2025 Annual Report

SUPPORTING SENIORS IN THEIR HOMES

MARY ALLEN | AVELENA STIPEND RECIPIENT | BOONE COUNTY SENIOR SERVICES, INC.

Boone County seniors living at home may need a little support to keep them comfortable and healthy. The Avelena Fund at CFBC was established in 1995, and is administered by Boone County Senior Services, Inc. It provides 20 seniors with a stipend of $140 a month to help with whatever they need.

“They can use this for medication, transportation, or to take their grandchildren out for dinner or buy a new outfit,” said Anita Bowen, Executive Director of BCSSI.

One of the beneficiaries is Mary Allen. Retired from Witham Hospital, Mary uses her stipend to support her card ministry. During COVID Mary began the project, sending 106 “happy mails — little cheerful, creative mailings that were sure to bring a smile to the recipient.” A craft area in Mary’s apartment has everything she needs to make her unique cards.

“The stipend comes just when I need it,” Mary said. “I love to send handmade cards, but stamps are expensive. This money allows me to continue to spread joy through this hobby. It’s just a blessing.”

Anita shared that Mary has a book full of quotes, thoughts, sayings, and humorous tidbits that she enjoys passing along in her cards.

The Avelena Fund has also provided funds to help buy vans for BCSSI’s Boone Area Transit System program, and supported special programming, activities, and entertainment at BCSSI.

In 2025, CFBC continued to lean into collaborative leadership, bringing partners together to address some of Boone County’s most pressing challenges.

HOUSING

The Boone County Housing Taskforce includes approximately 20 active members working together to advance housing initiatives across our community. By bringing experts to the table, the taskforce is focused on strengthening housing resources, promoting housing education, and advocating for thoughtful housing policy that supports long-term stability and growth.

EARLY LEARNING

Launched in 2024, the Boone County Child Care Study laid the groundwork for the Boone County Early Learning Coalition. This important work was made possible through funding secured by the Boone Economic Development Corporation from the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning, CFBC, Eli Lilly, Witham Health Services, and Traditions Realty.

Today, the Coalition continues building on that momentum, aligning partners and advancing strategies to improve access to quality early learning and child care across Boone County.

LANGUAGE LANDSCAPE

In partnership with the Boone County Health Department, CFBC expanded access to vital community information by translating the Boone County Resource Guide into Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole. Further, CFBC has partnered with GUTS Technology + Solutions to provide local nonprofits with a translation widget for their websites.

This effort ensures more residents, particularly those who speak Boone County’s top non-English languages, can easily connect to essential services, including housing, food assistance, healthcare, education, legal support, and more. This work continues with the Boone County Language Landscape Taskforce, composed of various community partners who are focused on supporting our community with the growing languages.

Through strategic partnerships and shared commitment, CFBC is helping create a more connected, informed, and opportunity-rich Boone County for all.

Immersed in building up her community

SUZY RICH | VOLUNTEER
JAMESTOWN, INDIANA

Snuggled in the southwest corner of Boone County, Jamestown is a small town with plenty going on. If you’d like to learn more, check in with Suzy Rich. You’re likely to find her in town somewhere — at the Tri-Area Library reading to children, at her church where she serves as treasurer, cooking a couple meals a week at the We All Matter program in nearby Advance, or working with the Jackson Township Historical Society to preserve the history of the area.

Raised in Fort Wayne, Suzy learned a strong community spirit from her family. When she moved to Jamestown 50 years ago, her daughters’ Girl Scout troop needed a leader, and Suzy stepped up. She hasn’t slowed down since. In a small town, people wear many hats and pitch in to do all that needs doing, which in Jamestown includes a volunteer-run town council, parks board, and fire department.

That spirit of community has long shaped Jamestown’s story. Years ago, when the Tri-Area Library was working to pay off its mortgage, the Jamestown community rallied around the effort in collaboration with the then-new Community Foundation of Boone County, under the leadership of founding CEO Beth Casselman. The fundraising campaign not only met its goal — it exceeded it. More than $10,000 raised beyond the mortgage payoff was used to establish the first endowment fund at CFBC. Today, proceeds from that fund support the library.

Today, the Jamestown Community Partnership continues that tradition of local investment, supporting projects and initiatives that enhance quality of life in the community.

Suzy’s most recent achievement is helping secure a bus for the Tri-Area Library. While delivering some Amazon-donated pet food to the Humane Society for Boone County, Suzy noticed they had a bus they weren’t using. After talking it over with them, the Humane Society decided to donate the bus to the library. It will take a little re-tooling, but the library hopes to use the bus as a bookmobile for smaller towns in underserved western Boone County, and even to host mobile story hours on the bus.

Learning & Leadership

NATALIE PERRY | 2025-26 BCL COHORT
COMMUNITY ACTION OF GREATER INDIANAPOLIS

Natalie Perry is relatively new to Boone County, where she works to match residents with needed housing. In her role as Housing Choice Voucher Program Director with Community Action of Greater Indianapolis (CAGI), Natalie works across four counties. After a challenging experience navigating Section 8 housing as a young tenant, she became committed to respecting and advocating for her clients.

“We treat clients like we are their agent,” she said. “We get them through the process and provide the resources for them to get a decent place to live.”

With more than ten years experience working in housing in central Indiana and a degree in Human Services, she’s in a great position to serve… and to lead.

Natalie learned about CFBC’s Boone County Leadership (BCL) program and recognized a great opportunity to learn about the people and institutions in Boone County.

“I wanted to know what triggers Boone County to be that friendly county, and what can I do to add to that,” she said.

One highlight of the 10-month program has been getting acquainted with a Whitestown Police officer who’s also in the BCL cohort. When talking about their respective roles, they learned they can share information about tenants and properties to benefit everyone, and solve problems before they get too big. She’s also been delighted to learn about Witham Health Services and many Boone County nonprofits.

“At first I was a little intimidated, and then I saw that I’m meant to be here,” Natalie said.

Women of Impact has been another opportunity for Natalie to learn about Boone County and meet new friends.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

JENNIFER SCOTT |WOI STEERING COMMITTEE | MULTI-GENERATIONAL IMPACT

Jennifer Scott has been with Women of Impact since its inception 10 years ago, and is proud of her status as both a founding member and a Steering Committee member. The group meets in person four times a year to distribute grants to Boone County nonprofits, and the meetings are both social and efficient — which Jennifer appreciates.

“It only takes one hour. Women are busy,” she said. “We get things done.”

She loves choosing different nonprofits around the county, seeing the impact of the grants, and the friendship the group offers. WOI has worked to attract women from all stages of life.

“There’s a separate fee structure for members under 30, and this is a great way to introduce younger people to philanthropy at a low cost,” Jennifer said.

Members can also split a membership. Jennifer is serious about spreading the word and has made recruiting to WOI a priority, starting with her own family. Her mother Carolyn, daughter Jada, and daughter-in-law Daniela, are all now members, and even her baby grandson has made an appearance. “My daughter-in-law is from Guatemala and this is a great way for her to meet people and become a bigger part of the community,” Jennifer said. Her mom takes advantage of using a proxy vote when she can’t attend in person, and enjoys this flexibility.

There’s been plenty of growth since 2017, and the WOI Steering Committee has to look for larger venues now. Even during COVID, when the meeting format had to change for a while, the giving still continued uninterrupted.

LIFELONG LEARNING

Breaking generational cycles by ensuring residents of all ages and abilities have access to educational opportunities for long-term success.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Enhancing the overall well-being of our community by
addressing mental, physical, and financial health.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY

Fostering a sense of belonging by volunteering, emphasizing responsibility for each other, and promoting active participation.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Supporting students in pursuing their next steps through educational opportunity, encouragement, and investment in their future.

SCIENCE, ART, AND SERVICE

EMMA HORNBECKER | 2024 CFBC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT

A 2024 Lebanon High School graduate, Boone County Lilly Scholar, and current IU Bloomington student, Emma Hornbecker has embraced all it means to be a Lilly Scholar. She got involved with the Lilly Scholars Network (LSN) chapter at IU as a freshman, and as a sophomore is the Vice President of Fellowship for the chapter.

“The LSN has turned out to be a natural place to meet like-minded people who are hard-working and community oriented,” Emma said.

The state LSN awarded the IU chapter a $5,000 grant and the students completed a project supporting the Bloomington Animal Shelter. The group built an environment to help dogs who have spent their lifetime in crates become acclimated to the outdoors.

Emma is working towards a BS in neuroscience with an eventual goal of a career in medicine, possibly as an Obstetrician/Gynecologist. She also has long experience as a performing artist, and channels her artistic side by singing and dancing with the Singing Hoosiers. Seeking to combine interests in science and art, Emma is applying for a $2,500 individual grant through the LSN for summer 2026. If awarded, she would use this grant to enhance Witham Health Services’ new Center of Hope located in Whitestown, which is a treatment space for victims of sexual assault to receive medical care and support.

By showcasing work from local artists in the Center of Hope, the grant would uplift the local arts community while providing a space of beauty, warmth, and comfort for residents during times of significant need.

CHAMPIONS FOR FARMERS AND CFBC

RICK ISENHOWER | VICE PRESIDENT, SR. COMMERCIAL & AG LENDER
FIRST FARMERS BANK & TRUST

Rick Isenhower is a banker and Boone County native with deep connections to agriculture. As his bank, First Farmers Bank and Trust, was establishing a fund with CFBC, they learned about our “Gifts of Grain” program. Right away, they knew it could be a good fit.

“We’re in agriculture,” Rick said. “We work with farmers every day, and Gifts of Grain is now part of how we can support our First Farmers Fund for the Future of Boone County.”

Rick and his colleagues now share this giving opportunity with their clients.

Through Gifts of Grain, farmers can donate the value of any amount of their harvest to CFBC, and direct those funds to support agriculture if they so choose.

“It’s a process between the farmer, the elevator, which turns the grain into monetary value, and the fund at CFBC, and it’s fairly easy for the farmers to do,” Rick said.

Farmers are surprised to learn about this form of giving, and are excited that their work can translate so directly into community impact. They know the work of their hands will build up Boone County and agriculture through CFBC, and they also reap the benefits of charitable giving.

LOCAL IMPACT FOR THE LONG TERM

SCOTT & DEE LINDSAY | DONORS & FUND ADVISORS ZIONSVILLE, INDIANA

Scott and Dee Lindsay of Zionsville learned about community foundations through clients and Dee’s history as a Lilly Scholar from Newton County. As they began to discuss their estate plans, CFBC emerged as a strong candidate to help them craft a legacy of service and community impact.

“We don’t have children, so there wasn’t a natural next step for our estate,” Scott said. “By establishing a fund with CFBC, we’re able to make an impact now, and create something meaningful that will continue serving our community for years to come.”

Scott’s work in real estate and Dee’s in financial services have honed their interests in agriculture, education, housing, and small business development. After meeting with CFBC CEO Julie Reagan, they saw clearly how CFBC’s work reflects the very priorities they care about, and their desire to make a truly local impact. While they recognize the important work of national nonprofits, their own community involvement has shown them that modest gifts can create meaningful, visible results right here in the places where they live and work.

Dee has been actively involved with CFBC, helping evaluate scholarship applications and serving with our Women of Impact group. Scott has been engaged through the Century Club of Zionsville, where he’s had a firsthand look at the needs of Boone County’s nonprofit community. With their fund established at CFBC, they have a partner to steward and build their legacy, confident that CFBC will be faithful to their vision in the long term.