Funding Supports 13 Projects Aligned with Community Leadership Initiatives

Hamilton County Community Foundation board of directors has announced the allocation of $177,000 to 13 not-for-profit organizations and programs aligned with the foundation’s community leadership initiatives: mental health, family and youth empowerment, and inclusive economic growth.

Grants were made possible by the Community Endowment for Hamilton County and field of interest funds, including the Jack Arnold Russell Charitable Fund and the Dale Snelling Blue Ribbon Foundation, as well as community-specific funds: City of Noblesville Fund, Northern Hamilton County Fund, and Westfield Endowment Fund.

These various funds and unrestricted gifts to the endowment enabled the Foundation to award two innovative multiyear grants to Ivy Tech Community College of Hamilton County for a state-of-the art technology workforce development center and YMCA of Greater Indianapolis for mental health and wellness programming for veterans at the soon-to-be-built Westfield YMCA.

Grants were awarded to the following organizations and projects:

• Alternatives ($10,000) for advocacy, case management, transportation and emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence in Hamilton County.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana ($10,000) to expand mentoring programs for at-risk and youth in Hamilton County.
• Hamilton Area Neighborhood Development (HAND) ($15,000) for a collaboration with Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis to serve low- and moderate-income homeowners whose residences need repairs or modifications to remain habitable.
• Hope Family Care Center ($5,000) for increased dental care services to uninsured, underinsured and low-income residents of northern Hamilton County.
• Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide ($10,000) for annual evidence-based education for pre-K to 12^th grade students to prevent child abuse, neglect and bullying.
• Ivy Tech Foundation ($37,500) for the Future of Work Lab to provide education and training in emerging technologies helping learners transition to college or careers, in partnership with Hamilton County Workforce Innovation Network (HCWIN).
• LifeSmart Youth ($5,000) for three school-based, healthy relationship and life skill development programs for youth in Hamilton Heights School Corporation.
• Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County ($10,000) for daily delivery of hot meals to homebound individuals in northern Hamilton County along with funding to pilot a weekend frozen meal program.  
• Midwest Food Bank ($15,000) to provide a sustainable supply of protein to food pantries throughout Hamilton County.
• Nickel Plate Arts ($5,000) to provide pathways to economic opportunity for a diverse range of artists through an annual artists’ academy.
• Prevail ($12,500) to provide broad-based victim advocacy, trauma-informed programming and services to survivors of crime and abuse.
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul ($12,000) to serve food-insecure residents at the Hamilton County Food Pantry in Noblesville.
• YMCA of Greater Indianapolis ($30,000) for mental health and wellness programming at the Westfield YMCA for active and veteran military service members and their families, as well as for older adults.

Grant applications open in November for 2020 funding.