United Way Northwest Indiana presented with $25,000 grant from the First Financial Foundation

First Financial Bank welcomed members of United Way Northwest Indiana to present a $25,000 grant in support of the organization’s mission. Chris White, President and CEO of United Way Northwest Indiana, expressed deep gratitude for the contribution and shared his excitement for the meaningful impact this investment will have on the organization’s programs and the communities they serve.

“This $25,000 is going to go a long way,” White said. “It will underwrite our Level Up program, where we help people get the skills and training needed for jobs that allow them to earn enough to truly thrive.”

According to White, a family of four in Northwest Indiana must bring home a combined $80,000 to $81,000 per year to be classified as being financially stable. United Way Northwest Indiana is looking for ways for people to make more than this in areas such as the medical field, the manufacturing space, and the construction industry.

“We recently launched a marketing campaign on social media and on streaming platforms to recruit people into our Level Up program,” White said. “So far, we’ve seen great response. We want to help people feel comfortable making the decision to commit to educating themselves, and then provide support while they go through the program for six to eight months.”

United Way Northwest Indiana has also relaunched its volunteer program and has worked on building a volunteer database to match people who are willing to volunteer their time toward the needs of nonprofits, schools, and other service organizations. Another point of emphasis for United Way Northwest Indiana is the financial wellness program, which will feature a full-time financial wellness consultant who spends time doing seminars, sitting down and working with people, and helping get finances in order for people in the community. 

Misty De La Cruz is the financial wellness specialist with First Financial Bank and serves as a part of the Financial Council that devotes time to United Way Northwest Indiana’s annual Day of Caring, an event that features more than 650 volunteers donating their time and labor to improve the Region. These efforts, along with the grant provided by the First Financial Foundation, are some of the ways that the bank is committed to helping United Way Northwest Indiana create a better financial future in the community.

“I educate on financial literacy, so I am always present in the community to share the opportunity,” De La Cruz said. “Especially with the Level Up program, we want to help individuals reach their full potential. It’s important for us to be a resource that can assist them in that process.”

De La Cruz notes that the financial wellness program at First Financial Bank, has seen benefits both by United Way Northwest Indiana and the community as a whole.

“First Financial Bank has been helping individuals through our financial wellness program,” De La Cruz said. “It’s been a space dedicated to working within our communities through partnerships with organizations, businesses, and our clients. It’s a free program, so it’s an accessible way we can all offer those resources. This program enables us to work with United Way Northwest Indiana to help us cover more ground.”

United Way Northwest Indiana is appreciative to have the support of the community and organizations such as First Financial Bank. Their team is looking forward to putting this grant towards advancing the Level Up program and its resources.

“First Financial Bank is such an ideal partner, and we couldn’t be in this position without their support,” White said. “It’s not just the grant; it’s also the time that they’ve given us. Our goal is to continue helping our communities by offering different resources and assisting them in that process. There’s nothing better than having all of our neighbors come together to make that happen.”

For more information on United Way Northwest Indiana, you can visit unitedwaynwi.org.