The Your Community Foundation of Iola celebrated a successful Giving Tuesday, thanks to the support from community members and a substantial matching grant from the Patterson Family Foundation of Kansas City.
The annual event, beginning the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and extending to Dec. 15, took on extra significance this year with a $70,000 matching grant offered by the Patterson Family Foundation. The combined total of over $140,000 will benefit several funds in Allen County.
The Patterson foundation extends the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson. The foundation was established to “reinvest in rural communities and cultivate values of education and hard work for current and future generations.”
Your Community Foundation Treasurer, Alan Weber, expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming community response. “Each fund has met its goal,” he said, adding that the Patterson Family Foundation contribution brings them close to doubling their original amounts.
The breakdown of funds raised by community members for various causes is as follows:
• Your Community Foundation General Fund: $3,545
• First Presbyterian Church Bequests and Memorials Endowment Fund: $1,000
• Iola Public Library Endowment Fund: $9,297
• Raymond C. McIntosh Endowment Fund for Allen County Animal Rescue Facility (ACARF): $50,961
• Allen County Uniting for Excellence Endowment: $1,300
• Springer Family Endowment: $8,000
• ACC Endowment: $100
The Patterson money will be awarded proportionally to those organizations.
Weber noted that all the groups are charitable organizations and they are free to use the money as they wish, with no stipulation or specific project mandates.
The Raymond C. McIntosh Endowment Fund for ACARF garnered the most support.
