Members of The Hive were buzzing with excitement when $10,000 in grants were awarded during their annual social gathering on World Bee Day, Saturday, May 20.
The Hive is a women’s giving circle established in 2018 through the Starke County Community Foundation. Since its inception, this participatory grant making group has awarded a total of $39,500 in grants to local organizations making a difference in Starke County.
The 2023 event featured testimony from past grantees about how funds from The Hive have benefited their organization as well as video applications from this year’s finalist organizations. All paid members get to cast a vote for the charitable group that speaks to them the most and that’s how grant amounts are determined.
This year’s grant recipients included Kid’s Closet, which received $3,500, the Knox St. Vincent de Paul and the San Pierre Volunteer Fire Department who were awarded $2,500 each and Dunebrook which was the recipient of a $1,500 grant.
The grant funds are generated from membership dues and an annual distribution from the Hive Giving Circle Endowment Fund at the Starke County Community Foundation. External support was provided by an anonymous contributor, the donor-advisor for the Hardesty Memorial Endowment Fund and the Carrier Family who directed a grant from The Luminous Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne to help supplement The Hive’s granting total for 2023.
Though ladies are local, you don’t have to be a resident of Starke County to be a member of The Hive. If you’ve moved away from the area but still want to make a difference locally, you’re welcome to join. Hive members 16 to 22 years old pay $60 per year while all other members pay an annual due of $120. Women can get a jump start on their 2024 membership by visiting The Hive page at nicf.org.
