Cultivating Community Growth Through Endowments
At the beginning of this year, as we welcomed Kate Bennett Truitt as our new Board Chair, we also wrapped up our 40-year anniversary celebration. Kate is now leading the way as we now focus on the next 40 years of Centre Foundation’s impact on the community. In order to contribute to our next chapter, she opened a new endowment through our 40 for 40 Campaign to benefit our organization.
Kate’s inspiration behind creating the Kate Bennett Truitt Family Fund and designating it to Centre Foundation is based on faith in Centre County and Centre Foundation to continue creating positive change well into the future.
“Since returning to Central Pennsylvania, and based on my experience as a board member with Centre Foundation, I believe that this organization is going to continue to make significant contributions well into the future of our community,” said Kate.
The vision for the Kate Bennett Truitt Family Fund is open-ended because Kate’s hopes for this endowment are bigger than supporting a specific cause. She wants to participate in community-wide change and feels that as Centre County’s community foundation, Centre Foundation is the perfect organization to partner with.
“What the Foundation has done for the past 40 years, it does well, and it will continue into the future. We can’t fix the world’s problems, but we can all participate at a community level to address our future challenges and be a community where everyone thrives. What can we do now to ensure that today’s school children have a vibrant, safe, and optimistic future in our community?” She said.
Establishing this endowment is an investment in the community’s growth and opens conversations that encourage a local community-led effort to evolve.
“There are a lot of open-ended questions but I’m happy to have my money be a part of asking those questions and exploring possibilities,” she added.
As Kate wraps up her first year as Board Chair, she shares what she has learned so far from her experience.
“I’ve learned about the history of the organization and have a much better understanding of the true impact that Centre Foundation has on this community. You don’t have to be a millionaire to participate; you can contribute and know that your money will be invested as safely as possible, it will grow, and will make a positive difference for your community for decades to come,” she said.
One of her hopes for the Foundation, as we embark on our next 40-year journey, is that more people in the community know about the organization.
“It would be nice for anyone who lives in Centre County to know about, have faith in, and [realize] that Centre Foundation is a place where good things are happening,” said Kate.
Community members like Kate have been opening new endowments all year long through Centre Foundation’s 40 for 40 Campaign to benefit local nonprofits. This campaign opened the door for organizations without endowments at Centre Foundation to create their own and have their contributions matched.
“The opportunity that this campaign has given organizations to give themselves some guaranteed income into the future is one I’m happy to hear that a lot of groups are taking advantage of,” said Kate.
Endowments like the Kate Bennett Truitt Family Fund create opportunities for our community while helping it grow and prosper. Read more stories about the power of endowments and the community’s impact in our latest Engage Magazine.
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