Dekko Foundation

06/02/2026

Last week, our Payton Hunley visited the Little River Lookout Community Playground. She met some of the project's most satisfied patrons.

05/14/2026

Q: What happens when you invite a group of young people to practice philanthropy in their community?

A: They invest in other youth-serving organizations.💜

DeKalb County's Voices of Philanthropy shared these photos from their recent grantmaking session, highlighting a few of the investments they made.

05/07/2026

🎉 We’re cheering so loudly for our own Payton Hunley as she was named Kendallville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professional of the Year!

Congratulations Coach! We’re proud of you. 💜

05/06/2026

Our Payton Hunley attended FIST's year-end celebration. It's amazing what young people can do with the support of caring adults.💚

When youth lead, communities thrive.

FIST’s Annual Luncheon brought together an incredible group of community leaders, from SCCF board members to the Mayor, County Commissioner, superintendents, principals, educators, and more. All showing up to support and learn from the next generation.

FIST (Forever Improving Steuben County Together), a youth-led philanthropy group of 8th-12th graders, is doing more than serving. They’re shaping future leaders right here in Steuben County.

Through their FLIP (Future Leaders in Philanthropy) program, FIST members teach every 5th grader across Hamilton, Fremont, and Angola about giving back. Then trust them with $1,000 to donate to a local nonprofit of their choice.

And their impact doesn’t stop there:
Supporting local nonprofits like the YMCA, Boomerang Backpacks, and the Community Humane Shelter
Volunteering at events like Cops 4 Kids and Balloons Aloft
Collecting 3,000+ canned goods for local families
Creating community spaces through murals and service projects
Building relationships across generations, from elementary classrooms to senior bingo

With just 15 student members, FIST is proving that meaningful impact isn’t about size. It’s about purpose.

At the Steuben County Community Foundation, we’re proud to support initiatives like FIST, because being the pulse of the community means investing in the leaders of tomorrow.

Visit steubenfoundation.org/about/we-connect-community/youth-philanthropy to learn more about FIST’s community initiatives, grants, and more.

04/22/2026

Did you hear the latest buzz? 🐝

The Dekko Foundation awarded a grant to Westview School Corporation for a student-led beekeeping business. From suiting up and safely tending to bees, to working with the equipment and building a plan to sell their own honey, these students are learning while they lead.

Are you a teacher with an idea for hands-on learning in your classroom? We want to hear more about it. Reach out to us at [email protected].

04/20/2026

We're excited to share last year's adventures with you! Link in the comments.

04/17/2026

Our Payton Hunley attended the Junior Achievement Career Ignite event, and left inspired by the opportunities available to young people.

From trying OrthoWorx’s virtual reality headset, to seeing students explore career paths and enlistment options, the event was all about possibility.

When young people have more choices, they have more chances to find their path forward.

04/13/2026

There’s still space available to join Sarah Bonta for our Mission to Impact Workshop!
We look forward to seeing you on Zoom Thursday at 9:30 am EST

Sign up at:
Bit.ly/NPOPrograms