Charitable endowment fund created in Monroe County; $15,000 matching gift announced

PARIS, Mo. — An opportunity to establish a charitable endowment fund for Monroe County and receive a $15,000 matching gift was announced Thursday by community leaders at the Monroe County Courthouse.

The Monroe County Endowment Fund, held at the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri, will serve as a permanent source of support for local needs and opportunities.

In a press release, Monroe County Fund council chair Loree Quinn said, “We have formed a fund council made up of Monroe County residents. If we raise $15,000 in three years, the Community Foundation will provide a $15,000 match to root this fund as a resource that will grow and support Monroe County for generations to come.”

Once the fundraising goal is met, the Monroe County Endowment Fund will benefit local charitable and public projects, programs and organizations. As an endowment, it will continue to grow and generate new funds in perpetuity. The fund council will make recommendations each year for grants from the fund to strengthen communities in Monroe County.

“The Monroe County Endowment Fund is a way to keep local money working for local causes,” Community Foundation CEO Catherine Meckes said. “It’s a vehicle to preserve wealth in and for Monroe County. If everyone in Monroe County contributed just 5 percent of their wealth through their will to the Monroe County Endowment Fund, in 10 years it would generate grants totaling more than $300,000 each year. Imagine what that could achieve in Monroe County.”

Fund council members are Quinn, Barb McCall of Paris and Allie Bennett of Monroe City. The fund council needs additional members to help with fundraising and future grant making. Residents interested in joining the fund council are encouraged to contact the current council members.

“If Monroe County has been good to you, why not pay it forward for future generations?” Quinn said. “The Monroe County Endowment Fund will help us keep our community as a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family.”

Six of the 12 counties the Community Foundation serves have established their own county endowment funds.

Anyone can make a gift to help the fund reach its $15,000 fundraising goal and receive the $15,000 match.

More than $2,000 has been raised through gifts from Benson Financial Group, Chariton Valley Communications Corporation, Macon Electric Cooperative, Missouri Rural Electric Cooperative and F&M Bank and Trust Company.

Gifts to the Community Foundation for the Monroe County Endowment Fund are tax-deductible as allowed by law. The Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri is a not-for-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status.

To make gifts to support future grantmaking in Monroe County or to learn more about the fund, contact Quinn at loree.quinn@alliantbank.com or 573-406-8097. Kaylee McFarland, development officer for the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri, can be contacted at kmcfarland@mycommunityfoundation.org or 217-222-1237 or by visiting the foundation website at www.mycommunityfoundation.org.