SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TOGETHER
Two years ago the Fort Wayne Elks #155 was informed that it could obtain a matching grant of $2,000 from the Elks National Foundation if it could raise $2,000 for a local charitable need. At that same time the Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County had run out of money and was unable to adequately serve the area needy. As the Elks had undergone a drop in membership, as have most service organizations, they did not have enough in their charitable fund to make such a donation to obtain the Matching Grant. The Waynedale Lions’ Club agreed to donate $1,000 so that the Elks could obtain the Matching Grant of $2,000, making it a total of $4,000. Which was donated to the Associated Churches Food Bank, along with over 325 pounds of food.
In October of 2014 it was announced that the Elks National Foundation was again offering a $2,000 Matching Grant. Both local service organizations were again, in the same financial shape but decided to donate $1,000 each to have Fort Wayne Elks Lodge #155 apply for a Matching Grant. The Elks and Waynedale Lions each took their checks to the Associated Churches Food Bank in December of 2014. The grant from the Elks National Foundation did not arrive in Fort Wayne until March of 2015 and a joint presentation of the Matching Grant fund was made on April 16, 2015. Unfortunately the fact of the Matching Grant funds, making up the $4,000 total was not stressed in a news release.
Declining membership in service organizations has been a major problem, which has caused them to provide fewer services to the needy in the community. If you are a serving contributor in your community, you should encourage your organization to join with another to seek National Matching Grants. Without the contribution of $1,000 in December from the Waynedale Lions Club, The Elks would not have obtained the $2,000 Matching Grant, which benefited the Associated Churches Food Bank in yet another $4,000 donation to help the needy.
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