In a close-knit place like Pulaski County, it’s easy to get to know your neighbors–but it’s a little tougher to truly know all your neighbors. Unless you’re Kim Krause. Kim has been the heart and soul of the Community Foundation of Pulaski County for seventeen incredible years.
“In a small community of less than 13,000 people, you would think I know just about everyone,” Kim laughs, and honestly, she’s not wrong.
From the donors who stop by the office to chat about their grandkids to the scholarship recipients she’s watched grow into positive community members, Kim is woven into the fabric of Pulaski County in a way that shows us exactly how community foundations work best—through genuine relationships and caring connections.
Finding Her Place
Kim’s journey to the Community Foundation started during one of life’s toughest chapters. In 2007, the Great Recession hit her young family hard. Her husband, a union carpenter, lost work in the Chicago suburbs, and her job at a daycare didn’t make ends meet. Like many families during that time, they needed stability. When Kim saw a part-time position as scholarship coordinator at the Community Foundation of Pulaski County, she jumped at it. The opportunity for that stability with a bonus of being close to home was worth it, even if she didn’t really know just what she was getting into.
“Honestly, I had no idea what a community foundation was,” Kim admits. “I moved here in 1999 from Illinois, and community foundations were not as common there as in Indiana. I was excited about this new venture and learning more about the community foundation world.”
What started as a job became a calling, and a part-time job grew into a full-time career as an administrative assistant, scholarship coordinator, and now office manager and program assistant.
Kim’s story is special, but in many ways, it isn’t unique here. Like it does for so many folks, life threw her a curveball, but Pulaski County was there to help her catch it. The community didn’t just give her a job—it gave her a purpose and a place to belong.
Building Connections That Count
Over seventeen years, Kim has built countless connections.
“I have met many wonderful people,” she reflects. “Staff, donors, fund founders, scholars, grantees, board members, committee members, business owners, other community foundations, organization representatives, school faculty–the list goes on.”
And she hasn’t just met people; she’s watched them grow and evolve.
“The children I once nurtured as infants and toddlers at daycare have all graduated from high school now. Wow! Do I feel old!” she jokes.
These aren’t just professional relationships either.
“Many people I have met over the years feel like family, and I have built wonderful friendships along the way,” Kim says. “It makes coming to work every day for the last 17 years worthwhile and enjoyable.”
When donors visit the office, they’re not just dropping off checks. They’re asking about Kim’s kids and grandkids, sharing stories, and building the trust that makes real community work possible.
This relationship-based approach isn’t just nice—it’s effective. Building a real relationship with someone and earning their trust makes it easier for them to share their dreams for the community, open their hearts to giving, and work together for the good of everyone in Pulaski County.
A Community That Cares
Some of Kim’s most treasured memories show how our Pulaski County community takes care of its own–with Kim frequently at the heart of the work. She speaks lovingly of Darlene Mellon, a CFoPC board member who passed away earlier this year. Darlene and her husband, Chuck, created the Mellon Patch Community Fund, and she was passionate about our community.
“I looked up to her. She often texted or called me to ask questions about past grants,” Kim remembers. “She seemed to know I would have the answer. She was a very sweet woman who fought the good fight and will be greatly missed.”
Then there’s the full-circle moment that still makes Kim smile—presenting the Galbreath Scholarship to her daughter in 2011. It was the first year of the Grads in Action program, where scholarship recipients work together on community service projects.
“We had a great time planting flowers and doing some landscaping at the 4-H community building fairgrounds,” Kim recalls. “It was a fantastic opportunity to work with our young adults to better the community.”
These days, Kim is excited about new ways the community supports its most vulnerable members. The Recovery Café is open as a resource for people and families touched by addiction. Caterpillar Corner–the new childcare center in Francesville, and the Winamac Early Learning Academy, are helping working families give their kids a leg up for the future. It’s all part of that community spirit—nobody succeeds alone, and everybody deserves support.
A Community in Action
Since Kim started, she has watched the CFoPC grow from just over $5 million in assets to well over $15 million today.
“We have a very generous and giving community that amazes me time and time again,” she says.
The GIFT initiatives through Lilly Endowment have been game-changers, doubling and tripling donations from an already generous community. When Kim started, the Foundation awarded about $10,000 in community grants annually. Today, that number is nearly $100,000!
But the numbers only tell part of the story. All that phenomenal growth has happened because Kim and her colleagues work patiently to help people and local businesses understand what a community foundation really does. Through initiatives like Giving Tuesday, they have shown folks that giving isn’t just about writing checks—it’s about volunteering, organizing small events like bake sales, and encouraging our friends and colleagues to get involved.
Behind the scenes, Kim knows there’s a lot more work than most people realize.
“What is something most people don’t realize about the Community Foundation? That would be the time and dedication put into everything the CFoPC does,” she explains. “From paying the bills to awarding grants and scholarships; receiving charitable gifts; managing committees, audits, surveys, and national standards; and investing the Foundation’s assets to ensure its existence for many years to come.”
It’s complex work that requires many hands and hearts.
The Strength to Overcome
Ask Kim about her motto, and she’ll tell you without hesitation: “Nothing is impossible.” It’s not just a saying. “I have seen the Pulaski County community overcome many obstacles and challenges through the years,” she recalls. “We are strong!”
Kim believes the Community Foundation has helped shape Pulaski County for the better. There will always be a need to help bridge divides, but the collaborative spirit is strong here.
“The CFoPC has influenced the character of Pulaski County in a positive way,” Kim says. “People are more apt to work together instead of against each other.”
What keeps Kim going after all these years? It’s simple: she’s invested.
“I see a small but mighty community come together, tackle fundraising challenges, support one another during a hard time or loss, and volunteer their time in many ways,” she says. “I enjoy my career, the many blessings it brings, and the people I see, volunteer with, and work with every day.”
The Community Kim Helped Build
Seventeen years on, Kim has watched Pulaski County grow stronger, more collaborative, and more generous. She’s seen high school graduates leave for college and return to raise their families. She’s witnessed new businesses take root and new initiatives flourish.
The Community Foundation’s mission is to build resources, engage people, and inspire generosity to enrich lives in Pulaski County. Kim lives that every single day, one relationship at a time. She shows us what community foundation work is all about–people caring for people, neighbors helping neighbors, and a rural home that refuses to let anyone face life’s challenges alone.
After nearly two decades of building bridges, nurturing relationships, and helping our community grow stronger together, Kim Krause has certainly proven that it takes a village–and sometimes, it takes someone special to show that village just how powerful it can be.
Thank you, Kim, for seventeen years of helping the Community Foundation reflect the best of who we are as neighbors, friends, and family in Pulaski County.