Legacy Foundation invests $4 million into community with Love Where You Live Program 

On Wednesday, October 28, Legacy Foundation invested $4 million dollars into new and improved public spaces throughout Northwest Indiana. Attendees gathered to learn more about the projects chosen for funding, including the City of Hobart’s Festival Park Improvement Project, Town of Highland’s Kennedy Commons,Town of Lowell’s Historic Town Square, and others. 

“Today, we get to announce the projects that will move forward with this $4 million investment,” said Kelly Anoe, president and chief executive officer of the Legacy Foundation. “I’m proud that Legacy Foundation can help make that happen, and grateful to the people who will do the work of bringing them to life.” 

Legacy Foundation is dedicated to improving quality of life in Lake County providing philanthropic support to its nonprofits and residents, often through scholarships, and helping fund community renovations like the ones shown off tonight. 

“We received an opportunity through Lilly Endowment to be able to make a large investment in our Lake County communities,” said Anoe. “When we were looking at how to invest these funds, we really wanted to see projects that would have a lasting impact. That in five years from now, and ten years from now, we would see people still benefiting from them.” 

These community projects are remarkably important and affect Lake County in numerous ways. They give residents of each town and city new places to gather, socialize, and host events, bringing the community together in an age where it is easy to be apart. 

Love Where You Live approved projects were summarized by some of the folks behind the projects. Each of them gave a brief speech on stage, and afterwards, showed off their projects on poster boards throughout the venue, with residents having the opportunity to discuss these planned projects and renovations with them directly. 

“We’re going to go back to valuing in-person meetings more and needing time away from the phone and the screen to be able to connect with people. One of the key pieces to that, though, is that you have to provide the spaces for people to be able to do that,” Anoe said. 

Love Where You Live was an occasion where so many projects, geared directly towards helping the community, had been officially funded. With time, Lake County residents of all ages will have several new places to socialize and become a part of their community, not just live there. 

For more information on the Legacy Foundation, visit legacyfdn.org.