VOICE Endowment Fund Grows

DeKalb’s VOICE has set the goal of one day becoming a self-sufficient organization. Currently, VOICE is funded each year through the Dekko Foundation. VOICE would eventually like to move away from this type of reliance for funds. Therefore, the youth-run organization has established an endowment fund. As donations and contributions to the endowment fund rise, so to does the interest on these funds. While VOICE is aware this is a long-term process, the philanthropic group has made giant strides over the past year towards reaching their goal.

In August 2007, VOICE received a matching grant of $3000 from the Youth Philanthropic Initiative Institution (YPII). VOICE then actively went throughout the community looking for matching funds of $3000 required to receive the full YPII grant. The deadline to raise the funds was April. However, our members’ ambition and enthusiasm set the organization far ahead of schedule. After sizeable grants from the DeKalb County Community Foundation and Service Steel Framing in Butler, VOICE members quickly supplied the remaining sum of money needed through personal and business donations from community members. The $3000 goal was accomplished.

A very noteworthy donation capped off our $3000 total. The donation came from VOICE’s 2006-2007 President, Kyle Yarde. Kyle, now a freshman at Purdue University, had originally written the grant proposal for YPII the previous year. It was a rewarding event and accomplishment for the former leader to top off our goal.

A total of $6000 will now be added to VOICE’s endowment fund. Members will continue to raise funds as a much greater amount is needed. However, due to an ambitious VOICE group, help from former members, community organizations, and citizens, VOICE is now one step closer to reaching their long-term goal of becoming a self-sufficient organization.