(ANGOLA) – Most people celebrate New Year's in the winter.

The Steuben County Community Foundation enjoyed the sunny skies that accompanied the end of their fiscal year on June 30, 2020.

Over the last year, the Steuben County Community Foundation granted $1.14 million to the community. Some donors have specific organizations or causes they love to support. Approximately 75 percent of the grants were awarded with a donor's defined intent in mind, supporting a variety of organizations as the needs in the county change over time.

The other 25 percent of the grants are made possible by donors who trust the Foundation to assess the current needs in the community and find ways to make a difference.

The Foundation uses a committee of local volunteers to represent perspectives from throughout Steuben County, reviewing grant applications and making recommendations to the Foundation's Board of Directors for the unrestricted grant making, which is known as the Spirit Of Community Fund.

Over the past year, the Foundation granted $173,989 from the Spirit Of Community Fund to 31 organizations that meet a variety of needs in the community.

As of the end of June, the Steuben County Disaster Response Fund has awarded $84,190 to 10 non profits in the County who have been affected by COVID-19. These grants were awarded through a funding partnership with the Steuben County United Way.