4‑H Latecomers Establish County Endowments
David and Sharon White’s path to supporting Indiana 4‑H looks a little different than that of many donors. In fact, growing up in Allen County, in the 1950’s and 60’s, neither of them participated in 4‑H.
“Sharon was active in Junior Achievement, and as an Eagle Scout, I was very involved with Boy Scouts. We didn’t really know much about 4‑H,” shared David. “We thought it was primarily only for kids who lived on farms and in rural areas.”
While they didn’t benefit directly from 4‑H early in life, they became familiar with the organization as adults and began to realize the breadth of opportunities it provides for youth.
“The manager of my Auburn office volunteered for 4‑H for at least 20 years,” shared Sharon, whose Premier, Inc. Realtors business has offices in both Allen and DeKalb counties. “We saw first-hand the incredible impact the program had upon its members.”
The Whites’ positive impression of 4‑H grew even stronger with each visit to the DeKalb County and Allen County fairs.
“We were first drawn to the animal activities but soon realized that a huge part of 4‑H was outside the show rings. The sheer number and variety of projects entered, displayed and judged were overwhelming. We recognized these young people were learning life skills that will allow them to be great employees, leaders and entrepreneurs,” said David.
“We loved that the projects didn’t have to be big or expensive to learn the incredible life lessons like discipline, teamwork and service to community,” added Sharon.
This impact inspired the Whites as they explored ways to invest in the communities where they have lived and worked for the past 50 years.
“The communities in Allen and DeKalb Counties have been very good to us, helping yield successful careers,” shared David who worked as a manager for Dana Corporation in Auburn and also operated a small business.
“We thought that by supporting 4‑H, we could make a lasting impact on children in the counties that supported us during our lives.”
David and Sharon connected with Indiana 4‑H Foundation leadership as well as DeKalb County and Allen County leadership to learn about the program’s needs.
“The depth of leadership and commitment of the County Educators and volunteers is absolutely incredible,” Sharon said.
It was during these conversations that the Whites learned about “Greatest Need” endowments.
“We realized this was the vehicle through which we could support the most children and do the most good for the program,” said David.
In 2022 David and Sharon generously established two endowments, one for DeKalb County 4‑H and another for Allen County 4‑H. As “Greatest Need” endowments, the County Educators have the flexibility to use the funds for the most pressing needs.
“We know that the County Educators really drive the programs and have the best understanding of where the needs are,” shared Sharon. “By giving them control of the endowment income, it allows the gifts to have the broadest reach and support the program’s changing needs as the world evolves around us.”
The Whites elected to create the endowments now, rather than waiting to establish them through their estate plan.
“We’re honored to be able to make this investment in the DeKalb and Allen County 4‑H programs,” shared David. “We are excited to see how the funds will be used and the impact they will create for members and their communities.”
To learn more about county endowments established through the Indiana 4‑H Foundation, visit in4h.org/endowments.