The Superior Express -

March is Match Month for the Jewell County Foundation. Contributions must be received by March 31 to be eligible for the match from Dane G. Hansen of a $1.50 for every dollar. This means that a $100 gift will be matched by $150 from Dane G. Hansen Foundation for a total of $250. Donations are tax deductible!

Last year, community members came together to raise $27,289 for the benefit of Jewell County communities and projects forever. The Dane G. Hansen Foundation matched those gifts for a total of $68,222 added to the Jewell County Community Foundation’s unrestricted fund. This year gifts will again be more than doubled as Dane G. Hansen will match every $1 with $1.50 up to the $50,000 per pooled money.

Is there something in your community that you’re passionate about and would like to see supported forever? If there was one thing that you would miss if it went away and you could save it, what would that be? The money raised in Match Month will go into an unrestricted fund. This money is then invested, and a percentage of the money will be made available every year to be spent on charitable grant requests for projects throughout Jewell County communities. All Jewell County communities have benefited from the Dane G. Hansen monies throughout the last couple of years.

All gifts will be placed in an endowed fund, allowing the Jewell County Community Foundation to sustain itself. Think outside the box as well as beyond direct cash donations. The foundation can also accept donations of both land, cattle or grain. Just tell the elevator or the sale barn to donate that load or animal to the cause!

The goal of the Jewell County Foundation is to strengthen and sustain Jewell County and its communities, strengthen Jewell County non-profits through the ability to grant money to charitable projects, and improve the quality of life in Jewell County by providing a funding mechanism for charitable projects. The foundation will also provide a place to capture a portion of the $79 million transfer of wealth (source Kansas Assoc. of Community Foundations) for Jewell County residents who want to leave their legacy in Jewell County with living gifts or their estates after they are gone. If each estate leaves just 5 percent in Jewell County, this would mean almost $4 Million to help support Jewell County communities in the future. The foundation also provides another outlet for those interested parties to donate for the benefit of Jewell County with tax deductible donations.

The Jewell County Community Foundation, aims to have board members and support projects from all over Jewell County. Current Jewell County Community Foundation board members include Trevor Elkins, president, Jim Dooley, Lisa Goodheart, Steve Spiegel, Brian Shulda, Kenny Mizner, Susan Flinn, Caleb Mahin, Ryan Cates, Kristin Mizner, Neil Bouray and Jenny Russell. In 2019, a percentage of your donations from match month and the respective match money went to fund projects that benefit Jewell County.

There will not be countywide events as in past years. Donations should be returned to the JCCF post office box. Contact or send checks payable to Jewell County Foundation Fund, P.O. Box 154, Mankato, Kan. 66956 by March 31. If you would like to pledge a multi-year gift to the foundation, instead of being asked yearly or you would like to include the foundation in your estate planning, please contact 785-378-7036 or jccda@ nckncn.com.