When Allen County gives, the impact multiplies. That was the message from Your Community Foundation CEO Elaina Stiffler, who addressed county commissioners Tuesday morning about the organization’s ongoing November match month fundraiser.
The annual effort has helped bring tens of thousands of dollars in new charitable funding into the community each year.
Stiffler explained the foundation’s annual Patterson Family Foundation match campaign is underway, with this year’s goal higher than ever.
“This year, we have $100,000 worth of matching funds available — up from $70,000 last year. Every dollar raised for our endowed charitable funds is matched, and only the interest is used to support local nonprofits and projects. These are long-term, sustainable funds that keep giving back.”
Last year’s campaign, she said, raised $167,000 across 14 local funds, thanks in part to an $8,000 contribution from Allen County toward the Uniting for Excellence Fund for Allen County Regional Hospital. That investment helped unlock a match and, together with private donations, increased the fund’s total value by roughly $16,000.
Alan Weber also spoke to commissioners on behalf of YCF. He noted that the Uniting for Excellence Fund, which supports the hospital’s needs, now totals around $496,000. “It continues to grow,” Weber said. “It’s been a very successful program, and the Patterson Foundation’s outside match brings new dollars into Allen County — something that really amplifies our impact.”
Weber and Stiffler asked the commission to consider another donation this year, suggesting a $10,000 contribution from the county’s hospital sales tax reserve fund. Commissioner John Brocker, who also chairs the hospital board, said he could call a special meeting to consider the request before the campaign deadline of Nov. 30.
Commissioner David Lee asked how the funds are managed and what they can be used for.
Weber explained the foundation invests the funds in mutual funds rather than interest-bearing accounts, leading to growth beyond 5% in recent years.
The hospital fund, he said, is available “for the hospital’s general uses and purposes,” including medical equipment and facility needs.
IN OTHER NEWS, Public Works Director Mitch Garner reported the landfill dozer remains out of service due to a recall on the cylinders that lift the blade.
“It’s nothing we’ve done,” Garner said. “CAT had a recall, so they took them off to fix them. Hopefully we’ll get them back by the end of this week or next.”
Garner also said work on the airport’s T-hangar apron will likely wait until after the first of the year due to scheduling conflicts with concrete subcontractors. Other updates included completion of fall spraying and preparation for winter operations.
Road & Bridge Director Jeremy Hopkins shared that his crews are continuing routine maintenance — cleaning ditches, trimming trees, and patching roadways — and are awaiting word from the John Deere dealer regarding a new tractor. He also presented a bid from Bettis Asphalt & Construction for $202,400 to repave a half-mile of Petrolia Road, though the project will likely wait until the 2026 budget year.
“We’ve done a lot of asphalt this year,” Hopkins said. “We’d like to get this stretch done, but we don’t want to put ourselves in a tough budget spot. This bid is really just for informational purposes.”
EMERGENCY Management Director Jason Trego said there’s been a correction to the county’s emergency operations plan.
