The Superior Express -

March is Jewell County Match Month. Last year, community members came together to raise $55,549 for the benefit of Jewell County communities and projects forever. The Dane G. Hansen Foundation matched those gifts for a total of $130,549 added to the Jewell County Community Foundation unrestricted fund. This year, your gift 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. The Dane G. Hansen Foundation has put even more weight on reaching the goal this year.

The money raised in the March 2022 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 the county. All Jewell County communities have benefited from the Dane G. Hansen local monies the last couple of years. A percentage of the money raised through Match Month will do similar work, allowing Jewell County to eventually be self-reliant.

Contributions must be received by March 31 to be eligible for the match. Any amount is appreciated, and donations are tax deductible. All gifts will be placed in an endowment fund, allowing the Jewell County Community Foundation to sustain itself and continue to give grants for years to come.

Think outside the box as well as beyond direct cash donations. The foundation can also accept donations of both land, or grain. Just tell the elevator of the sale barn to donate that load or animal to the cause!

We appreciate your donation! Please contact or send check payable to Jewell County Community Foundation, PO Box 154, Mankato, Kan., 66956 or call 785-378-7036 or write jccda@ nckcn.com by March 31.

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 $994.4 million transfer of wealth (source KS 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 $4.7 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 goal is to have board members and support projects from all over Jewell County.

Current Jewell County Community Foundation board members include: Trevor Elkins - president, Neil Bouray, Ryan Cates, Jim Dooley, Susan Flinn, Lisa Goodheart, Caleb Mahin, Kenny Mizner, Kristin Mizner, Sara Reiter, Brian Shulda, Steve Spiegel, Kristin Underwood, and Jenny Russell - coordinator.

In 2021, a percentage of the donations from Match Month and the respective match money went to fund projects like a Powerpro Cot for the Jewell County EMS, Mankato Splash Pad, Jewell Community Center Updates, Esbon Rural Fire Emergency Generator, and the Formoso Library electrical upgrades.

If you have questions, or if you are unable to attend an event but would like to donate, please contact or send checks payable to Jewell County Foundation Fund, PO Box 154, Mankato, KS 66956 or 785-378-7036 or [email protected].