Ken Buchele provided our club a great overview of the Emporia Community Foundation. Starting 23 years ago, ECF has distributed $9 million toward noble causes in the Flint Hills region. Assets have grown to $23 million in 175 funds. Match Day has become an exciting time with $210,000 given away in its third year. Key Five in Kansas - Money being distributed to heirs many times leaves Kansas. An effort is being made to encourage Kansans to leave 5% of their estate to some philanthropic organization in Kansas in order to help keep our wealth within our state.
Now ECF is focusing on funding the Perkins Fund for the Future as a gift for our community. It is an endowment that will help pay for the internal operations of the ECF in the future, ensuring that more donated funds will be used for philanthropic purposes and less for operations.