As part of our ongoing work in support of local professional advisors, the Community Foundation will welcome attorney Laura Hansen Dean on Tuesday, October 10, for a seminar entitled Charitable Gift Planning for Baby Boomers. The seminar will be held at South Bend’s Century Center, and will provide three hours of continuing education credits for attorneys, CFPs, bankers, and trust officers, including a half-hour of ethics credit. The seminar will run from 8:30–11:30 a.m., and cost is $40 per attendee. To register for the event or learn more, visitcfsjc.org/hansendean.

On September 19, the Community Foundation gathered a group of our closest friends and supporters for our Annual Meeting & Celebration. Guest Rob Cullin, a partner with Kimberly Bolan and Associates—a consulting firm that specializes in helping libraries thrive—spoke about highlights of a recently completed study that the firm created regarding a future vision for the downtown branch of the St. Joseph County Public library. The study, funded in part by the Community Foundation, envisions an exciting, expanded space that will provide additional energy to downtown South Bend.

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SEPTEMBER 2017 CONNECTING PEOPLE WHO CARE WITH CAUSES THAT MATTER

CASIE Center Wins 2017 Leighton Award for Nonprofit ExcellenceNonprofit agency dedicated to serving abused and neglected children wins the Community Foundation’s $150,000 award.

Members of the Community Foundation’s Leighton Committee regularly say that the best thing about choosing the winner of the Leighton Award for Nonprofit Excellence is that it’s never an easy decision. Our community has a wealth of outstanding nonprofit organizations, and we’re a better place because of them and their dedicated service.

This year’s award recognizes the exemplary work of the CASIE Center.

It’s a sad fact that there are children in our community who are the victims of abuse and neglect. The CASIE Center’s mission is to ensure that these vulnerable children receive the forensic and advocacy services they need with professionalism and compassion.

CASIE is an acronym that stands for Child

Abuse Services, Investigations, and Education. Each year, the CASIE Center provides services for 1,500 children—the largest number served by any of the 24 Child Advocacy Centers in Indiana.

BRINGING FORENSIC, SERVICE AGENCIES TOGETHER One of the CASIE Center’s greatest successes has been its recent building campaign, which has brought many of community’s investigative partners together under one roof. The CASIE Center’s large facility on Niles Avenue houses prosecutors, paralegals, representatives of the Family and Justice Center, DCS assessment workers, police officers, counsellors, and therapists. By serving as the “backbone organization”

HIGHLIGHTS

continued on p. 2

From left: Carolyn Hahn, executive director of the CASIE Center; Rose Meissner, president of the Community Foundation, and Dan Jones, president of the CASIE Center board

Each year, The CASIE Center provides services for 1,500 children—the largest number served by any of the 24 Child Advocacy Centers in Indiana.

From left: Speaker Rob Cullin and Debra Futa, SJCPL’s executive director

rather the great toy collection and the staff members who made them laugh.

A $150,000 CHALLEGE GRANT As the 2017 Leighton Award winner, the CASIE Center receives a $150,000 endowment challenge grant and needs to raise $150,000 in matching funds. The resulting $300,000 will be added to the CASIE Center’s endowed fund with the Community Foundation, providing additional annual resources to support its critical work on behalf of children.

Also, the CASIE Center receives an additional $25,000 to help with the costs of any fundraising and communications associated with the match.

“Winning the Leighton Award is an honor and achievement beyond words,” says Hahn, with appreciation, “because it reflects on all the people who believe in the CASIE Center and our work.”

You can help the CASIE Center raise its match with an online donation through the Community Foundation at cfsjc.org/give.

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY • PAGE 2LEIGHTON continued from p. 1

Members of “Team CASIE” pose for a group shot at the organization’s facility on Niles Avenue. Executive Director Carolyn Hahn is fourth from the left.

In a field that’s notorious for burnout due to the challenging nature of the work, “Team CASIE” has an unusually high retention rate.

As part of the Leighton Award process, we’ve named two Special Recognition winners, each of which will receive an award of $10,000. Special Recognition awards are intended to encourage organizations that are pursuing higher degrees of excellence, recognizing inspiring examples of service and performance.

The Community Foundation’s first 2017 Special Recognition Award goes to Hope Ministries, in recognition of Hope’s special ability to build partnerships and engage the faith community in its work to combat homelessness in our community.

The Community Foundation’s second 2017 Special Recognition Award goes to the South Bend Symphony Orchestra, recognizing the organization’s excellence in managing succession in leadership.

Special Recognition Awards to Hope Ministries, South Bend Symphony

Hope Ministries’ community kitchen (above) is one of the many support services that the organization provides.

among these partners, the CASIE Center ensures that children receive the care they need in a single location that is always safe, supportive, and child-focused.

THE CLINIC AT CASIE In order to better serve its young clients, the CASIE Center recently created the Clinic at CASIE. A partnership with the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, and the South Bend Medical Foundation, the Clinic at CASIE has allowed the CASIE Center to increase the number of non-acute medical exams and treatments it provides to its young clients onsite.

A DEDICATED TEAM “Our whole staff is committed to providing excellent work,” says Carolyn Hahn, “whatever that means to that particular child, that particular family, on that particular day.”

Hahn joined the CASIE Center in 1996 and has served as executive director since 1999. And she’s not the only staff member who’s been with the agency for a long time. In a field that’s notorious for burnout due to the challenging nature of the work, “Team CASIE” has an unusually high staff retention rate.

It’s a testimony to these special people that often, what children remember about the CASIE Center is not the details of their forensic interview, but

PAGE 3

Remembering Chuck RoemerIn her eulogy, Greta Roemer Lewis described her father, the “irrepressible” Chuck Roemer, as having a servant heart.

“He really enjoyed being helpful in large and small ways,” she said. “This included his work as a lawyer, but it extended far beyond that.”

It definitely extended to me, both personally and professionally. Chuck was a true mentor, a model, and a friend. He both taught and exemplified. He was big on small acts of kindness

(flowers, fruit baskets, hugs). He was generous with appreciation and encouragement.

I smile at the memory of his beaming lectures on maintaining balance in life, which seemed so misplaced at the time because I was surviving some pretty serious sleep deprivation after the birth of my first (colicky) child. In retrospect, I realize he knew exactly what he was doing.

Chuck was devoted to the success

of the Community Foundation. He contributed so generously in so many ways—as a Board member, attorney, donor and citizen. He attracted clients that wanted not just his legal advice but his guidance on how to live a meaningful life. Some advisors struggle with broaching the topic of charitable giving with their clients. Chuck thought it was an obligation.

As I celebrate 25 years with our Community Foundation and reflect on people like Chuck Roemer that I have had the privilege to know, I feel much better informed about what it means to live a meaningful life. I can think of no better example than Chuck.

—Rose Meissner, president

Foundation’s Free Summer Performing Arts Series Draws CrowdsFor the eighth consecutive year, we celebrated summer with our free Community Foundation Performing Arts Series in the Chris Wilson Pavilion at Potawatomi Park.

As always, our series showcases some of our community’s very best performing arts talent. Our events this year included the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival’s Touring Company performing “Twelfth Night”; Southold Dance Theater; the IUSB Jazz Ensemble; the South Bend Symphony

Orchestra (whose performance included a community “play-along” of a Strauss waltz that involved 40 local musicians), and Vesper Chorale, with the Children’s Choir of Michiana. In addition, we welcomed a return visit from New West Guitar Group, an ensemble with a special connection to our area—member John Storie is a former student of Chris Wilson, for whom the pavilion where the series is held is named.

Our six performances drew more than 2,650 people to the park.

Chuck Roemer was a true mentor, a model, and a friend. He both taught and exemplifed.

Soloist Maya Kvaratskhelia, performing with the Symphony at the Series event on Aug. 19

Founding Board member and longtime friend and supporter of the Community Foundation, Chuck Roemer died on August 14, 2017.

Chuck Roemer, pictured at a Community Foundation event in 2011

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As part of our commitment to education, the Community Foundation holds more than 60 scholarship funds that benefit local students. Two of the most popular scholarships we offer are the Jon and Sonja Laidig Community Service Scholarship and the Charles Martin “Touch a Life” Scholarship. These scholarships provide money for college plus include an additional component: a 300-hour paid summer internship with a local nonprofit agency. It’s a great way for students to gain valuable work experience while also making a difference in their community.

And it’s a tremendous boost for the local nonprofits who host the interns.

Diana Breden, executive director of Camp Millhouse, was delighted to have three interns working with the camp this summer: Laidig Scholars Kayla Jackson and Bryce Lemert, and Charles Martin Scholar Myracle Newsome.

“Payroll is our biggest expense,” Breden says. “Having interns extends our ability to give campers more one-on-one time.”

The scholars, like all of Camp Millhouse’s staff, received intensive training to

Laidig, Charles Martin Scholarships Give Students a Chance to Serve

Laidig Scholar Kayla Jackson (right) with one of the young campers at Camp Millhouse

prepare them for working with the campers, who have a range of disabilities.

Diana looks over at Bryce Lemert, who’s assisting with the camp’s afternoon music program. With clear enthusiasm, he’s singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” with Daniel, a young camper who grins broadly as he keeps time on a hand-held drum.

“I wish I had 20 of Bryce,” Breden says, warmly. “He’s incredible.”

It’s a sentiment that’s shared by the other agencies that host interns. This summer, all the scholars received rankings of either “outstanding” or “very good” from their supervisors on exit surveys.

Other intern sites for this past summer included Beacon Memorial, Center for the Homeless, Holy Cross Village, La Casa de Amistad, Reins of Life, St. Margaret’s House, Unity Gardens, and the YMCA of Michiana.

All the deadlines and details about the Community Foundation’s scholarships are at cfsjc.org/scholarships.

“Having interns extends our ability to give campers more one-on-one time,” says Diana Breden, executive director of Camp Millhouse.