Pictured, from left, are Deb Bishop, Wagon Wheel Board of Directors; Elissa Wise, Wagon Wheel Development Director; Suzie Light, Kosciusko County Community Foundation CEO; and Jay Michaels, Wagon Wheel Executive Director.

KOSCIUSKO — In May, the Kosciusko County Community Foundation announced that, in celebration of its 50th anniversary, 10 youth serving nonprofit organizations were selected to participate in “Endowment Challenge 50” (EC50.)

Wagon Wheel Theatre is the first organization to have successfully completed the fundraising portion of the challenge.

Participating organizations committed to raising $10,000 for their endowment and to participate in multiple trainings focused on sustainability and donor development. In return, the youth serving organizations would receive $40,000 in matching funds for a total of $50,000 for their endowment funds.

“We are really proud of the staff, board and supporters of Wagon Wheel who helped them reach this goal,” said Suzie Light, Community Foundation CEO. “The work Wagon Wheel is doing with youth means that children of all backgrounds have access through school trips to the performing arts and have the opportunity to participate in workshops and camps.”

Endowment funds provide a charity with a consistent annual stream of revenue. The principle is not spent. It’s invested and the earnings from that investment support the work of the charity, forever.

The EC50 was made possible through the generous financial partnership of Dekko Foundation, Kosciusko County Community Foundation, the Ruth Lilly Philanthropic Foundation, and the Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation.