Your Impact Quarterly - Spring 2022

A magazine from The Community Foundation

Letter from the Foundation President

Dear Friend of the Foundation, This year The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation is celebrating its 30th anniversary. That’s 30 years of improving the quality of life for all in the community and 30 years of lasting community impact. It’s because of you the Foundation has grown and been able to make the difference it has.

What does 30 years of a community foundation look like?

For us, it’s:

• 6,500 donors – from $1 to entire estates, each person has made a difference in Hancock County.

• 10,500 grants – to all corners of the community for a variety of projects, changing lives with every dollar.

• 2,000 volunteers – beyond board members and committee members, hundreds of scholarship reviewers per year.

• All of these add up to countless lives changed and… $70 million granted.

That $70 million is more than most can fathom, but it's so much more than just a dollar figure. It represents the legacies of hundreds of donors who included us in their estate plans, championed their cause and supported their choice nonprofit through the Foundation. It also represents many crucial programs and projects around the community: downtown revitalization, Community Heart & Soul, The Family Center, flood mitigation and many more, including the Handbags That Help women’s giving circle which you’ll read about in this edition of Your Impact Quarterly.

Be on the lookout for a story walk around the community to hear more about the notable people in our past, projects we’ve invested in and more. Be sure to join us June 15 at the Annual Celebration to see it in-person. Additionally, we’ll be celebrating our first 30 years on Founders Day on August 18. Look for invitations to both coming soon. We’ve accomplished so much in our first 30 years, with even more to come. See you at the Annual Celebration!

Yours in service, Brian P. Treece, Ed.D. President & CEO – The Community Foundation

Table of Contents

Fifteen Years of Building Strong Families

The Handbags That Help Story

By Joy Brown

Back in 2008, a $3,400 gift from the then-new philanthropic group Handbags That Help (HTH) made possible a “Summer of Science” program offered for youth residing at a Findlay apartment complex that served financially struggling families. The organization’s other inaugural grants included $23,742 to purchase audio and visual recording equipment for two interview rooms at the Center for Safe and Healthy Children, and $26,858 that provided partial support for a Habitat for Humanity Findlay/Hancock County women’s build. That $54,000 giving total, handed out during the Great Recession when so many were in dire financial straits, represented a powerful philanthropic punch for an organization with such a deceptively unassuming name.

Few organizations have arguably had as diverse of a regional assistance impact within the past decade and a half as HTH. Launched as a women’s giving circle, it has provided more than $620,000 to help children, families, individuals, and organizations, thereby changing the community landscape and lives for the better. Working mostly out of the public limelight, the group functions by pooling its money and reaching consensus about which giving areas it wants to focus on annually. Some additional recipients have included:

• $6,000 to help 20 students attend the Arts Partnership of Greater Hancock County’s then-new Summer Arts camp in 2014.

• $21,215 to Century Health in 2011 for Overcoming Barriers to Addiction Program.

• $8,000 to Jacobs Primary School for “Kid Whisperer” training in 2019.

• $23,945 to Raise the Bar in 2018 to support the implementation of Leader In Me in local schools.

• $8,000 to Family Resource Center of Northwest, Ohio in 2012 to support its Adolescent Suicide Prevention Project.

Original membership group 2007-2008

Grant amounts over the years have ranged from $1,700 to $38,000, and have addressed area needs pertaining to literacy, health, housing, abuse and poverty prevention, transportation, education and more. The group's most recent gifts in 2022 went toward improving family rooms at a shelter, outdoor education space for local schools and more.

Purses with Potential

According to original member Mary Beth Hammond, who served as the group’s first chair, former TCF President Barb Deerhake developed and furthered the idea for a local giving group comprised of highly motivated individuals who desired to make a difference. “Women’s giving circles were popping up all over the country and we wanted to be part of it,” said Hammond. “The influence of our pocketbooks is what got us started on the ‘handbags’ name, and it just stuck,” she said. Leaders whom Deerhake drew together then reached out to women they knew. More friends with big hearts were asked to join. Membership rapidly increased.

Hammond remembers being thrilled to be asked to participate. “My mother was always an avid volunteer, and it gave me a great sense of satisfaction to be at the start of something I think made her proud,” noted Hammond, who went on to serve as chair for a second consecutive year, and chaired HTH’s grant committee.

Members celebrate with first Foundation president Barb Deerhake.

Sheree Wagner, who joined during the 2014-2015 grants year, said HTH gave her additional incentive to extend the volunteerism energy and skills she had cultivated when her daughters were in school. Along with helping others in need of various resources, she soon realized the group was helping her in unforeseen ways, too. The work, she maintained, continuously divulges striking information that engenders greater perspective on this community’s struggles, strengths, and resilience. There are compelling stories at every turn, making HTH’s purpose both challenging and rewarding.

“Each year there are so many projects and people that pull at your heartstrings,” emphasized Wagner. She was hard-pressed to pick just one that has impressed her the most. Hancock Christian Clearing House’s Happy Feet project received $25,000 “to help put shoes on the feet of children so they could go to school with proper footgear, not just wearing flip flops well into cold weather,” she said. Habitat for Humanity’s work that “keeps people in their homes and teaches them how to take responsibility for their home is huge. The Leader in Me program continues to make its mark in our schools and is contributing to make a future community we live in better. Open Arms’s domestic violence shelter’s program to help abused children get help within our community instead of being sent out of town for that help is unbelievably important,” she continued.

Julie Anderson, an original member, said HTH’s Center for Safe and Healthy Children grant that purchased audiovisual equipment profoundly resonated with her. The equipment reduced the practice of having children repeatedly tell their stories of abuse for legal evidence purposes, and better captures the sensory expressions of those who are understandably quiet and hesitant to share their traumatic experiences, she explained.

Additionally, Anderson said HTH grants continue to serve as supplemental funding sources and as a creative impetus for regional nonprofits that are typically constrained by the more stringent federal and state grant proposal rules. Instead of having to shape their appeals around grant-specific standards, groups supported with HTH money use those dollars for their own tailored outreach. This flexible and generative process “lets them dream a little bit” about ways they could expand their services, Anderson said.

Familial Focus

Concurrently, HTH over the years has refined to target efforts that “build strong families,” added Anderson. This provides a more general funding framework with a spotlight on multigenerational cohesion and success. “We have developed our priorities. We’re growing and changing all the time,” Anderson said.

The organization's 2020-2021 giving year was instrumental and reflects that familial focus. “During an exceptionally tough financial year for many due to Covid and the inability for some people to continue with their jobs we were able to keep families from being evicted from their homes,” Wagner pointed out. “These were people who had never asked for help before and fell through the cracks of the government funds that were available. These are families that were not uprooted from their homes and were given the relief of knowing they had a place to live.”

In some ways, family is literally a part of HTH. For instance, Wagner and one of her daughters joined after another daughter, Nikki Matheny, did. Matheny has gone on to be selected as this giving season’s incoming chair.

From an internal standpoint, members describe HTH as energizing and moving. Being a part of a group with like-minded, dedicated, and dynamic individuals who are all working together toward a common altruistic purpose is an experience like no other, they maintain.

“It’s so motivating to see a group of women in a community come together” to accomplish important goals and to learn more, Matheny said. Opinions on which endeavors to support can conflict but are strong, well informed, and geared toward effective stewardship. Dialogue and debate are essential, and comradery always prevails.

Members attend an outdoor afternoon meeting in 2015.

The group’s grant committee thoroughly vets annual proposals through stringent research and site visits, and each HTH member has grant decision-making buy-in. Established organization efforts are supported as are start-up programs and worthy newcomers that aim to provide help that is adaptive and relevant to the current times. Matheny pointed out that seed money for efforts like the locally available Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a literacy program that provides free books to children, helps establish sustainable resources.

“Handbags That Help encompasses everything I am passionate about from building strong families to women powerfully pooling their funds together to make a significant impact in the community,” said Tasha Dimling, a former chair and current TCF liaison who joined HTH in 2012.

Dimling said each grant has resonated with her “because family is one of my most treasured values” but that the group’s $30,000 gift to ADAMHS, to help create a Hancock County Trauma-Informed Learning Community, is one that particularly stands out. “That grant experience, process, and

Members learn together at a round table in 2015.

Attendees at the kick-off meeting in 2007.

result was significant to me, because of the positive effect it would have on the treatment of our community members,” she said.

Wagner credits HTH’s success and longevity to its membership. “It takes a strong community to keep an organization going and relevant,” Wagner said. “This is an organization of strong women willing to give of their time, their money, and their many abilities to make a difference in the day-to-day lives of people in their community. If you want something done, give it to women to do, and they will rise to the challenge.”

Handbags that Help now has 141 members and welcomes more. An individual membership is $500 per year or groups of up to five women can combine their resources to come up with the $500 total. All proceeds go toward grant assistance. The annual membership drive takes place from April through July. There are four meetings each year (attendance is optional) and there are opportunities for learning and committee service.

For more information, visit www.community-foundation.com/impact/handbags-that-help

“

I am inspired by the women who are members of Handbags That Help; they are smart, discerning, and savvy. The women’s giving circle has a diverse group of ladies who each bring an important perspective and voice to our grant-making decisions.

Tasha Dimling

The original Guiding Circle members pictured with kick-off speaker Claire Guadiani.

New Funds of the Foundation

The latest funds established by generous philanthropists and organizations in the community.

James W. Baughman Fund

This fund was established to support Mr. Baughman's charitable giving.

Denise Bowsher Bigelow Hill Memorial Scholarship

The Denise Bowsher Bigelow Hill Memorial Scholarship was established in 2022 in honor and memory of Denise Bowsher. The scholarship will benefit a graduate of a Hancock County high school who also graduated from Bigelow Hill School.

Paul H. Casebolt Veterans Fund

This fund, established by Paul H. "Casey" Casebolt, will support veteran programs, projects and services in Hancock County.

Domke Family Fund

This fund was established by the Domkes to support their charitable giving.

Jerry and Carolyn Droll Memorial Scholarship

This fund was established by Chris and Gregg Ward and their family to honor Jerry and Carolyn's legacy of hard work and family, to honor their memory as loving parents and grandparents. This scholarship will benefit students who want to have a career in the trades, such as HVAC, diesel mechanics, plumbing, welding, construction, etc.

Findlay High School Class of 1970 Memorial Scholarship

At the 50th Reunion, the FHS Class of 1970 established the Findlay High School Class of 1970 Memorial Scholarship to support future Findlay High School graduates.

The Hadde Family Fund

This fund was established by Paul and Ann Hadde to support their family's charitable giving.

Dr. John Halkyard Science Fund

This fund was established in honor of Dr. John Halkyard to support teaching science or providing sciencerelated activities at Findlay High School.

John and Kay Livingston Fund

This fund was established by the Livingstons to support their charitable giving.

James and Susan Mennel Family Fund

This fund was established by the Mennels to support their charitable giving.

Hal and Peggy Moore Fund

This fund was established by the Moores to support scholarships at Eastwood Educational Foundation and the University of Findlay

The Moul Family Children's Fund

This fund was established by the late James Moul to promote and provide for the health of children, including but without limitation: medical needs, shelter and food on an emergency basis.

Neumeister Family Fund

Jerry Sprouse has been a servant leader at Christian Clearing House for more than 20 years. In that time he's served as a board member and board president and chaired many committees. In honor of Jerry's commitment, College First Church of God donated the seed funds to establish this endowment fund.

Kim and Chuck Stumpp Family Fund

The Stumpp Family established this fund to support their charitable giving.

Glenda and Paul Treece Family Scholarship

The Treece family established this scholarship in 2021 to honor Glenda and Paul Treece. The scholarship will benefit a graduate of a Hancock County high school who demonstrates participation in community/ volunteer service.

James R. and Patricia A. Wall Family Fund for the Marathon Performing Arts Center

This fund was established by the late James Wall to support the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, of which James was a longtime supporter.

Herb and Jeanette Wannemacher Family Scholar-Athlete Scholarship

This scholarship will support a male and female student of Ottoville High School who is involved in sports, including team trainers, managers and cheerleaders.

Chris and Gregg Ward Fund

This fund was established by the Wards to support their charitable giving.

Grants Awarded in February

At the February meeting,

The Community Mental Health Fund has reached...

$1 million!

Thank you to each and every donor, supporter and champion of this cause. The Community Mental Health Fund will now distribute approximately $45,000 per year to support programs and operations of nonprofit agencies providing services to improve emotional and mental health, including substance use prevention and services, to residents of Findlay and Hancock County, Ohio. Visit community-foundation.com to read more about this milestone and watch the announcement video.

Nonprofit Spotlight

Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services

During the pandemic, domestic violence increased by an estimated 25-33% globally. Our local response agency

Open Arms has received grants from both Handbags That Help and the Foundation in the past. Consider the Open Arms Domestic Violence & Rape Crisis Services Fund at community-foundation.com to help to advance their mission of serving individuals affected by domestic violence and sexual assault through crisis intervention, emergency shelter, outreach, advocacy, prevention, and education.

Your support of their work is appreciated!

Finance Update

The Foundation’s pooled composite returns vs. the benchmark* as of December 31, 2021 were as follows:

• For the 1-year period, the Total Return was +11.6% vs. +13.0%.

• For the 3-year period, the Total Return was +15.4% vs. +15.1%.

•

For the 5-year period, the Total Return was +10.5% vs. +10.6%, and the Foundation’s Hurdle ROR** of 8.5%.

• For the 10-year period, the Total Return was +9.0% vs. +8.4%, and versus the Foundation’s Hurdle ROR of 7.7%.