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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.

Investments support grantees’ work

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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 $685,000 in grants and pledges to 15 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:

  • Baker Youth Club (Warsaw, IN): $90,000 over three years to support administrative staffing needs so the organization can be more intentional in advancing its programs and financial sustainability.
  • City of Kendallville (Kendallville, IN): $75,000 to support construction of a skate park at the Kendallville Outdoor Recreation Complex so children and young people have a safe place to play and build skills.
  • Foundation for Art and Music in Education (Fort Wayne, IN): $5,000 to support students in the foundation’s Northeast Indiana grantmaking area in participating in fine arts programs in which they can explore their creativity and express themselves.
  • Indiana Troopers Youth Services (Indianapolis, IN): $3,000 to support the Indiana State Police Youth Career Camp where campers can have positive interactions with members of law enforcement and learn about potential careers.
  • Stone’s Trace Historical Society (Ligonier, IN): $12,000 over three years to support students’ learning and gaining a sense of community by taking part in the organization’s Living History Days and Pioneer Festival.
  • Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church (Warsaw, IN): $7,500 to support the church’s summer nature preschool program in which children connect with the natural world, explore and take healthy risks, and build self-confidence.
  • Athens-Limestone Public Library Foundation (Athens, AL): $15,500 to support the purchase of a community outreach van that will bring youth services and programs to children and young people throughout Limestone County.
  • Central Noble Community School Corporation (Albion, IN): $137,360 over three years to support efforts at Central Noble Primary School to help students build foundational skills that support their reading and language proficiency.
  • Clarke County Conservation Board (Osceola, IA): $100,000 to support the construction of an education center at East Lake Park that will help young people have a greater appreciation for nature as well as provide space for community members to come together.
  • Kosciusko Community YMCA, Inc. (Warsaw, IN): $50,000 to support the installation of artificial turf fields that will increase the number of young people learning teamwork, developing character, and connecting with adult mentors through soccer.
  • Limestone County Schools (Athens, AL): $10,000 to support a program at Tanner Elementary in which students practice problem solving and build skills through completing basic woodworking and soldering projects.
  • Prairie Heights Community School Corporation (LaGrange, IN): $30,000 to support high school students building skills in graphic arts and website design that can help them be successful after graduation.
  • St. Mary of the Assumption School (Avilla, IN): $50,000 to support improvements to the school that will reduce maintenance costs and help ensure a safe environment for students.
  • The Village Early Childhood Center (Osceola, IA): $25,000 to support upgrades within the center so that the learning environment aligns with children’s needs.
  • Leon Chamber of Commerce (Leon, IA): $75,000 to support the installation of new playground equipment at the Little River Recreation Area so that children can safely play together.

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.

Grantees’ projects support youth development

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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 $339,000 in grants and pledges to seven 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:

  • Children First Center (Auburn, IN): $40,000 to support the organization’s growing capacity to serve families in northeast Indiana and promote the healthy development of children and young people.
  • LaGrange First Church of God (LaGrange, IN): $42,000 to support operations at the Lighthouse Montessori Education Center in Ashley, IN, so that young people can learn in an intentionally prepared environment in which they build knowledge, skills, and character.
  • Wawasee Community Schools (Syracuse, IN): $35,000 to support the Lead Learners coalition so that educators are empowered to spark transformational change in schools and provide individualized learning opportunities for students.
  • DeKalb County Central United School District (Waterloo, IN): $50,000 to support the purchase of new playground equipment so that students and community members have more recreational options and opportunities to socialize with one another.
  • McMillen Center for Health Education (Fort Wayne, IN): $20,000 to support campus upgrades so that northeast Indiana students have a positive and safe experience as they participate in the center’s health education programs.
  • Lucas County Health Center (Chariton, IA): $2,831 to support the center’s purchase of CPR manikins so that high school students in the community can learn and practice life-saving skills.
  • Town of North Webster (North Webster, IN): $150,000 to support the construction of a 4.5-mile connector trail to the town’s middle school so that students and community members can walk and bicycle safely and have increased recreational opportunities.

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 organizations’ work

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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 $541,000 in grants to six 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 were:

  • The Apple Tree Center (Kendallville, IN): $50,000 to support the organization’s early learning programs for children.
  • BABE of Whitley County, Inc. (Columbia City, IN): $5,000 to support the organization’s educational programs for parents of young children.
  • City of Murray (Murray, IA): $75,000 over two years to support an improved experience for families at the city’s recreation complex.
  • City of Athens (Athens, AL): $250,000 to support a park and splash pad that are part of a nearly $14 million project to redevelop a former industrial site in the city.
  • City of Kendallville (Kendallville, IN): $11,000 to support improvements to the disc golf course at the Kendallville Outdoor Recreation Complex.
  • Noble Trails, Inc. (Rome City, IN): $150,000 over three years to support an endowment fund that will be used to help offset the cost of trail network maintenance.

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.