To help ensure their organization’s mission in perpetuity, the Board of Directors of the St. Nicholas Center has established two funds at the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana: an endowment fund and an organization fund.

“Our board is pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the St. Nicholas Center to strengthen the services provided for children in Southwest Louisiana with autism, developmental delays and neurological disorders,” said Sara Judson, CEO of the Community Foundation of SWLA. “These two funds are a testament to the amazing impact the St. Nicholas Center is having with children in our region. Their supporters know that they want these services to continue for future generations.”

The St. Nicholas Center Organizational Fund is made up of dollars raised by donors from around Southwest Louisiana and beyond.

The significant investment is managed by JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs, and last year’s total return was 10.16 percent, Judson said.

“We encourage others to give to the endowment fund, which will help ensure that this good work continues well after our own lifetimes,” said Michelle Mudd, Community Foundation treasurer.

With an endowment fund, the nonprofit agency will receive annual distributions from the fund based on their agreement with the Community Foundation. This will help play an important role in helping the St. Nicholas Center continue to build capacity to meet the ever-growing population of children on the autism spectrum.

“Our board has strategically focused for the past few years on raising funds for our new building and programs to meet the needs of more children,” said Christy Papania-Jones, executive director of St. Nicholas Center. “An endowed fund was a logical next step to give our donors, who believe so strongly in our mission, the opportunity to make a lasting philanthropic investment to support children on the autism spectrum for many years to come.”

For more information on the Community Foundation, call 491-6688.(Rick Hickman/American Press)

Rick Hickman