Pike County Endowment Fund
CF Release - May 19, 2010

Individuals and businesses joined together on the Pike County Courthouse lawn Tuesday, May 18 to announce the establishment of the Pike County Endowment Fund. The fund will serve as a permanent endowment benefiting Pike County residents for generations to come. Grants from the fund will support charitable organizations, projects and programs in the county.  
 
Several of us who have served on the Board of the Community Foundation of the Quincy Area thought it made sense to start a fund for our county, said Don Kirk. Kirk, of Pittsfield, and Jim Gay, of Rockport, contacted individuals in Pike County who they thought might be interested in contributing to the endowment. Several individuals have made contributions to the fund.  
 
We felt that our local banks would definitely understand the wisdom of establishing such a fund, said Gay. Seven banks contributed to start the endowment and representatives were on hand for the announcement: Bank of Kampsville, Carlinville National Bank, Central State Bank, Farmers Bank of Liberty, Farmers National Bank, Farmers State Bank, and First Bank.  
 
The Pike County Endowment Fund is a way to keep local money working for local causes, said Kirk. Now that the fund has been established, anyone can make a gift of any amount to help the fund grow. A Fund Council, made up of representatives of Pike County, will make recommendations for grants from the fund.  
 
Those interested in making contributions or considering estate gifts for the Pike County Community Endowment Fund can contact Jim Gay, Fund Council Chair at 217-437-2921 or Jill Arnold Blickhan, Executive Director of the Community Foundation at 217-222-1237, email qacf@adams.net or go to www.mycommunityfoundation.org.  
 
The fund is held with the Community Foundation, a nonprofit resource that connects people who care with causes that matter in the tri-states. Since the Community Foundation is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) organization, contributions through it for the Pike County Community Endowment Fund are tax deductible.  
 
The Community Foundation helps build permanent funds to address significant needs and opportunities now and in the future in 13 tri-state counties. Since 1999, the Community Foundation has awarded more than 730 grants totaling more than $1.2 million through its various funds providing local support for various programs and projects in the tri-states.