Steuben County Community Foundation Celebrates Generosity, Community Impact at 2026 Annual Meeting

ANGOLA, Ind. — August 20, 2026 — Approximately 160 community members, donors, nonprofit partners and local leaders gathered Thursday for the Steuben County Community Foundation’s 2026 Annual Meeting, celebrating a year of generosity, grantmaking and collaboration across Steuben County.

The meeting highlighted SCCF’s 2026 fiscal year, which ran from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. During the year, 400 donors gave more than $1.85 million to permanent charitable funds. Those gifts remain invested for the long term, with earnings used to support charitable work in the community. SCCF also received more than $1.5 million in nonpermanent funds available for more immediate grantmaking.

SCCF ended the fiscal year with approximately $70 million in charitable assets — $65 million in permanent funds and $5 million in nonpermanent funds. The Foundation now administers 305 named charitable funds, including 11 new funds established during the past year.

During the fiscal year, SCCF granted $918,000 from permanent funds and $4.59 million from nonpermanent funds to more than 200 charitable organizations and initiatives. The higher-than-usual nonpermanent grant total included SCCF’s role in facilitating the financial aspects of the construction and completion of Sheets Family Park, which is now under the control and maintenance of the City of Angola.

The impact was also visible during the annual meeting itself, when SCCF distributed more than $350,000 in grants to local nonprofit organizations. The grants were made possible through charitable funds created specifically to provide ongoing support to those organizations, allowing donor generosity to continue benefiting local nonprofits year after year.

“The numbers are one way to measure SCCF’s growth, but behind every one of them are people who care deeply about this community,” said Jennifer Danic, president and CEO of the Steuben County Community Foundation. “For 35 years, donors have trusted this organization with their charitable gifts, and we have a responsibility to be good stewards of that trust — listening to our community, strengthening our nonprofits and helping put charitable dreams into action for Steuben County today and for generations to come.”

Danic also shared SCCF’s new five-year strategic plan, which focuses on three core areas: helping donors create charitable legacies and build permanent endowments; strengthening grantmaking while providing nonprofits with additional resources, connections and support; and listening to the community, using data to better understand local needs and helping develop solutions to Steuben County’s most pressing challenges.

Community Voices Highlight the Many Sides of Philanthropy

The annual meeting also featured community members representing different parts of SCCF’s work — from donors who choose to give through the Foundation, to nonprofit organizations putting charitable dollars to work, to collaborative efforts addressing broader community needs.

Lisa Caudill shared the donor perspective and the story behind the Dale and Lisa Caudill Community Fund, which she and her husband established at SCCF in 2019.

Longtime Steuben County residents, Dale and Lisa have served in leadership roles with local organizations including 101 Lakes Angola Kiwanis and the Community Humane Shelter. Lisa’s service on SCCF’s grants committee also gave her an opportunity to learn firsthand about the needs, programs and projects emerging from nonprofits throughout the county.

That experience helped inspire the couple to establish a donor advised fund at SCCF, giving them a way to support local organizations and respond to community needs over time. Their fund reflects one of the ways SCCF helps connect people who want to make a difference with nonprofit organizations doing work throughout Steuben County.

Beth Williams, board president of Haven Hills Therapy Center, represented the nonprofit perspective and highlighted the organization’s work serving individuals and families through horses, other animals and experiences in nature. Founded and led by Executive Director Patricia Walter, Haven Hills serves individuals facing physical, cognitive, mental and emotional challenges. Williams brings a background in outdoor education and conservation, including service with Blue Heron Ministries and the Steuben County Soil and Water Conservation District. Their presentation demonstrated how local leadership, specialized expertise, volunteers and community support can come together to help a nonprofit grow and expand its impact.

Jami Hubbard, director of the MSD of Steuben County’s Early Learning Center, and Isaac Lee, executive director of the Steuben County Economic Development Corporation, both new board members of the Steuben County Early Childhood Coalition, provided an update on the coalition’s work to expand and strengthen early childhood education opportunities throughout Steuben County.

The coalition now has an active board of directors and is working toward independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, an important next step as it builds the organizational structure needed to sustain the work for the long term.

The coalition brings together community partners around challenges affecting the availability, affordability and quality of early childhood education. Its work seeks to build sustainable solutions that support children and families, strengthen local early learning providers and recognize the connection between reliable childcare, workforce participation and the health of the broader community.

Together, the speakers illustrated the different ways philanthropy takes shape in Steuben County — individuals choosing to give, nonprofits turning resources into services, and community leaders working together to address needs that cannot be solved by one organization alone.

Building for the Future

SCCF also recognized the volunteers who help guide the Foundation’s work.

After nine years of dedicated service, Adam Miller completed his full term on the SCCF Board of Directors. The Foundation also recognized continued board leadership from Dr. Bill Stitt, Brevin Bennett and Lynn Wernet, and welcomed Shane Christ to his first term.

SCCF’s board officers for the new term are Craig Burkholder, chair; Kevin Diehl, vice chair; Brevin Bennett, secretary; Lynn Wernet, treasurer; and Brenda Shipe, immediate past chair, who concluded the meeting by thanking attendees and recognizing the donors, volunteers and community partners who support SCCF’s work.

Beyond the board, nearly 100 additional community volunteers serve through SCCF’s seven core committees. Together with the Foundation’s staff, those volunteers help carry out donor wishes, guide grantmaking and connect charitable resources with needs throughout Steuben County.

Danic reflected on SCCF’s growth from an idea discussed around an Elks round table more than three decades ago to a significant community institution supported by donors, volunteers and professional staff.

“SCCF is no longer just an idea — it’s a significant community asset,” Danic said. “It’s here. It’s active. It’s vibrant. It’s evolving. And it’s committed to Steuben County, its residents and its future.”