Unity Foundation Announces $200,000 in Community Grants

LA PORTE COUNTY, IN — Unity Foundation of La Porte County is supporting area nonprofit and community service agencies with its most recent round of ‘Power for Good’ Community Grants, totaling nearly $200,000 for 74 local projects throughout La Porte County. These grants will help local organizations provide vital access to education, literacy, prevention and supportive services for local residents.

“Community organizations are doing incredible work throughout La Porte County, and Unity is proud to support their efforts.” said Shannon Walker, Unity Foundation Vice President.

The applications were evaluated by a committee of dedicated members from throughout La Porte County. The grants are made possible due to the generosity of visionary donors who left unrestricted funds to Unity Foundation. Those community funds were established in the following names:  AAUW La Porte, Backer Family Fund, Fred & Helen Brust, Petrea A. Clark, John P. & Anne H. Daley, Ernest & Mildred Delco, Pauline M. Dent, Randy & Jane Dorman, Charles T. & Pauline Dye, Mark E. Essling, Sanford Z. Friedman, David C. Gardner, Christopher B. Jollief, Kabelin Family, Ruth W. Pollingue, Purdue Federal Credit Union, Scott and Marianne Rice Family, Tom & Judy Ringo, Ruth C. Sabin, Phillip A. Sprague, Thomas C. & Blanch G. Stokes, Tower/Oktoberfest, Unity Foundation Power for Good Fund, John & Jean Vail, and Sandra L. Young. 

Funding assistance for this year’s grants was also provided by the Bensz Family Advised Fund, John A. and Dorothy Sieb Carstens Fund, Barry C. Dulyea Arts Fund for Children, Kay Franklin Commemorative Fund, Glick Foundation Fund, La Porte County Educational Advancement Fund, Robert L. Ludington & Anita Huppenthal Ludington Scholarship Fund, La Porte County Mental Health Fund, Christian J. Nickels Family Fund, Lorraine Gehrke Orlowski Fund, Polad Animal Care Endowment Fund, George H. and Madeline A. Smrt West Side Neighborhood Fund, Unity Foundation Literacy Fund, Charles Westcott Youth Fund, and Womens Well Being Fund. 

2021 Grant Recipients and their programs/projects receiving funding are as follows:

• Advancing Christ’s Kingdom Ministries-Michigan City Food Bank, ThanksGIVING Turkeys
• American Red Cross NWI Chapter, Home Fire Relief
• Anam Cara Stables, Drumming for Healing
• Anthony Adams House, Save our Youth
• Arts in the Park, Arts in the Park
• Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County, Kingsford Heights Expansion
• Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County, Westville Expansion
• Catholic Charities, Lifeline: Utility Assistance Program
• Catholic Charities, Safe Haven: Homelessness Prevention
• Center of Workforce Innovation, Adult Ed High School Equiv. Scholarships
• Center Township Trustee – La Porte Co., Crock Pot Friday/Outdoor Food Pantry Boxes
• Center Township Trustee – La Porte Co., Emergency Shelter/Hotel Vouchers
• Citizens Concerned for the Homeless (CCH), CCH Food Rescue Initiative
• Citizens Concerned for the Homeless (CCH), Grace Learning Center Collective Impact and Virtual Technology
• Citizens Concerned for the Homeless (CCH), Sand Castle Shelter for Homeless Families Case Management Facilitator (“SCS”)
• Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee, Wills Townships, Inc. , Food Pantry Operations
• The Greater Michigan City Chapter of the Drifters, Inc., Economic and Health Equity Workshops
• Dunebrook, Inc., Child Advocacy Center Child Abuse Victim Therapy
• Dunebrook, Inc., Parent and Family Education Program
• Family Advocates, Increase Mission Awareness
• First Church of God, Community Playground Equipment
• Fly High Youth Services, Inc., S.O.A.R.
• Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana, Girl Scout Leadership Experience in La Porte County
• Goodwill Industries of Michiana, Inc., Senior Employment Training
• HealthLinc, Inc, Monitoring Diabetes in LaPorte County
• Healthy Communities of LaPorte County, Covering Kids & Families
• Independent Cat Society, Let’s Fix This 2021!
• Independent Cat Society, Safe and Healthy Shelter Doors.
• Interfaith Community PADS, Interfaith Community PADS Emergency Shelter
• Interfaith Community PADS, Water fountains for Sacred Heart
• International Friendship Gardens Music Festival, Inc., Friendship Botanic Gardens Eco- Adventures Series of Free Educational Events
• International Friendship Gardens Music Festival, Inc., Holiday Light Show
• Intrepid Phoenix, Fitness Program and Fellowship for recovery from substance use
• Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, Junior Achievement Preparing Enterprising Youth for a Sustainable Economy
• La Porte County Draft Horse Association, 20th Annual La Porte County Draft Horse Show
• La Porte County Habitat for Humanity Inc., Habitat Home Build Project 2022-23
• La Porte County Meals on Wheels, Blizzard Box Bonanza 6
• La Porte County Symphony Orchestra, Inc., 33rd Annual Drayton Family Children’s Educational Concerts
• La Porte Little Theatre Club, Improved Stage Lighting for La Porte Little Theatre Club
• Leadership La Porte County, Inc., High School Leadership Program
• LPHS Engineering, Machine Control
• LPHS Engineering, Machine Programming
• Jack and Shirley Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Strategies and Initiatives at LCA
• Jack and Shirley Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Student Learning Tours
• Michigan City Area Schools, MCAS “Future Wolves” Elementary Sports Program
• Michigan City Holiday Meals, Holiday Meals for the Community
• Michigan City House of Hope, Power for Good Community Grant
• Michigan City Mainstreet Association, Celebrating Naomi Anderson
• NWI Food Council, Strengthening Local Food Systems in La Porte County Through Tool Sharing Library
• Open Door Community Alliance, Inc., Open Door Adolescent Health Center (ODAHC)
• Open Door Community Alliance, Inc., Open Door Community Alliance Medication Assistance Program
• Paladin INC, Improve overall quality of life through Sensory Art
• The Pax Center, Brighton Street Kids Garden Club
• READ La Porte County, Inc., Learning Disability Program Support
• Real Services, Inc., LaPorte County Nutrition Sites
• The Salvation Army of LaPorte Indiana, The Salvation Army emergency needs for people and pets
• The Salvation Army of Michigan City, Emergency Services
• The Salvation Army of Michigan City, Pathway of Hope
• Service League of Michigan City, Inc., Service League Equipment Inventory Additions
• Social and Learning Institute, Inc., Science & Nature Exploration
• Soul Steppers Drill Team, Inc., Stepping To The Next Level
• South Central Jr. Sr. High School, 3-D Printing Station
• Stepping Stone Shelter for Women, Inc., Shelter Meal Services Program
• Stepping Stone Shelter for Women, Inc., Step Into The Light Human Trafficking Outreach and Prevention Education
• Trinity Episcopal Church, Trinity Church Food Pantry
• United Way of LaPorte County, VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program
• Washington Park Zoo, African Tortoise Yard Improvements
• Washington Park Zoo, Wallaby and Emu viewing window
• Westville Police Department, Body Cameras
• Worthy Women Recovery Home, Worthy Programs for Success
• YANA Service Club Inc., YANA Service Club Facility Improvements
• Young Audiences of Indiana, Inc. dba Arts for Learning, Arts-Integrated Education Residencies
• Youth Service Bureau of LaPorte County, Kids on the Block
• Youth Service Bureau of LaPorte County, School Buddies

Corporate sponsors help Unity Foundation support and manage many community projects. 2021 sponsors are as follows: Horizon Bank, NIPSCO, Mason Investment Advisory Services, 1^st Source Bank, Harbour Trust & Investment Management Company, Kabelin Ace Hardware, Meridian Title Corporation, Newby Lewis Kaminski & Jones, Rice Farms, Applegate & Company CPA’s, Estep Burkey Simmons, LLC, Fenker’s Furniture, and Mayor Duane Perry & the City of Michigan City.

Unity would also like to thank the La Porte County community and all donors for their ongoing support and celebration of the Power of Community in La Porte County. Since 1992, Unity Foundation of La Porte County has served donors, nonprofits and local communities. As La Porte County’s community foundation, it manages over $42 million in assets, administers more than 325 charitable funds, and has distributed more than $22 million through direct grants and scholarships. The Council on Foundations has deemed Unity Foundation in compliance with all Indiana and national ethical and operating standards for community foundations. Unity Foundation’s mission is to strengthen La Porte County now and forever by building permanent endowments; providing leadership; offering philanthropic vehicles for everyone; and, being a catalyst for social and economic vitality. For more information, please visit www.uflc.net or call 219-879-0327.