County, is pleased to partner with our library systems to bring Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to our community.” said Bill Higbie, Porter County Community Foundation’s President and CEO. “The earlier we get books into the hands of kids, the better off we all will be.”

Interested donors and community partners that would like to help sponsor this program for years to come can donate to this remarkable program here.

A Little History

Since launching in 1995, DPIL has become the preeminent early childhood book-gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation, a non-profit organization, has gifted over 200 million free books in the US, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Ireland. This is achieved through funding shared by The Dollywood Foundation and local community partners. The Imagination Library mails more than 2.6 million high-quality, age-appropriate books directly to children’s homes each month. Dolly envisioned inspiring children to “Dream More, Learn More, Care More and Be More.”

The program’s impact has been widely researched, and results demonstrate its positive impact on early childhood development and literacy skills. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

HEBRON — Kylie Shurr was just born Jan. 2 but already has a $100 head start toward her college expenses, thanks to the new Seeds of Promise program administered by the Porter County Community Foundation.

Kylie’s father, Jon Shurr, found out about the program by reading a brochure at Northwest Health Porter, the hospital where Kylie was born.

“It didn’t seem like there was any downside to it,” he said, so he immediately registered her. “It will give her an opportunity for her education when she decides to further it.”

The application process is simple. “It took two to three minutes at most,” Jon said.

All it needed was basic information like name, address, date of birth and contact information.

About 20 to 30 minutes after Jon finished the online form, he got a phone call letting him and his wife, Kait Shurr, know that Kylie was the first baby registered under the program that began Jan. 1.

Foundation President and CEO Bill Higbie said he had hoped the children could be automatically enrolled, as is the case in some other communities across the nation, but Indiana law prohibits the health department from sharing any information about a birth without parental permission.

“The best practice is that it automatically happens,” Higbie said. “It’s somewhat disappointing. The easier you make it, the more participation you have.”

This is the first program of its kind in Indiana, Higbie believes.

The $100 is put into a 529 college savings plan administered by the foundation until the parents open their own account in the child’s name. The invested money will grow in value as the child grows up.

Parents are urged to contribute their own money toward their child’s future. The original $100 could grow to an estimated $500, depending on a lot of variables. That’s a guesstimate, not a guarantee, Higbie stressed.

Other than registration, the only requirement is that the baby be born to Porter County moms. Where the child is born doesn’t matter. A baby born in Porter County to a mom who lives outside the county doesn’t qualify.

Kylie’s siblings don’t qualify, either. The program began after they were born. Nor is there likely to be a younger brother or sister.

“She completes our family,” Kait said. “We have a boy and a girl, so she was the tiebreaker.”

“They love her and want to hold her all day and kiss her,” Kait said.

“She’s very calm, very laid back and very easygoing,” Kait said. “We’ve gotten lots of smiles.”

“She knows she’s got this savings account now,” Higbie said.

The money can be used for just about any educational purpose, including buying a computer for coursework,” he said.

Money for the program comes from a portion of the $12.5 million bequest by Bill Jewell. He had set aside more money than needed for scholarships to the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in Bloomington, so giving $100 to each Porter County baby born after Jan. 1 became possible.

A similar program, through the Indiana Youth Institute, puts $25 into a 529 account for kindergartners or first-graders, Higbie said.

Families of Porter County infants have until the child’s first birthday to register. Information is available at firstthingspc.org/savings.