HFL Announces Second Round of 2025 Grants, Surpasses $50M Invested in La Porte County! 

Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) is excited to announce its second round of 2025 grants awarded. In this round, HFL has awarded 43 grants totaling $2,310,943, which brings HFL’s total investment in the community since 2017 to more than $50M!  

“Since our first grants in November 2017, we have had the privilege of collaborating with dedicated partners throughout La Porte County working to make this a healthier place to live,” said Eric DeWald, HFL President & CEO. “We are so grateful to all of our nonprofit and governmental partners working together on the community conditions that affect our health. We look forward to the next $50M invested in our community!” 

This year, HFL accepted grant applications addressing strategic priorities (Healthy Children, Healthy Living, and Healthy Minds) and Healthy La Porte requests on a rolling basis from January through June. The first round of 2025 grants awarded was announced in June and can be viewed here.  

View the 2025 Round 2 grants awarded below.  

Healthy Children – 6 Grants Totaling $511,816

Dunebrook: Public Education Program                                                      $103,464 

Dunebrook: Healthy Families La Porte County                                          $201,627 

Family Advocates: Youth & Family Mental Health Initiative Year 2             $93,725 

Leadership La Porte County: Youth Program Support                                $15,000 

NWI Food Council: FarmHer to Mama – La Porte County                          $73,000 

Women’s Care Center: Expanding Access to Critical Services for             $25,000 

Moms and Babies 

Healthy Living – 15 Grants Totaling $1,420,121

City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department: Activity                           $52,413 

Center for Older Adults 2026 

Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee, Wills                 $5,000 

Townships: Food Pantry 

HealthLinc: Food as Medicine La Porte County                           $117,510 

Homeward Bound: Karwick Village Phase 1 Expanded Scope                     $340,000 

La Porte Community School Corporation: Health Careers                            $600,000 

Nest Community Shelter: Operational Capacity Building    $150,000  

Initiative                    

New Hope Missionary Baptist Church: New Hope Food Pantry                    $7,500 

North Central Community Action Agencies: Weatherization                          $15,000 

Deferral Program 

Northwest Health – La Porte: Direct Patient Assistance          $30,000 

Paladin: Health Equipment                                  $9,277 

Sacred Heart Food Pantry at St. Mary’s: Food Pantry Assistance        $10,000 

The Salvation Army: Client Choice Food Pantry                $20,000 

Shirley Heinze Land Trust: Boardwalk Replacement at                  $23,421 

Wintergreen Woods 

Social and Learning Institute: Health & Wellness Program         $15,000 

Town of Trail Creek Parks and Recreation Board: New Playground         $25,000 

at Nelson Park 

Healthy Minds – 8 Grants Totaling $118,303

Amber’s House: Women’s Program                                               $25,000 

The Dunes House: Nine Bed Scholarship                         $23,640 

The Intrepid Phoenix: Fitness Program for Recovery from         $9,963 

Substance Use Disorder 

La Porte County Drug Free Partnership: Building Community                     $10,000 

Capacity to Address Substance Use and Positive Mental Health 

Northwest Health – La Porte: Perinatal Bereavement Program                   $4,700 

Samaritan Counseling Centers: Helping Our Staff to Help Our                    $10,000      

Neighbors   

StRides Against Suicide & Overdose: Scholarships for Mental                    $10,000 

Health and Substance Use Treatment 

Swanson Center: Compassion in Crisis: Strengthening Mental                   $25,000 

Health Response 

Healthy La Porte – 14 Grants Totaling $260,703

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary: Save Haven Homeless               $25,000 

Prevention 

Center of Workforce Innovations: English as a New Language Classes      $22,671 

with a Health and Wellbeing Component 

City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department: Downtown Ice                $10,000 

Rink 2025-26 

City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department: Summer                         $5,500    

Nature Camp 

La Porte County Emergency Medical Service: High Functioning                  $18,665 

Training Mannequin 

La Porte County Health Department: Stop the Bleed                            $25,000 

La Porte County Public Library: Promoting Literacy                                       $15,000 

through Community Outreach  

Long Beach Volunteer Fire Department: CPR/AED Training Program           $4,304 

Lubeznik Center for the Arts: Public Art Liaison to Build Capacity                  $25,000 

Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department: Lucas Chest             $25,000 

Compression System  

Paladin: Unreimbursed Medical Expenses                                     $25,000 

Purdue Northwest Sinai Forum: 2025 Season                                    $25,000 

Reins of Life: Facility Improvements                                    $24,145 

Save the Dunes: Bloom Where You Are: Finding and Creating                      $10,418 

Nature Connections 

What’s next for HFL grants? 

HFL continues developing our new strategic plan, a process that began in fall 2024. Currently, we are conducting research to inform strategy development for our three focus areas: Attainable Housing, Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL), and Mental Health & Substance Use. Results will be shared with the community in late 2025.  

For now, mark your calendar for February 1, 2026. This is when HFL’s Healthy Community Fund, which will include mini grants up to $5,000 and small grants from $5,001 – $25,000, will begin accepting applications on a rolling basis.  

Additional information about grant opportunities with HFL will be published when available on HFL’s website at https://www.hflaporte.org/grants/. Subscribe to HFL’s monthly e-newsletter, Changemakers Chat, at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/E8e0Olb/HFL to receive updates and deadline reminders throughout the year. You can always email [email protected] with questions.