UNITY FOUNDATION AWARDS “POWER FOR GOOD” GRANTS TO BENEFIT LA PORTE COUNTY NONPROFITS

 

With support of the Lilly Endowment GIFT VI match, Unity Foundation of La Porte County increased its 2015 Power for Good grants, awarding more than $135,000 in funding a total of 56 local nonprofit projects were honored at Unity’s October 21 Annual Update luncheon.

Through March 31, 2016, Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc. is offering a $1 for $1 challenge match up to $1 million for La Porte County to build “Community Funds”. These are specific funds at Unity, opened by visionary people making “unrestricted” gifts. Power for Good grants come from these earnings. Ninety nine grant applications were received in the areas of human services, youth development, education & literacy, arts & culture, animal care, etc. The grants are evaluated by a committee of dedicated members from throughout La Porte County.

The support is possible due to the generosity of visionary donors who left unrestricted funds to Unity. Those initial community funders included: John P. and Anne H. Daley, Ernest and Mildred Delco, Charles T. and Pauline Dye, Nancy L. Gorman, Ruth W. Pollingue, Phillip A. Sprague, and John & Jean Vail. The Unity Foundation Power for Good Fund is made up of additional unrestricted donations from multiple donors. With the current opportunity to double their money through the Lilly Endowment match, the following new community funds have opened: American Association of University Women La Porte Community Fund, Backer Family Fund, Fred & Helen Brust Community Fund, Randy & Jane Dorman Foundation, Sanford Z. Friedman Community Fund, David C. Gardner Community Fund, Gleim & Young Community Fund, Kabelin Family Fund, and Purdue Federal Credit Union Fund.

Funding assistance for the grants also was provided by the John A. & Dorothy Sieb Carstens Fund; Kay Franklin Commemorative Fund; La Porte County Educational Advancement Fund; La Porte County Mental Health Fund; Polad Animal Care Endowment Fund; Unity Foundation Literacy Fund; and Charles Westcott Youth Fund.

Several new organizations are receiving grants this year, including Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee, and Wills Townships; Food Pantry of Greater La Porte; Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry; Lindsey O’Brien Kesling Wishing Tree Foundation; Michigan City House of Hope; and Urban League of Northwest Indiana.

Also at the gathering, attendees will learn updates about Unity Park and other projects, and hear from representatives with Keys to Hope Community Resource Center and The Pax Center

The complete list of 2015 Power for Good grant awards includes:

A Hand Up, Inc: The Changing Room $2,000

Boy Scouts of America – LaSalle Council: Safe Harbor After School Scouting Program $1,825

Boys and Girls Club of Michigan City: My.Future $2,000

Boys and Girls Club of Michigan City: Project Learn $2,500

Catholic Charities – Diocese of Gary: Financial Assistance/Self-Sufficiency Workshop $2,500

Catholic Charities – Diocese of Gary: Children Vision Screening $1,625

Catholic Charities – Diocese of Gary: Wheelchair Ramp/Home Safety Repair Program $1,500

Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Inc.: Grace Learning Center Job Preparation and Garden Training $2,000

Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Inc.: Community Volunteer Growth Program $2,500

Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Inc.: Better Parenting Through Coordinated Access $1,000

Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee, and Wills Townships: Funds to Purchase Food $3,000

Dunebrook, Inc.: Family Depot $1,000

Dunebrook, Inc.: Community Partners for Child Safety $2,000

Dunebrook, Inc.: Westville Little School $1,650

Food Pantry of Greater La Porte: Center Township Resource Center/Food Pantry “Real Meals” Project $2,050

Frontline Foundations, Inc.: Clinical Intake and Assessment Scholarships for the Indigent $2,940

Michigan City Holiday Meals Foundation: Michigan City Holiday Meals $1,000

Hanna Lions Club, Inc.: Hanna Tomorrow-Phase 2 $600

Family Advocates: Child Abuse Prevention Month Awareness $500

Hailmann Elementary School: Together We Achieve $1,775

Healthy Communities of La Porte County: Covering Kids and Families of La Porte County $1,500

Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry: “Meat” the Need 2015-2016 $1,500

Hospice Franciscan Communities: Family Education & Support for End-of-Life $2,000

Independent Cat Society: Autoclave for Surgical Safety $1,694

International Friendship Gardens: Promoting Friendship Gardens through Digital Signage $500

Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana: Empowering Michigan City’s Future $1,625

Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana: Empowering Westville Youth $1,560

Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana: Training Wanatah’s Future Workers $1,560

La Porte Area Lake Association Inc.: Lake Weed Treatment $3,000

La Porte County Drug Free Partnership: Adult Mental Health First Aid $3,000

La Porte County Drug Free Partnership: La Porte County Above the Influence Youth Leadership Summit $2,500

La Porte County Meals on Wheels: Blizzard Box Bonanza $2,300

La Porte County Public Library Friends of the Library: Makerspace Curriculum Enhancement $3,000

La Porte County Symphony Orchestra: FESTIVAL! Classics Concert $750

La Porte County Symphony Orchestra: Symphony & Science – Earth, Moon and Planets $3,000

La Porte Family YMCA: S.T.E.M. Supplies for Elementary Age Students $3,000

La Porte Family YMCA: Supplies for Vacation and Snow Days $1,125

La Porte Meals on Wheels Inc.: Subsidized Meals $2,000

Leadership La Porte County Inc: High School Leadership Program $1,850

Lindsey O’Brien Kesling Wishing Tree Foundation: Carbon Monoxide Awareness Campaign $2,500

The Jack and Shirley Lubeznik Center for the Arts: Literacy through Art Initiative $3,000

Michigan City Area Schools: MCAS “Dress for Success” Fund $1,700

Michigan City Area Schools: Hours for Ours High School Mentoring Program $1,850

Michigan City Area Schools – Open Door Adolescent Health Center: Student Success Team- Problem Behavior Intervention $3,000

Michiana Marine Detachment #1348: 2015 Toys for Tots Campaign $500

Michigan City House of Hope: Michigan City House of Hope Youth Empowerment Program $500

New Prairie Middle School: Mentoring4Success $1,850

Open Door Community Alliance, Inc: Open Door Community Alliance Medication Assistance Program $2,050

Parents and Friends, Inc.: Community Match for Vans $1,000

Parents and Friends, Inc.: Day Services $1,500

Parents and Friends, Inc.: Day Camp, Fund Day, YMCA Membership $1,500

Purdue University: PNC Center for Early Learning – Library Sprouts $2,000

READ La Porte County, Inc.: 2015-2016 English Language Classes $3,000

REAL Services, Inc.: Aging in Place $2,125

Rebuilding Together La Porte County, Inc.: Rebuilding Together La Porte County $1,775

Reins of Life, Inc.: Nuzzles & Snuggles $900

The Salvation Army of La Porte: Backpack Food for Kids $1,825

The Salvation Army of La Porte: Christmas Food Boxes $1,650

The Salvation Army of La Porte: The Diaper Project $1,500

The Salvation Army of Michigan City: Men’s Homeless Shelter Program $3,000

The Salvation Army of Michigan City: Weekend Backpack Program $2,125

The Salvation Army of Michigan City: Diaper Bank $500

Samaritan Counseling Centers, Inc.: Unmet Children’s Mental Health Needs $1,850

Shirley Heinze Land Trust, Inc.: CIMBY Environmental Education Project $500

The Social and Learning Institute: Therapeutic Yoga Program for Special Needs Adults $900

The Social and Learning Institute: Special Needs Software Project $525

South Shore Leadership Center: SLYCE Community Partner Project for La Porte County $1,500

Sacred Heart Catholic Church: St. Francis Ministry Food Pantry $2,500

The Pax Center: Healthy Living Program $2,500

The Pax Center: Homeless Program $1,500

The Pax Center: Community Meal – Soup Kitchen $1,000

Stepping Stone Shelter for Women, Inc.: Shelter Food Assistance Program $2,432

Supplemental United Pantry, Inc.: Winter Full Pantry $1,500

United Way of La Porte County: Getting Ahead $1,500

Urban League of Northwest Indiana, Inc.: Project Ready $2,000

Women’s Care Center: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby Educational Series $2,500

Youth Service Bureau Big Brothers Big Sisters of La Porte County: Kids on the Block $1,550

Youth Service Bureau Big Brothers Big Sisters of La Porte County: School Buddies $1,950