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Ben Plucknett Charitable Trust Gives More Than $10,000 to American Indian College Fund's Sovereign Nations Scholarship Fund Endowment 

Denver, Colorado—The American Indian College Fund received a gift of more than $10,000 from the Boise, Idaho-based Ben Plucknett Charitable Trust.

Jan DeRoin, Mr. Plucknett's sister and one of the trustees of the trust, says the trust was established by her mother in her will in honor of her son, who predeceased her by one year. Her mother worked with DeRoin to choose a donor who helped meet educational needs in the American Indian community, particularly with people who lived on reservations. "Ben was very interested in American Indian culture, and although he was not Native American, he had many Native American friends. He was also interested in education and health care," DeRoin says. Her mother wanted to choose an American Indian organization because of Mr. Plucknett's friendships and interests. After her mother's death, DeRoin says she and the other trustees chose the American Indian College Fund because of its educational focus and the fact that "the Fund has a high rating as a charitable organization, is run by American Indians, and its administrative costs are low so the maximum benefits go to American Indians." The gift was added to the Fund's Sovereign Nations Scholarship Fund Endowment because of its matching gift provision, according to DeRoin.

The American Indian College Fund supports qualified American Indian scholars by providing financial support to encourage them to remain in college and complete a college degree. "Thanks to the support of individuals like the Plucknetts who believe in the importance of education as a key to a better life, American Indian college students make a better life for themselves and their families," said Richard B. Williams, President and CEO of the Fund.