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Eight grantees receive investments for work with young people

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KENDALLVILLE, IN — The Dekko Foundation, a private family foundation located in Kendallville, IN, with a mission of fostering economic freedom through education, awarded more than $566,000 in grants and pledges to eight 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:

  • Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School District (Garrett, IN): $56,120 to support professional development for elementary school educators so that the principles of child development are incorporated in their classrooms.
  • Indiana Alliance of YMCAs, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN): $40,000 to support the alliance’s Youth and Government program so that young people have a better understanding of democracy, government, and their civic responsibilities.
  • Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana (Fort Wayne, IN): $25,000 to support the organization’s JA JobSpark and JobSpark Virtual programs in which middle and high school students learn about careers and the skills required to be successful in them.
  • Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana: $15,000 to support the organization’s in-school programs for students in Noble County.
  • Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana: $45,000 over three years to support the organization’s in-school programs for students in Kosciusko County.
  • Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana: $10,000 to support the organization’s in-school programs for students in Whitley County.
  • Ringgold County Child Care Center (Mount Ayr, IA): $50,000 to support upgrades for an outdoor playground so that preschoolers can engage in healthy play and build gross motor skills.
  • Butler Youth Evangelistic Association (Butler, IN): $32,000 to support facility improvements so that young people can engage in recreational activities and build relationships with peers and caring adults.
  • Lakeland Christian Academy (Winona Lake, IN): $250,000 to support construction of a new facility for early learning and elementary school students that will also help the organization build its capacity.
  • Kosciusko County Teen Court, Inc. (Warsaw, IN): $10,000 to support the organization’s Teen Court program in which young people learn about the judicial process and community resources.
  • East Noble School Corporation (Kendallville, IN): $33,000 to support the high school’s ability to provide instruments for students in its jazz bands so that they can build music and performance skills.

Investments support grantees’ projects

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KENDALLVILLE, IN — The Dekko Foundation, a private family foundation located in Kendallville, IN, with a mission of fostering economic freedom through education, awarded more than $350,000 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:

  • City of Kendallville (Kendallville, IN): $15,000 over three years to support the annual KidCity event where families can learn about local organizations, nonprofits, and businesses so they feel more connected to the community.
  • Fort Wayne Philharmonic Orchestra, Inc. (Fort Wayne, IN): $65,000 to support the organization’s programs in the Dekko Foundation’s Northeast Indiana grantmaking area so that elementary students have a greater appreciation for music and music-related careers.
  • Indiana Youth Institute, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN): $60,000 to support the organization’s professional-development and educational offerings for youth-serving workers in the foundation’s Northeast Indiana grantmaking area.
  • Operation Read (Warsaw, IN): $15,000 to support the organization’s literacy programs for young people and families in Kosciusko County and its financial sustainability.
  • Athens City Schools (Athens, AL): $10,000 to support creating a piano lab so middle and high school students can develop and build music skills.
  • Clarke Community Schools (Osceola, IA): $120,000 to support extending preschool from half day to full day and offering a dual-language program for kindergarten and first-grade students so they’re supported in their learning.
  • Freedom Academy, Inc. (Kendallville, IN): $30,000 to support the academy’s ability to serve homeschooled students, private and parochial school students, and alternative school students through its workforce skills training classes.
  • Funshine Learning Center (Lamoni, IA): $6,321 to support improvements at the center so staff have more time to meet the needs of young people.
  • Whitko Community School Corporation (South Whitley, IN): $7,450 to support middle school students using ukuleles to build skills and grow their appreciation and knowledge of music.
  • Bill of Rights Institute (Arlington, VA): $25,000 to support the institute’s development of civics curriculum and programs for students in Indiana.

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.

Eight youth-serving organizations receive foundation grants

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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 $638,000 in grants and pledges to eight 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:

  • City of Mount Ayr, IA: $250,000 to support constructing a new community pool so that young people have access to a healthy recreation option and can develop and build swimming skills, and adolescents can gain experiences that help prepare them for future careers.
  • Early Childhood Alliance (Fort Wayne, IN): $42,575 to support the organization’s ability to offer shared services and professional development opportunities to childcare providers in Northeast Indiana.
  • Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (Des Moines, IA): $30,000 to support programs in South-Central Iowa classrooms in which middle and high school students build and develop skills that can help them succeed in the workplace and learn alongside local adult mentors.
  • YMCA of Muncie/Camp Crosley (Muncie, IN): $20,000 to support building the organization’s capacity to engage donors, increase annual giving, and meet the needs of young people through programs offered at Camp Crosley in North Webster, IN.
  • Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne (Fort Wayne, IN): $250,000 to support upgrades at its main campus so that the community’s use of the campus increases and more patrons from Northeast Indiana are engaged in Arts United events and programs.
  • Lamoni Community Schools (Lamoni, IA): $40,000 to support the purchase of strength-training and exercise equipment so that young people can improve their physical fitness and build healthy habits.
  • Limestone County Schools (Athens, AL): $400 to support Elkmont High School students as they practice critical thinking and problem solving while learning computer coding.
  • Norman County East School (Twin Valley, MN): $5,500 to support students gaining an appreciation for the fine arts by experiencing them firsthand during a field trip.

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 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.

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.