The Unity Foundation has a fund to meet every need.

It only takes a little to get one of your own started.  

Call us to find out more!

_____________________________________________________________________________

The following is an extended list of the existing funds held by Unity.

Please view our individual fund categories at the top of the page for more information, photos and stories!

Click the links in blue for more information!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Field of Interest Funds & Agency Funds:

These funds benefit a specific charitable organization or cause.

Animal Care and Animal Education

Independent Cat Society: promotes the welfare of all animals, especially cats in the Northwest Indiana region.

Michiana Humane Society: Supports homeless and/or abused domestic animals while educating the community with kindness for all.

Polad Animal Care Fund: Helps animals that have become homeless as a result of their owners death, disappearance, or inability to care for them.

Washington Park Zoo Fund: Supports the MC Zoological Society, especially animal care and habitat improvement.

Clarence Weinkauff Jr. Grant Fund:  Supports and promotes the 4H swine program and the breeding of swine in LaPorte County.

 

Arts and Culture

Bankoff Family Fund for the Sinai Sunday Evening Forum :  Brings the “world” closer to home through this long-standing speaker series.

Arts United Fund of LaPorte County: Promotes interest and appreciation of fine and performing arts in LaPorte County.

Barry Dulyea Arts for Children Fund: Enriches the lives of youth through the fine arts.

Dunes Arts Foundation Endowment: Supports fine and performing arts for children and adults in LaPorte County.

Festival Players Guild Endowment Fund: Supports year-round professional and semi-professional theater productions and related activities.

Eugene & Marilyn Glick Arts Fund: Provides financial support and promotes appreciation and participation of fine and performing arts in the city of LaPorte.

Indiana Humanities Council Fund:  Supports humanities programs in LaPorte County.

Dale E. Landsman Arts Foundation: Supports fine arts, including education and appreciation; commercial arts of advertising and graphic design.

Jack and Shirley Lubeznik Center for the Arts: Helps fund special projects. Helps to introduce local students to museum situations and to art appreciation.

Ted and Ruth Rohrabaugh Fund for the Michigan City Lakefront Amphitheater: To buy music for the MC Municipal Band.

LaPorte County Symphony Fund: Helps the symphony to bring quality orchestral programs to LaPorte  County.

 

Child Care and Family Support

Children’s Fund (Child Abuse Prevention): Supports Child Abuse Prevention Council to maintain Dunebrook child advocacy center, increases community awareness of child abuse and neglect and coordinates services for victims and families.

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Fund: Supports efforts to advocate safe, permanent homes for abused and neglected children.

LaPorte Family YMCA Child Care Center Fund: Supports the expanded child care center on Monroe Street in LaPorte.

Women’s Care Center of Greater LaPorte County Endowment Fund:Supports the local Women’s Care Centers and their outreach to pregnant women and their babies.

Womens Well Being Fund: Improves the well-being of women and girls.

Worthy Women Recovery Home Endowment Fund:  Provides recently incarcerated women with re-entry programs and the tools necessary to reduce recidivism rates, substance use and additions, and to empower them to live as positive role models for their children and in their community.

 

Community Development & Philanthropy

Michigan City Lion Charities, Inc. Endowment Fund: Provides support to assist charitable organizations in the local community.

George H. and Madeline A. Smrt West Side Neighborhood Fund: Benefits the West Side Neighborhood of Michigan City.

Unity Operating Endowment Fund: Helps support day-to-day operations to serve LaPorte County.

United Way of Greater LaPorte County Endowment Fund: Helps fund projects for the United Way.

Unity Foundation Operating Fund: Helps Unity to help others.

 

Economic and Workforce Development

Economic Development Investment Fund: support efforts to enhance county-wide economic development.

Kankakee Valley Workforce Development Fund: Provides education and training for skill development and enhancement of residents.

 

Education

Barbara A. Carmen Memorial Fund: Endows teachers with grants for special enrichment programs to enhance elementary curriculum in Michigan City Schools.

Ray Daly LaLumiere Fund: Supports LaLumiere students who achieve academically and exemplify the true meaning of living a Christian life.

Janet Collings Drayton Teacher Innovation Fund:  will support teacher innovation at Kingsbury Elementary School, LaPorte IN.

Haiti Children’s Education Fund: To create a better world by providing education to orphans or other youth in the country of  Haiti.

Language Arts Fund for Queen of All Saints: Supports Hoosier Books program and other language arts programs.

LaPorte High School Class of 1952 Fund: Honors their deceased classmates & supports LPHS as a great place to grow and learn.

Leadership LaPorte County Fund: Inspires, develops, cultivates, and connects emerging and existing leaders to serve their diverse communities.

League of Women Voters Education Fund: Supports educational activities.

Michigan City Area Chamber of Commerce Education Foundation: To enhance the quality of public education through programs not normally funded through tax dollars.

Michigan City Area Schools Endowment Fund: To support programs not typically funded by taxes.

Michigan City Education Foundation: Provides grants of $350 or less to teachers to develop and implement creative programs in the classroom in grades K-8.

J. Robert and Marjorie Miller Teacher Advancement Fund: Promotes teacher excellence within the LaPorte Community Schools.

Rotary Club of Michigan City Foundation: Provides educational programs and local scholarships.

Teacher Innovation Fund for MCAS: Provide small grants to teachers and educational professionals (high school and career & technical), who develop or replicate innovative approaches to make learning more effective and exciting.

Technology Fund for St. Joseph School: Supports acquisition of technology computer hardware and software in the class room.

Bill and Kitty Wolf Art Teacher Advancement Fund: Promotes art teacher excellence in the LaPorte Community Schools.

 

Emergency Housing and Services

LaPorte County ChapterAmerican Red Cross Endowment Fund: Provides relief to the victims of disaster and helps people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.

Housing Opportunities Inc. Endowment Fund: Helps break the cycle of homelessness by providing preventive and crisis services and developing safe, decent, affordable housing and customized support services .

Sandcastle Shelter for Children and Families: Provides short-term shelter for families in need of temporary emergency lodging with the goal of securing permanent housing.

Stepping Stone Shelter Endowment Fund: Provides emergency shelter for women and their children who are victims of domestic violence.

The Salvation Army of Michigan City Endowment Fund: Helps the Salvation Army meet people’s most basic needs.

The Salvation Army of Michigan City Major Building Repairs Fund: Provides major building repairs so that it can provide soup, soap and salvation to those in need.

 

Environment, Parks, & Recreation

Barker Woods Stewardship Fund: Provides environmental stewardship for the Barker Woods Nature Preserve and other properties.

Environmental Improvement Fund for LaPorte County: Supports projects and programs that improve the quality of land, air and/or waters of LaPorte County.

Fort LaPlay Porte Endowment: Provides long-term maintenance of Fort LaPlay Porte, at Kesling Park.

Indiana Dunes Environmental Learning Center Tuition Assistance Fund: Helps LaPorte County students attend the many outstanding and experiential environmental learning programs.

International Friendship Gardens Fund: Supports the gardens, programs and ground facilities.

June B. Kelley Garden Fund for Long Beach: Preserves, maintains and develops public gardens in Long Beach, Indiana.

Jan Nona Environmental Stewardship Award Fund: Rewards students or teachers in the M. C. area, to move beyond being an ordinary citizen and become involved in local environmental issues.

LaPorte City Park Foundation Fund: Supports maintenance and improvement of LaPorte City parks.

LaPorte County Conservation Trust Fund: Provides funds to purchase vital natural areas and protect bio-diversity.

LaPorte County Park Foundation Fund: Supports land acquisition, park improvements, and matching funds for park grants.

LaPrairie Environment and Art Fund: Provides cultural experiences integrating art, agriculture, and the environment.

Long Beach Tree Fund: Preserve and enhance tree population in Long Beach.

Mill Pond Park Fund: Supports the Mill Pond Park in Union Mills.

Rotary Special Projects Fund: For the Michigan City Rotary Club service projects.

Save the Dunes Conservation Fund Endowment: Supports environmental programs and operations.

Shirley Heinze Land Trust Endowment for LaPorte County: Supports acquisition of natural areas for preservation in LaPorte County; restores and maintains biological integrity of the natural landscape.

Urban Forestry Fund: Helps to preserve, enhance the urban tree population in and around Michigan City.

 

Health Care Related

Duneland Health Council, Inc.: Dedicated to improving health and general welfare of the greater Michigan City community.

La Porte Hospital Foundation Fund: Provides funding for foundation operations.

Open Door Health Center Endowment Fund: Provides income for the emergency medicine account.

Dr. R. Thomas Rocke SMILE Foundation: Provides financial assistance for orthodontic
treatment of disadvantaged children in LaPorte County.

St. Anthony Memorial Health Centers Fund: Supports a variety of projects that promote the Centers mission.

VNA of LaPorte County Endowment: Provides health and social services to individuals who do not qualify for
institutional care or prefer to stay in their own environment.

 

Historic Preservation

Washington Park Bandstand Fund: To work with the Marquette Questers to maintain the historic bandstand.

Michigan City Lighthouse Catwalk Maintenance: Assists in restoration and maintenance.

Rumely/Allis-Chalmers La Porte Heritage Center Capital Fund: to support the creation and maintenance of the museum to preserve the history of these companies’ important, innovative and iconic machinery and their contribution to agriculture, the people who used them, and the world.

Rumely/Allis-Chalmers La Porte Heritage Center Endowment Fund: to support the maintenance and operations of the center to be built to preserve the history of these companies’ important, innovative and iconic machinery and their contribution to agriculture, the people who used them, and the world.

 

Housing and Food

Affordable Housing Fund for the Greater Michigan City Area: Supports affordable housing for low-to moderate- income households.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary: Provides a Christian response to help meet a variety of human needs in LaPorte County.

Michigan City Habitat for Humanity, Inc. Endowment Fund: Improves living conditions for people in need.

Housing Opportunities Endowment Fund: Supports development and provision of safe, decent, and affordable housing and customized support services.

Food Bank of Northern Indiana Fund: Helps feed hungry families in LaPorte County.

LaPorte County Meals on Wheels Endowment: Delivers nutritious meals to the homebound in the greater Michigan City area.

 

Literacy & Library Services

Kay Franklin Commemorative Fund: Furthers literacy and literature, particularly for the benefit of those at risk of illiteracy due to economic and/or cultural disadvantage.

LaCrosse Public Library Fund: To support the library’s building project and its programs and services.

LaPorte County Public Library Endowment Fund: Provides information, education, recreation resources, and emerging technologies to benefit the community.

Marquette Catholic High School Library Fund: Provides funds to purchase books, audio-visual and computer equipment, and other learning materials.

Michigan City Public Library Unity Fund: Supports collections and programs.

Read LaPorte County Literacy Fund: Increases reading, math and English skills in the community through tutoring.

Reading is Fundamental Fund: Supports the Reading is Fundamental program and activities of the American Assn. of the University Women of M.C.

Unity Foundation Literacy Fund: Removes barriers to education and improves literacy.

 

Mental Well Being

Mental Health Fund of LaPorte County: Promotesquality mental health resources in LaPorte County.

Samaritan Counseling Centers Fund: Supports the community-based, interfaith counseling and educational service.

 

Positive Youth Development

Boys & Girls Club of Michigan City: Provides inspiration and enables youth between 6 and 18 years of age to become responsible, productive, caring citizens.

Boy Scouts (LaSalle Council #165): Helps children in the development of character, value, and citizenship training through fun programs in the out of doors. Featured in Unity’s 2009 – 2010 Report

Charles Westcott Youth Fund: Supports education and recreational activities for youth in the greater Michigan City area.

Foundations for Youth (Youth Service Bureau, Big Brothers/Big Sisters): Supports a wide variety of programs to benefit area youth.

Junior Achievement of Michigan City: Provides Junior Achievement and economics programs in all Michigan City area schools, sending positive messages about business and government.

LaPorte County Fair Unity Fund: Supports the fair, and 4-H programs and awards. Helps maintain the fairgrounds.

LaPorte Family YMCA Fund: Assists the LaPorte Family YMCA to support children and families throughout their service area.

MCAS Education Enrichment Fund: Funded by people who want to support after-school care, mentoring, and other non-tax supported programs.

New Prairie Athletic Capital Fund: Supports capital projects for athletic programs within the New Prairie, IN, School Corp. District.

Philip A. Sprague Care & Share Fund: Helps LaPorte County youth discover the joy of philanthropy.

Tuholski & Oberlie Environment and Arts Fund for Youth: Bring the environment and the arts closer to young people.

Youth to Youth Endowment Fund: Promotes community service skills  through a hands-on program which teaches youth to be responsible grant makers and grant seekers.

 

Senior Citizen Well Being and Other-abled

Legacy Fund for the Swanson Activity Center for Older Adults: Sustains the Center as it serves senior citizens in the greater LaPorte area.

Library Services for the Disabled Fund: Helps the Michigan City Public Library better serve the disabled.

Michiana Resources, Inc. Endowment: Provides vocational, developmental, and advocacy services for people with disabilities and/or other vocational disadvantages to enhance their individual potential.

Parents & Friends, Inc. Endowment: Strengthens growth of individuals, especially persons with disabilities, in making choices, becoming self reliant and living a fully independent life within their community.

Social & Learning Institute for the Disadvantaged Endowment: Offers a unique educational experience for mentally, physically, and/or emotionally disadvantaged young adults who are no longer able to attend public school or participate in another program.

Senior Independence Fund: To assist Parents and Friends, Inc in meeting the needs of the elderly population by offering transportation, nutrition, guardianship, financial counseling and other services.

 

Religious

Bethel Presbyterian Church of Union Mills Fund

Evelyn and Robert Johnson Fund for the First Christian Church of LaPorte

First Congregational Church of Michigan City Fund

Presbyterian Church Foundation of LaPorte

Sinai Temple of Michigan City Endowment

St. Johns United Church of Christ, Michigan City

Trinity Church Fund, Michigan City

Wanatah Sacred Heart Catholic Church

 

Awards and Scholarships

Agricultural Scholarship

Diane Kay Bamberth Memorial Award

Gustav J. and Elma A. Banzhaf  Scholarship Fund

Bensz Family Scholarship Fund

Barbara Brandon Piano/Organ Achievement Award

Dr. Windham Bremer Scholarship

Lloyd G. and Betty Jane Clayton Scholarship Fund

William Vernon Compton Scholarship

Earl and Faye Cunningham Scholarship

Anne H. Daley Youth Service Bureau Scholarship

R.E. Daly III La Lumiere Scholarship

Ernest and Mildred Delco Scholarship

Carley Dickard Memorial Scholarship Fund

Dr. and Mrs. Carl N. Fischer Scholarship Fund

Gail’s Gift Scholarship Fund

J. & J. Guerrucci Family Foundation

Harold and Rowena Hargrave Scholarship

Robert J. Hiler Memorial Scholarship

Ruth Howe Memorial Nursing Scholarship

The Ingersoll Trust

Dr. King S. Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund

Arthur & Alice Kabelin Scholarship

Kabelin Family Scholarship

Kora Family Fund

K.A.T. Volunteer Scholarship

Harry Kelling Scholarship Fund

Sandra Calkins Kowalski Community Nursing Fund for PNC

LaPorte Amateur Musical Scholarship

LaPorte County Nursing Scholarship Fund

Robert E. LeRoy Tennis Scholarship

Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship

William P. and Mary Lou Linnen Fund for St. Marys College

Linnen Memorial Fund for La Lumiere

Marilouise Lundgren Lossing Memorial Education Fund

Jack Lubeznik Scholarship Fund

Terence Metcalf Memorial Scholarship

M.C. Summer Festival Scholarship Fund

Edwin and Alice Mueller Scholarship Fund

Loyal Perlich Outstanding Speaker Award

Pioneer Scholarship

Dr. C. Robert Plank Scholarship

Ida M. Reffett Debate Scholarship

Robert A. & Dorothy W. Rocke Scholarship

Frank and Dorothy Schellin Scholarship

Donald F.  Scott Motivational Scholarship

Floyd O. & Betty L. Shunk Scholarship

Irvin E. Swanson Fund

John R and Florene A. Troyer Scholarship

Unity Foundation County-Wide Scholarship Fund

D.I. Walker Scholarship Fund

Arlo & Jayne Westphal Memorial Scholarship

Donor Advised Funds

These funds are for charitable purposes recommended by the Donor Advisor.

The Foundation honors their recommendations as long as they are deemed legal and charitable in nature.

Bensz Family Advised Fund

Brennan Family Fund

Milton L. & Sylvia R. Bankoff Memorial Foundation

Muriel R. and Myron E. Berkson, M.D. Fund

Fred and Helen Brust Fund

Pauline M. Dent Memorial Fund

Dent and Sterger Families Foundation Fund

Tommie Fitzsimmons Family Fund

Micky Gallas Family Fund

Hay Family Advised Fund

Jack L. and Diane Jones Advised Fund

Kabelin Family Fund

Lake Family Fund for LaPorte County

Lake Fund

Lighthouse Place Charitable Fund

Bruce and Julia Manner Social Capital Fund

McDermott Family Fund

Leigh and Marcia Morris Fund

William E. Nickels Memorial Fund

Pontius Family Fund

Random Acts of Kindness Fund

Tom & Judy Ringo Advised Fund

Burton B. Ruby Foundation Fund

Salmon Family Fund

Paul & Terri Sammann Fund

Scott E. and Kimberly A. Siefker Fund

Ticsay Family Charitable Foundation

Anonymous Funds

Community Funds

These funds are established to benefit the specific community to which they are directed.

They are flexible funds, responsive to ever-changing needs.

A knowledgeable group of local people monitor community needs and resources

and have the challenging task of deciding how to best use the funds.

John P. & Anne H. Daley Community Fund

Ernest and Mildred Delco Community Fund

Charles T. & Pauline J. Dye Endowment Fund

Hanna, Indiana Community Fund

Ruth W. Pollingue Community Fund

John A. & Dorothy Sieb Carstens Fund

Philip A. Sprague Community Fund

Unity Foundation Community Fund

Westville Community Fund