Lights, camera, action!

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We’ve launched a new video series in which our president, Tom Leedy, and Grants and Program Associate Payton Hunley address questions you might have about our mission and work. It’s titled “Tuesdays With Tom,” and our hope is that by viewing the videos you’ll have a better understanding of our grantmaking and a better sense of how your organization’s mission aligns with ours.

In this first video, recorded in the Community Learning Center‘s auditorium in Kendallville, Indiana, Tom shares more about his background and about our mission of fostering economic freedom through education. Additional “Tuesdays With Tom” videos will be posted in the coming weeks on our Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube pages.

Let us know in the comments what questions you have for Tom and Payton about our mission, our funding interests, and our grantmaking that could be the topic for future videos.

Foundation invests in 10 youth-serving organizations’ projects

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The Dekko Foundation, a private family foundation located in Kendallville, IN, with a mission of fostering economic freedom through education, awarded more than $447,000 in grants and pledges to 10 youth-serving organizations during its most recent round of grantmaking.

The foundation, started in 1981 by the late businessman and philanthropist Chester E. Dekko, invests in projects and programs that help build knowledge, skills, and character in children and young people from birth through age 18 so they can be self-sufficient and grow up to be economically free.

Its grantmaking is concentrated within 13 counties in four states — Indiana, Iowa, Alabama, and Minnesota — where Mr. Dekko had business or personal interests.

Organizations receiving grants and pledges were:

  • Central Noble Community School Corporation (Albion, IN): $4,818 to support the professional development of educators through their attendance at the annual Indiana Youth Institute Kids Count Conference.
  • Giving Gardens of Indiana (Columbia City, IN): $50,000 to support the organization’s Wild Willow Nature Preschool in which children ages 3-6 engage in hands-on learning and exploration in a natural environment.
  • Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana (Fort Wayne, IN): $25,000 to support the organization’s JA JobSpark in-person and virtual expos that help connect middle and high school students to career opportunities and highlight the skills needed to be successful in those careers.
  • Athens City Schools (Athens, AL): $8,000 to support the after-school enrichment program at Brookhill Elementary so that students can strengthen peer relationships and build skills and self-confidence.
  • Cardinal Services, Inc. (Warsaw, IN): $25,000 to support the organization’s workforce-readiness programs for young people with disabilities so they can be successful in finding employment.
  • DeKalb County Central United School District (Waterloo, IN): $250,000 over two years to support the Baron Advanced Manufacturing program in which high school students build in-demand technical skills in the classroom and by working at area employers.
  • Black Pine Animal Sanctuary (Albion, IN): $90,000 over three years to support educational programs for young people that help build problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
  • Classical Roots Christian School (Fort Wayne, IN): $20,000 to support the school’s educational enrichment days and summer camps in Noble County that contribute to students’ knowledge of the environment, agriculture, foreign language, industrial arts, and fine arts.
  • Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, Inc. (Athens, AL): $3,500 to support the organization’s Earth Day expo that raises young people’s awareness of the environment and community stewardship.
  • Kosciusko County Soil & Water Conservation District (Warsaw, IN): $880 to support the district’s educational programs in which young people learn about aquatic ecosystems and water quality.

If you’d like to learn more about how investments such as these support children and young people so they can achieve economic freedom later in life, contact a Dekko Foundation program officer at 260-347-1278. Or visit dekkofoundation.org to explore the foundation’s mission and funding priorities, review its grantmaking process, or send a grant proposal.

Our 2022 annual report: When Adults Step Back, Children Step Forward

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Over the years we’ve been known to say, “Great things happen when adults step back to consider what children need to grow and develop.” Our 2022 annual report highlights some of the great things our grantees are doing.

They stepped back and thought hard about how they could better serve young people in their communities. Then they turned their ideas into action. For example, they helped adolescents gain workforce-ready skills. They expanded early learning options for families. And they constructed or renovated facilities where young people have opportunities to build knowledge, skills, and character.

We invested in those projects — and many others — because we believe they will help young people step forward toward self-sufficiency and economic freedom.

We invite you to read our latest annual report, When Adults Step Back, Children Step Forward. In it are stories about some of our grantees in Indiana, Iowa, Alabama, and Minnesota. As you read them, we hope you’re inspired to think about the young people you serve and how your work aligns with ours.

Foundation invests in projects that support youth

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The Dekko Foundation, a private family foundation located in Kendallville, IN, with a mission of fostering economic freedom through education, awarded more than $1.1 million in grants and pledges to 12 youth-serving organizations during its most recent round of grantmaking.

The foundation, started in 1981 by the late businessman and philanthropist Chester E. Dekko, invests in projects and programs that help build knowledge, skills, and character in children and young people from birth through age 18 so they can be self-sufficient and grow up to be economically free.

Its grantmaking is concentrated within 13 counties in four states — Indiana, Iowa, Alabama, and Minnesota — where Mr. Dekko had business or personal interests.

Organizations receiving grants and pledges were:

  • Ada-Borup-West School District (Ada, MN): $7,000 to support the addition of potter’s wheels that elementary, junior, and senior high students can use to build skills, explore their interests, and express their creativity.
  • The Center for Whitley County Youth (Columbia City, IN): $300,000 over three years to support the organization’s programs for young people, its connections with local families, and its increased financial sustainability.
  • Learn to Read Council of Athens & Limestone County, Inc. (Athens, AL): $22,000 over two years to support the organization’s after-school and summer literacy programs for young people.
  • Lost Sparrows, Inc. (Winona Lake, IN): $20,000 to support the organization’s annual conference in which educators, youth-serving professionals, and parents learn about adverse childhood experiences and how they can aid children’s healthy development.
  • Ada-Borup-West School District: $22,000 to support the launch of a career and technical education program so that students in grades 8-12 can take part in hands-on learning and plan for their next steps after high school.
  • Chariton Community School District (Chariton, IA): $14,475 over two years to support the district’s partnership with the Southern Iowa STEAM Academy to provide science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics education and enrichment to students.
  • Cole Center Family YMCA (Kendallville, IN): $400,000 to support updating pool facilities so that young people can learn water safety, build skills, and participate in competitive programs.
  • Joe’s Kids, Inc. (Warsaw, IN): $75,000 to support acquiring property for a new campus location that will help the organization meet the growing need for therapy services for children and young people with developmental delays.
  • Lakeland School Corporation (LaGrange, IN): $100,000 to support the startup of a dental academy for high school students where they can learn, build skills, and earn certifications that can lead to potential careers after graduation.
  • Limestone County Schools (Athens, AL): $10,000 to support the renovation of a courtyard at East Limestone High School so the learning environment is improved for students and there are more opportunities for outdoor classes and events.
  • Limestone County Schools: $100,000 to support the construction of a training facility at the Limestone County Career Technical Center where students in building trades classes can gain skills in commercial construction.
  • Murray Community School District (Murray, IA): $25,000 to support updating the district’s library so that students in grades K-12 are more engaged in their learning.
  • Smith-Green Community Schools (Churubusco, IN): $75,000 to support updating the junior-senior high school’s auditorium with new lighting so that students can follow their interests, express their creativity, and build performance skills.
  • Athens Bible School (Athens, AL): $6,231 to support the school’s use of an assessment tool so that educators can better understand students’ needs and how they can enhance the learning environment in their classrooms.

If you’d like to learn more about how investments such as these support children and young people so they can achieve economic freedom later in life, contact a Dekko Foundation program officer at 260-347-1278. Or visit dekkofoundation.org to explore the foundation’s mission and funding priorities, review its grantmaking process, or send a grant proposal.

Foundation invests in projects that build knowledge, skills, character

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The Dekko Foundation, a private family foundation located in Kendallville, IN, with a mission of fostering economic freedom through education, awarded more than $499,000 in grants and pledges to 18 youth-serving organizations during its most recent round of grantmaking.

The foundation, started in 1981 by the late businessman and philanthropist Chester E. Dekko, invests in projects and programs that help build knowledge, skills, and character in children and young people from birth through age 18 so they can be self-sufficient and grow up to be economically free.

Its grantmaking is concentrated within 13 counties in four states — Indiana, Iowa, Alabama, and Minnesota — where Mr. Dekko had business or personal interests.

Organizations receiving grants and pledges were:

  • Cole Center Family YMCA (Kendallville, IN): $20,000 to support the YMCA’s summer youth program, Camp Wethonkitha, which is a collaboration with the City of Kendallville Park and Recreation Department.
  • Fort Wayne Zoological Society (Fort Wayne, IN): $67,794 over two years to support the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo’s Zoomobile program for students in the Dekko Foundation’s grantmaking priority counties in Northeast Indiana.
  • Harold W. McMillen Center for Health Education (Fort Wayne, IN): $30,000 to support the center’s preventative health education programs for students in the Dekko Foundation’s grantmaking priority counties in Northeast Indiana.
  • Historic Forks of the Wabash (Huntington, IN): $7,500 to support upgrades to facilities so that more young people in Northeast Indiana can learn about the region’s history.
  • Indiana Youth Institute, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN): $60,000 to support the organization’s programs and services for youth workers in Northeast Indiana that positively impact their interactions with children and young people.
  • Joe’s Kids, Inc. (Warsaw, IN): $25,000 to support the organization’s therapy services for children and young people that contribute to their healthy development.
  • Malachy Catholic School (Creston, IA): $50,000 to support the construction of a new playground that encourages physical movement and outdoor play.
  • East Noble School Corp. (Kendallville, IN): $9,725 to support a portable sound and lighting system for the high school’s competitive choirs so that performances and student engagement are enhanced.
  • Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Inc. (New Haven, IN): $10,000 to support the organization’s Indiana Rail Camp for young people so they can build skills through hands-on learning about trains and railroads.
  • Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Inc. (Warsaw, IN): $12,800 to support Launchpad, the county’s early learning coalition that is working to address childcare needs in the community and educators’ professional development.
  • Ruth Stultz Nursery School, Inc. (Ligonier, IN): $11,008 to support facility improvements so that children are in a learning environment that contributes to building knowledge, skills, and character.
  • Shore Church, Inc. (Shipshewana, IN): $28,000 to support facility improvements so that more children learn in an environment that is safe, comfortable, and promotes their healthy development.
  • Spirit of Athens, Alabama, Inc. (Athens, AL): $9,000 to support the construction of a children’s pavilion at the Athens Farmers Market that will be used for educational and entertainment programs.
  • Athens Limestone County Tourism (Athens, AL): $4,000 to support Superhero Day, in which children connect with everyday heroes like police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders and participate in educational activities.
  • LaGrange County 4-H Club Association (LaGrange, IN): $40,000 to support facility projects at the LaGrange County 4-H Fairgrounds so that young people and families have an enhanced experience at the fair.
  • Leon United Methodist Church (Leon, IA): $4,500 to support local Boy Scouts’ participation in a backpacking trek in the American Southwest where they learn teamwork, responsibility, and leadership.
  • Ringgold County Fair Association (Mount Ayr, IA): $100,000 to support a facility expansion project at the county fairgrounds so that more educational programs can be offered to young people and they gain skills in agriculture and raising livestock.
  • Southern Iowa STEAM Academy (Chariton, IA): $10,000 to support summer camps in which children build problem-solving and critical-thinking skills through hands-on learning about science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.

If you’d like to learn more about how investments such as these support children and young people so they can achieve economic freedom later in life, contact a Dekko Foundation program officer at 260-347-1278. Or visit dekkofoundation.org to explore the foundation’s mission and funding priorities, review its grantmaking process, or send a grant proposal.