Simplicity. During a recent conversation with RCCF donor Jennifer Krodel, this word surfaced again and again. She and her husband, Greg, along with their three children work hard and love deeply. But of course, it’s not quite as simple as that.

We all have people who have influenced us, and if we’re lucky, it shapes us in the best of ways. For Jennifer, that is her mother, Joan.

Joan McLaughlin was a special education teacher in the 70’s and 80’s. “She was always concerned about those that fall through the cracks – people with mental, developmental and physical disabilities. She was visionary – a big dreamer who was usually able to make her dreams come true,” shared Jennifer.

As a single parent, Joan started her company, McSherr, Inc. in 1985, to provide services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in central Indiana. She headed the organization she loved until her death in 2004.

Joan and Jennifer weren’t just close, but best friends. Joan’s death came at a particularly vulnerable point in Jennifer and Greg’s life. In addition to raising their young son, Jennifer had recently given birth to their daughter. The Krodels decided to move to Rushville to be near family, where they still live today. “A couple years after moving back we decided to stay in Rush County to be able to raise our children in a safe, close-knit community.”

Jennifer and Greg run McSherr, Inc. as a team. Greg handles the finances as CFO. Jennifer handles the day-to-day operations as President/CEO. She really enjoys the client piece of her work and is very hands-on in her role. From shopping for groceries for their six 24/7 group homes to bathing clients, she would never ask one of her employees to do something she wouldn’t do herself. Even after all the challenges of a given day, when she helps her clients, it gives her all she needs to keep going. That and inspiration from her mom. She has a sign in her office that reads ‘All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my Mother.’ “She gave me a love of what I do,” smiled Jennifer.

To honor her mom, Jennifer and Greg established the Joan L. McLaughlin Memorial Scholarship Fund. “She was a huge advocate for education. The scholarship is something that I thought she would support.” Since 2008, 27 students have received scholarships through their fund.

The Krodels’ generosity doesn’t end there. “We always want to support causes that are important to us and that we have a connection to,” shared Jennifer. She recalled a time in college when money was very tight. “I chose a name from a Christmas tree and purchased a $30 gift for a patient of St. Jude Children’s Hospital. That stuck with me, and I have a soft spot for them.” Both she and her son were “Riley kids”, so Riley Hospital for Children is another charity that is dear to them.

And so is RCCF. With the opportunities provided by the GIFT VII match, the Krodels established the All is Well Community Fund. (Fun fact: They got the name from Kevin Bacon’s line in the movie National Lampoon’s Animal House!) This unrestricted fund supports community grants, providing for the most urgent needs, including members of the community who might normally be left behind.

“You know, you can’t take it with you. We had extra money and wanted to help the community,” Jennifer said in her matter-of-fact way. “As a family, we came up with a set of values: gratitude, faith, adventure, creativity, honesty, simplicity. Simplicity leads to happiness. We just want to support good community stuff.”

Greg and Jennifer in Alaska

Those values definitely shine through their family. They tend to cherish experiences over material things. Hiking and camping in their Airstream trailer are favorite pastimes. They’ve been on a quest to visit all 50 states as a family. They almost completed their adventure, but the pandemic put a temporary hold on those plans. While Washington, Oregon and Hawaii will have to wait, the Krodels will keep working to simply make life better for others.

If you want to support good stuff in the Rush County community, please join the Krodels in making a gift or starting your own fund to enhance and enrich the quality of life for all. We’re available for any questions you may have along the way. Email us at info@rushcountyfoundation.org or call us at (765)938-1177. We’re more than glad to help!