Starke County Community Foundation Awards Grants

December 13, 2011

Billie Kay with the Salvation Army and David Altman SCCF Grant Chairman

The Starke County Community Foundation celebrated the holidays with the community by awarding grants to Starke County organizations during the Foundation’s 2011 Grant Award Banquet. Over $14,000 was awarded on Tuesday, December 14th at the Community Center in Knox.

The grants are part of the Community Foundation’s Unrestricted Funds which allow the Community Foundation to assess the greatest needs of the community and assist individual agency programs. The funds that make it possible for these grants to be awarded are The Freedom Fund, Ann R. and Orville Nichols Memorial Fund, Schuyler Family Endowment Fund, Starke County General Unrestricted Fund, and the Arlowa S. Vorm Memorial Fund.

Since 1998 the Community Foundation has awarded over 1.7 million dollars to local organizations and projects that make a difference in Starke County. 

Twenty-three organizations applied for funding from the Community Foundation with requests of over $80,000 dollars. “It is amazing to see all the good works that these organizations do for our community and citizens.” said Sarah Origer, Director of Development for the Starke County Community Foundation. The grant selection committee is comprised of Starke County residents and Community Foundation board members who review all applications and narrowed the selection to ten organizations.

Youth and education received a boost with grants to Ancilla College for an outreach program to foster an interest in math and science in Starke County junior high and high school girls. The Starke County Chapter of Prevent Child Abuse Indiana received funding to keep their facility from flooding. The Center of Workforce Innovations can reach more people who are working to obtain their GED. The Healthy Families Program will be able to make an impact in the lives of parents and children in Starke County, helped by a matching Kids First Trust grant. Psi Iota Xi has an annual Young Artist Conference and the Community Foundation has provided support for their 2012 Spring event and Knox High School’s Peers Educating Peers will bring their positive message to middle school students with their funding.

Helping those in need is important especially in these challenging times. Love Inc. and The Salvation Army will use their awards to help the elderly and needy.

The significance of promoting and preserving Starke County heritage was also recognized with grants to the Starke County Historical Society for a new scanner/printer and to the community of Hamlet, which is celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the Yellowstone Trail during their summer 2012 festival; the Community Foundation’s grant will help them to promote the event.

“We appreciate these organizations and the great work they do to make Starke County a better place for all who live here,” said Gene Ladd, the President of the Starke County Community Foundation. “And we are especially grateful for our donors who make these grants possible.”