Blackford County Community Foundation

10/08/2026

We received a grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. to help support Feeding Blackford County, Inc.!

For each dollar you donate, we'll add one more. We only have $20,000 available and once it's gone, it's gone, so don't wait!

Here's the deal:
❗ Donations MUST be made to the Blackford County Community Foundation (not Feeding Blackford County)
🔍 Include "Feeding Blackford County" in the memo line
💚 We'll send you a thank you note letting you know we've received your donation
💯 100% of your gift (+100% of our gift!) will go directly to Feeding Blackford County

Ways to Donate:
- Online at blackfordcounty.org/donate and select "Feeding Blackford County"
- By mailing a check or stopping by our office at 121 N High Street in Hartford City
Payable to: Blackford County Community Foundation
Memo: Feeding Blackford County

10/08/2026

Thanks to a grant from Lilly Endowment, if you donate $1 to any of our unrestricted endowment funds, we'll add $2 more for a total of $3!

✨ $1 becomes $3
✨ $500 becomes $1,500
✨ $5,000 becomes $15,000

What is an unrestricted endowment fund and why is it important? 🤔

It's the most flexible kind of fund that can support ANY organization or program as long as it's charitable.

Think about it like this - our community needs grants to support a variety of programs and organizations that support Blackford County. Some of the programs and organizations that exist today might still be around in fifty years, but there will probably be NEW programs and organizations that could use our support by then.

That's where unrestricted funds come in. They can be used for what our community needs today, tomorrow, five and even fifty years from now.

💚 Will you help us make a difference? Donate online at blackfordcofoundation.org/donate or by mailing a check to our office at PO Box 327, Hartford City IN 47348 and putting "Unrestricted Match" in the memo.

09/21/2026

This cycle, we awarded grants to 9 organizations totaling $46,995!

To make things even sweeter, our Board of Directors awarded the first grant from the Board of Directors Fund, bringing our total impact to $71,995.

Congratulations and thank you to these organizations for making our community a better place 💚

08/24/2026

Nourishing our pack! 🐾🍎

Welcome to Bruin Bites, a new food grab-and-go spot located at BJSHS! Whether a student needs a quick study snack, or wants to grab a few items to take home for the week or weekend, Bruin Bites is open to every single student. No questions asked, no sign-ups needed.

📍 Where: The Counseling Office
⏰ When: Open every school day

We’re all part of the same pack, and making sure everyone stays fueled and ready to learn is what we do. Drop by and check it out!
Have questions or want to donate? Contact Monica Solga by email at [email protected] or by phone at 765.348.7560.

08/10/2026

Blackford County Imagination Library Celebrates 20 Years and 100,000 Books Mailed to Local Children 📚

For 20 years, children across Blackford County have been receiving a special delivery in their mailbox: a free book.

This year, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Blackford County Imagination Library and an incredible milestone of 100,000 books mailed to local children.

Administered locally through the Blackford County Community Foundation, Imagination Library provides children from birth through age five with one free, high quality, age appropriate book mailed directly to their home every month. There is no cost to families to participate.

Since the program began in Blackford County in 2006, thousands of local children have had the opportunity to build home libraries of their own, one book at a time.

The success and longevity of the program is also a testament to the dedication of Kay Schrope, a longtime champion of Blackford County Imagination Library. Kay has fundraised for the program, collected registrations, promoted Imagination Library throughout the community and worked year after year to make sure local families know about this valuable resource.

“Kay has been such an incredible champion for Imagination Library,” said Elizabeth Witt, Executive Director of the Blackford County Community Foundation. “Her commitment has helped make it possible for generations of Blackford County children to receive books in the mail every month.”

The 100,000 book milestone represents more than 100,000 individual deliveries. It represents bedtime stories, children choosing their favorite books over and over again, parents reading with their children and young readers discovering the joy of having a book of their very own.

📚 Register Your Child
To register your child, visit imaginationlibrary.com.

💙 Donate
Imagination Library is made possible through the generosity of local donors. Community members can help ensure that local children continue receiving books each month by making a donation to the Blackford County Community Foundation.

To donate, visit blackfordcofoundation.org/donate or mail your donation to the Blackford County Community Foundation, PO Box 327, Hartford City IN 47348. Please include Imagination Library in the memo.

Every gift helps continue this legacy of learning and ensures that more Blackford County children can grow up with books in their hands and a love of reading in their hearts.

Pictured is Willow M., the recipient of the 100,000th book mailed in Blackford County. Congratulations, Willow!

08/04/2026

Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship applications are available now and are due on Thursday, August 13th! 📚

This scholarship provides:
• Full tuition + required fees
• $900 a year for required books and equipment for up to four years

Applicants must:
• Live in Blackford County
• Graduate from Blackford High School
• Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher
• Plan to study full time at an Indiana College or University
• Earn a bachelor's degree or higher

For more information and to download the application, visit https://blackfordcofoundation.org/scholarships-2/applying-for-a-scholarship/

07/21/2026

07/21/2026

Grant applications are due August 6th!

For more information, visit https://blackfordcofoundation.org/seeking-grants/grant-application-information/