Circle of Ivy spreading through Kokomo
Ivy Tech’s philanthropic organization for women funds things a budget doesn’t cover
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Recently, more than a dozen women from the Gilead House received forklift training at Ivy Tech Community College in Kokomo. That education wasn’t free, but the Circle of Ivy made it happen.
A great number of students across the region are working towards technical certificates and associate degrees while still in high school. They aren’t eligible for traditional financial aid to cover the cost of that education. The Circle of Ivy stepped in to fund a “Cash for Completers” program which helps offset that cost.
The Circle of Ivy is a philanthropic organization of women dedicated to funding projects that might not make it into the college’s annual budget. According to Kelly Karickhoff, executive director of resource development for Ivy Tech’s Kokomo Service Area, the circle has been active for the past seven years, and it is growing quickly.
“We have more than 1,000 women involved, and we’ve raised well over $1 million to support 384 campus projects,” said Karickhoff. “Each year, we have a membership campaign. We invite people from the community as well as faculty and staff to become members.
“We submit a call for proposals for up to $5,000 for things that people need. Once the proposals come to us, the leadership team checks them to make sure they are projects we can maintain, and then we send the proposals to the members for them to vote on. We have a statewide meeting where we announce the projects we will fund for the year. The winners have a year to spend their money, and then we do it all again.”
Some of the more notable projects funded by the Kokomo circle include the Giving Shelf, a campus food pantry in Logansport and Kokomo for students that may have food insecurities. It also funded things like enrichment activities for the college’s ASAP accelerated learning program, training for faculty, laboratory equipment, and charging stations on campus.
It took two years to get the giving circle organized. It started with a guiding inner circle of representatives from each Ivy Tech campus. Those members then developed circles for their respective campuses. Karickhoff explained the philosophy behind the Circle of Ivy and the growth that the Kokomo circle has experienced. Kokomo boasts the largest circle in the state with 114 members.
“I have always wanted to be a part of starting a women’s giving circle,” said Karickhoff. “Women give differently than men give. We wanted to give collectively and pool our resources to make a big impact. That’s what I like about Circle of Ivy.
“It has been really fun to watch the Circle of Ivy grow in Kokomo. Our circle had 32 members in its first year, but in 2022 we had 114 members, which makes Kokomo the largest circle in the organization.”
The secret to Kokomo’s growth is that each member is encouraged to ask another person to join each year. Members also can sponsor other members, such as students who want to be a part of the giving circle but may not have many resources. There is a membership fee, which ranges from $15 for an annual student membership to $15,000 for lifetime membership.
As each circle grows, the number of programs they support grows as well.
“It’s like a ripple when you drop a rock in the water,” said Karickhoff. “The impact of your efforts ripples out, and the circle becomes bigger and stronger. I sponsored my granddaughter for the circle because I want her to learn about philanthropy and the importance of giving. She is a proud 7-year-old member of the Circle of Ivy.
“Philanthropy is something that is taught, and the Circle of Ivy is a perfect way for people to get excited about helping other people and to make a big impact with just a small amount of money.”
There were 17 projects submitted for consideration last year. Of those, seven were funded through other funding sources, but 10 were forwarded to the Circle of Ivy. The group selected five projects for funding.
The projects funded in 2022 included:
· $3,000 for Cash for Completers, which covers the tuition for high school students needing financial support to complete a certificate, technical certificate, and/or associate degree.
· $2,712 to the Hispanic/Latinx Coalition which seeks to build relationships and recruit and retain students.
· $4,000 to the ASAP Program for enrichment activities and experiences.
· $2,532 for the New Beginnings Program which targets untapped populations in the community for short-term training that could lead to employment.
· $4,000 to healthcare students who cannot afford a CastleBranch program subscription that is required to record their background check, drug screen, and immunization records.
Anyone in the community may join the Circle of Ivy. For information about membership, contact Karickhoff at kkarickhoff@ivytech.edu or call 765-252-5501.