LA PORTE, IN — During Unity’s Annual Celebration on October 2, Unity Foundation staff and board members gave an update on the Foundation’s work over the past year, unveiled their 2023-2024 Annual Report to the Community and announced $210,000 in Power for Good Community Grants.

Unity Foundation President Maggi Spartz spoke on the history of the community foundation, vision for the future, and impact stating, “We are grateful for the trust our donors and you have had in us for 32 years. We are humbled by the dedicated and amazing non-profits who work so hard to serve our communities. With everyone’s help, Unity is becoming an even stronger ‘Power for Good’ in La Porte County and Northwest Indiana.”  She summarized key activities Unity has undertaken to strengthen La Porte County.  Founding board member, Leigh Morris and his wife Marcia were recognized.

Other speakers included Allison Gormier from Mason Investment Advisory Company on how Unity’s endowment funds are managed and protected.  Harrison Holtcamp, Nest Shelter Executive Director described the many ways Unity has helped the Nest, to serve the homeless and build its capacity to operate.  Lori Howard of Harbour Trust and Investment Company described how she helps people to help the community through Unity’s endowment options.

Attendees received Unity’s newly released Annual Report to the Community. The report includes stories about impactful people and programs in La Porte County and information about how anyone can join in this important work. A digital version is available at uflc.net.

Development Officer Jamie Miller thanked the many generous and visionary donors who make the work Unity Foundation does possible. Miller shared different tools Unity has available to help people give, including a limited-time matching opportunity. Miller said, “Through the end of 2025, every dollar donated to Unity’s Power for Good Fund, up to $1.125 million will be tripled! Meeting our goal means more funding is available to support local organizations, like the ones we honor today. We need everyone’s help to meet the match which will earn $2.25 million from Lilly Endowment.”

To cap off the event, Unity Board member and Grant Committee Chairwoman, Laura Francesconi recognized the 53 organizations who received Power for Good Community Grants:

• Advancing Christ’s Kingdom Ministries – Michigan City, ThanksGIVING Turkeys
• Arts in the Park, Summer Concert Series
• Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County, Springfield Club 2024/2025 Afterschool Programming
• Catholic Charities, Safe Haven: Homeless Prevention
• Center Township Trustee-La Porte County, Crock Pot Cooking in the School
• Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Inc., CCH Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Management Program
• City of La Porte Police Department, Neurosequential Model Assessment
• Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee, Wills Townships, Inc., Mission Support
• Diamonds and Pearls Mentorship, Leadership Camp
• Dunebrook, Inc., Child Advocacy Center – Trauma Focused Therapy for Child Abuse Victims
• Dunes Arts Foundation, Creative Theatre Arts Program for Safe Harbor Summer Camp Students
• Dunes House, Feed the Soul of Recovery
• Family Advocates, Expansion Support
• Fly High Youth Services Inc., Fly High for the Holidays
• Friendship Botanic Gardens, Ecological Education Programs
• Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana, Girl Scout Leadership Experience–LaPorte County
• HealthLinc, Inc, Cold and Flu Kits for Pediatric Patients in LaPorte County
• Independent Cat Society, Saving Hundreds of Kittens!
• Intrepid Phoenix, Fitness program for recovery from substance use disorder
• Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, Elementary Programming: Michigan City Area Schools
• La Porte County Drug Free Partnership, Prevention and Intervention of LaPorte County Mental Health and Substance Use Crises
• La Porte County Family YMCA, Youth and Family Programming
• La Porte County Habitat for Humanity, McCollum, and Woodward Street Five Home Project
• La Porte County Meals on Wheels, Blizzard Box Bonanza 8
• La Porte High School, SlicerTech: LaPorte High School Robotics
• La Ventana Culinary School, Culinary Classes for People with Disabilities
• Leadership La Porte County, Inc., High School Program
• LETSGO City, Summer City Sweat
• Michigan City Area Schools, “Future Wolves” Elementary Sports Program
• Michigan City Holiday Meals, Free Holiday Meals
• Michigan City Police Department, Empowering Connections: MCPD and Ben’s Blue Bags
• Nest Community Shelter, Nest Emergency Homeless Shelter
• New Durham Township, Back to School Tennis Shoes
• New Prairie High School Robotics, NPHS Las Pumas 2197 Robotics – 2024-2025 FIRST Robotics Competition Season
• Open Door Community Alliance, Inc., Medication Assistance Program
• Paladin, Additional Infant Care Classroom
• The Pax Center, Community Gardens
• Sacred Heart Food Pantry at St. Mary, Power for Good: Feeding and Caring for Michigan City’s Most Needy
• The Salvation Army of LaPorte Indiana, Client Choice Food Pantry
• The Salvation Army of Michigan City, Weekend Backpack Feeding Program
• Save the Dunes, Co-Creating a Demonstration Pollinator Garden with La Porte County Communities
• Shirley Heinze Land Trust, The Art of Ambler Flatwoods Nature Preserve: A Coloring Book for Conservation
• Social and Learning Institute, Inc., Science & Nature Exploration
• St Michael’s Inc, Drone and Boxing Program
• Stepping Stone Shelter for Women, Inc., Shelter Basic Needs Food Program
• Supplemental United Pantry, Inc., Fill The Shelves
• Tannehill Community Soup Kitchen, Mission Support
• Trinity Episcopal Church, Community Food Pantry
• We All In Recovery Inc, Recovery Cafe
• Westville-New Durham Township Public Library, Supporting Early Childhood Literacy in Westville
• Women’s Care Center, CARE Program
• Young Audiences of Indiana, Inc., Arts-Integrated Education Residencies
• Youth Service Bureau of LaPorte County, School Buddies Mentoring

This year’s grants are funded through the following funds held at Unity Foundation: AAUW La Porte Community Fund, Backer Family Fund, Fred & Helen Brust Community Fund, John P. & Anne H. Daley  Community Fund, Ernest & Mildred Delco Community Fund, Pauline M. Dent Community Fund, Randy & Jane Dorman Foundation, Charles T. & Pauline Dye Community Fund, Mark E. Essling Community Fund, Sanford Z. Friedman Community Fund, David C. Gardner Community Fund, Kabelin Family Fund, Dennis B. Kelley Community Fund, Ruth W. Pollingue Community Fund, Purdue Federal Credit Union Fund, Scott and Marianne Rice Family Community Fund, Tom & Judy Ringo Fund, Phillip A. Sprague Community Fund, Thomas C. & Blanch G. Stokes Community Fund, Tower/Oktoberfest Community Fund, John & Jean Vail Community Fund, Sandra L. Young Community Fund, Barry C. Dulyea Arts Fund for Children, Charles Westcott Youth Fund, Debbie New Paholski Foundation, Dent and Sterger Families Foundation, Glick Foundation Fund for the City of La Porte, The Graduates of Isaac C Elston High School Education Support Fund, Jeannette Popp Kent Mental Health Fund, Jerry Peters Memorial Fund, John A. and Dorothy Sieb Carstens Fund, La Porte County Mental Health Fund, Polad Animal Care Endowment Fund, Tuholski & Oberlie Environment & Arts Fund for Youth, Ulery Family Fund, Unity Foundation Literacy Fund, and Women’s Well Being Fund.

About Unity Foundation

Since 1992, Unity Foundation of La Porte County has served donors, nonprofits, and local communities. As La Porte County’s community foundation, it manages $45 million in assets, administers more than 350 charitable funds, and has distributed more than $25 million through direct grants and scholarships. Unity Foundation’s mission is to strengthen La Porte County now and forever by building permanent endowments; providing leadership; offering philanthropic vehicles for everyone; and being a catalyst for social and economic vitality. For more information, please visit uflc.net or call 219-879-0327.