Community Foundation Awards $617K in Grants

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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County Inc. has issued its first quarterly round of grants for 2016. The organization awarded over $617,000 to 17 nonprofit groups in the area.
The foundation says its purpose is to improve the quality of life in Muncie and Delaware County. The grants are given to fund projects in areas of interest, including arts and culture, human services, economic development, education and community betterment.
The grants were awarded to the following organizations:
- A Better Way Services, Inc. – $40,000 to defray the cost of providing advocacy and services for victims of domestic violence or sexual assault and their children, a 24-hour suicide hotline and a general crisis hotline.
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters – $10,000 to defray the cost of a community-based mentoring programming focused on the child as a whole in order to help them develop and maintain skills that enable and empower them to achieve educational and life success.
- Bridges Community Services, Inc. – $46,150 to defray the cost to repurpose programming efforts for services for the homeless including establishing a coordinated access point to act as an evaluation, hygiene, and placement center working in collaboration with other homeless providers in Delaware County.
- Cancer Services of East Central Indiana – $4,000 for the Miles for Health program designed to assist cancer patients with transportation costs to get to and from appointments through a physician-authored treatment verification process.
- Cardinal Greenway – $30,000 to defray the cost to control invasive vegetation along the trail including spraying for weeds and cutting back dangerous growth.
- Christian Ministries of Delaware County – $29,000 to defray the cost to replace the roof that covers their office, Treasure Shop Food Pantry, and homeless shelters.
- Delaware Advancement Corporation – $100,000 to implement the Vision 2016 Economic Development Plan, which seeks to create 2,000 primary income jobs for the Delaware County community and attract $250 million in new investment.
- Eaton Public Library, Inc. – $2,500 to update the cataloging and circulation process including a new computer, a subscription to a catalog service and migration of existing data.
- Habitat for Humanity – $50,000 the cost of the 2016 housing program including neighborhood revitalization projects in the Thomas Park/Avondale and South Central neighborhoods.
- Home Savers of Delaware County – $43,000 to fund urgent home repairs and construct wheelchair ramps for up to 30 low-income homeowners that are ineligible for repairs through other funding means.
- Muncie Civic Theatre Association – $17,000 to replace the aging communication system, acquire a portable ramp for easier accessibility to the stage for program participants, and purchase virtual stage management software.
- Muncie Downtown Development Partnership – $5,000 to defray the cost of the 2016 Muncie Three Trails Music Series, a set of four free concerts featuring nationally known and critically acclaimed artists.
- Shafer Leadership Academy – $6,100 to provide scholarships for employees of local nonprofit organizations and neighborhood association members to attend the Emergence and Allegience leadership program.
- Sustainable Muncie Corporation – $75,000 to defray the cost of restroom facilities for the main floor for GearBox: Muncie.
- TeenWorks – $20,000 to provide a summer program focusing on employment and college readiness for 80 economically disadvantaged Muncie high school students to help prepare for success in college, careers and the community.
- United Day Care Center – $65,000 to provide quality early childhood education and kindergarten readiness for 28 at-risk children at United Day Care Center, Huffer Children’s Center and BSU Child Study Center, a collaboration that captures matching funds through the Early Education Matching Grant (EEMG) from the State of Indiana.
- Youth Opportunity Center – $75,000 to enhance treatment programs and increase visibility and safety by install lighting on campus, updating antiquated technology infrastructure, and replacing furniture, improving aging facilities and upgrading security for youth and families served.
The funds were donated by individuals, businesses and corporations into a permanent community endowment. The Community Foundation has awarded over $40 million to date.