Lara Kalwinski, Vice President

Hammond native leads grantmaking and fund stewardship initiatives

Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s leading philanthropic partner, has named Lara Kalwinski as Vice President.

Kalwinski, of Hammond, is responsible for management of all Legacy Foundation grants initiatives. She also participates in asset development for the foundation, with responsibility for fund stewardship and donor relationship management.

“The board of directors and staff of Legacy Foundation are thrilled to have a leader with Lara’s intelligence, knowledge of the Northwest Indiana nonprofit and business communities, and insightful world view join our team,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer. “She brings a unique combination of roots in Lake County and experience helping to build philanthropic organizations nationwide and worldwide to her new role.”

Kalwinski previously was director of philanthropic sustainability at PHJC Foundation in Hobart. Prior to that role, she served as director of international development in Bangalore, India, for Ancilla Systems Inc. She also was a manager and consultant with the Hammond Urban Enterprise Association; and worked as a researcher for the Columbia Law School in New York, the Mauer School of Law at Indiana University in Bloomington, and Legacy Foundation.

Kalwinski earned a Juris Doctor degree, a master’s degree in public affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management, and a bachelor’s degree in political science, all from Indiana University in Bloomington.

The summit offers organizers of youth mentoring programs, and adults interested in mentoring youth, information about creating effective and sustainable mentoring opportunities. Registration is $25 per person, including lunch. Registration at the door is $35. The Mentor Summit is produced by the Center for Mentors co-op members and is held each January during National Mentoring Month.

At 27, Jones has achieved a reputation as an engaging and inspiring leader. He hails from Cleveland, Ohio, by way of Brooklyn, N.Y. He credits the influence of a mentoring program during high school, and its leader who became a “father figure” to him, with much of his inspiration to pursue his dreams. He went on to graduate from Morehouse College with honors, is an acclaimed spoken word artist, Essence Award winner, was the youngest news talk radio host in the country, and founded The Basheer Jones Foundation. He was a leader of youth voter registration efforts and community rallies during the 2008 presidential election.

“Like Basheer, most successful adults can point to at least one person who influenced their lives when they were younger,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “Mentoring can improve a child’s educational experience as well as opportunities for the future. We have terrific resources in Northwest Indiana to create and support a variety of mentoring programs, and this summit gives the business and non-profit communities tools to further those resources.”

 Breakout sessions during the Mentor Summit will include:

• Elements of effective practice, facilitated by Cindy Borden, a trainer, facilitator and technical assistance provider with more than 15 years of experience in youth development.
• Building quality mentoring relationships based on best practices, facilitated by Dr. Clara Giles Carter, Ed.D., president of Management Consultant Services, a human resource management firm that has provided technical assistance in building and maintaining collaborations directed to community outreach in preparing youth for the future workforce.
• Attendees also will participate in a session on outcome evaluation, or tools for evaluating mentoring programs, presented by Candice Singleton of the Indiana Youth Institute.

 For more information and to register for the Mentor Summit, contact Eric Evans at Geminus Corporation at (219) 757-1883 or eric.evans@geminus.org.

New this year, Jones also will speak at a Teen Summit to be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, at the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, 7770 Corrine Drive, Hammond. This event is free and open to the first 100 students who register. Contact Barry Tyler at btyler@legacyfoundationlakeco.org for more information.

The Center for Mentors is an initiative of Legacy Foundation facilitated in partnership with Geminus Prevention Services. Since its founding in 2010, the Center has trained more than 150 people to work with youth through virtual and place-based strategies to promote mentoring in Northwest Indiana.

You bring your sandwich, we’ll provide a drink, chips and a dessert!

E-mail Michelle Aerts at maerts@legacyfoundationlakeco.org to reserve your spot. Please RSVP by Jan. 24.

The next deadline for submitting grant applications to Legacy Foundation is March 1. Download a grant application and guidelines at www.legacyfoundationlakeco.org.

The Legends Scholarship celebrates an individual who overcomes challenges and obstacles in the pursuit of a dream of a college education and lifelong learning. The Legends Scholar must demonstrate one or more of the virtues of Exploration, Courage, Creativity, and/or Innovation toward achieving a college education. These are the qualities of the Legends who are celebrated by the Wall of Legends displayed at the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond.

The Legends Scholarship is sponsored by First Midwest Bank and administered by Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s philanthropic partner. The Wall of Legends is sponsored by BP Whiting Business Unit. Parrish will receive a $1,000 scholarship, and her name will be displayed at the Wall of Legends.

Current undergraduate or graduate degree candidates at six Northwest Indiana institutions of higher learning – Calumet College of St. Joseph, Indiana University Northwest, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana Northwest, Purdue University Calumet, Purdue University North Central, and Valparaiso University – are eligible to apply for the Legends Scholarship. The application and detailed information can be found on the Legacy Foundation website, www.legacyfoundationlakeco.org/scholarships. Applications must be submitted to the student’s Financial Aid Office by March 15 of each year. 

(MERRILLVILLE, Indiana) – Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s philanthropic partner, has moved to larger office space in the Twin Towers office complex at the intersection of    I-65 and U.S. 30 in Merrillville.

Legacy Foundation’s new address is 1000 East 80^th Place, North Tower 402, Merrillville, Indiana 46410. The phone number remains (219) 736-1880.

Previously Legacy Foundation was located on the third floor of the South Tower. The new space features a multipurpose classroom, more individual offices for staff, and a spacious reception area for guests.

The expansion was necessary to accommodate Legacy Foundation’s growth as a leader in providing philanthropic resources to the Lake County community. The foundation provides grants, manages funds and scholarships, offers development workshops to nonprofit organizations and professional advisors, and partners with community leaders to support projects that solve problems and enhance lives.

Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s philanthropic partner, manages more than 25 scholarship programs among its $38 million in assets. The Foundation’s scholarship committees, comprised of community volunteers, annually review applications from hundreds of high-school seniors and current college students.

“One of Legacy Foundation’s most important roles is to support and encourage educational attainment. Scholarships help students achieve their goals,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “Diverse groups of dozens of volunteers from throughout the community are engaged in selecting worthy recipients of scholarship awards, based on the many accomplishments of these young people and the promise they show for their college careers and beyond.”

Among the scholarship programs managed by Legacy Foundation are the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarships for Lake County and the Legacy Scholarships. Awards from those programs for 2011 have been previously announced.

Additional scholarships, 2011 recipients named by Legacy Foundation funds, and, where applicable, their respective high schools, include:

D.J. and Rose Nidetz Scholarship: Braden Cleary, Wheeler High School

Donna K. Yundt Memorial Scholarship: Alexa Candreva, Lake Central High School

Dr. John Maniotes Scholarship: Elaine Pitsas, Munster High School; Jessica Sinclair, Highland High School; Daniella Tripodis, Chesterton High School

Dr. R.T. White Scholarship: Marelle A. Cerven, Munster High School; Bridget McCullough, Munster High School

Fred & Louise Latshaw Scholarship: Margaret Poling

Hammond Common Council Scholarship: Nathan Akerman, Ta’Shanya Bone, Nicole Brandy, Juan Carrasco, Nathan Cichock, Sharissa Guerrero, Francisco Hernandez, Jr., Candice Manuel, Daniela Mata, Ashley Overton, Frank Robles, Kaelyn Shabaz, Darren Simpson, Abigayle Stern, Paul Szymkowski

Herbert R. Kocher Memorial Scholarship: Shantell Smith, Roosevelt Career & Technical Academy

IBEW Local Union #697 Memorial Scholarship: Brooke Bonich, Christopher Brahos, Karl DeLange, Brooke Fargo, Sean Flannery, Kyle Gatlin, Elaine Hall, Douglas Hanenburg, Rebecca Johnson, Ryan Kabella, Samuel Kasmark, Tiffany Michaels, Matthew Miller, Thomas Moore, Jr., Cindy Rawley, Kathy Rawley,
Benjamin Rose, Hannah Schutter, Erin Shikany, Kaitlyn Sintkowski, Marissa Smith, Kristina Soderquist, Sarah Spies, Ashley Spurr, Lisa Waldrop

John V. and George Primich Family Scholarship: Enrique Ayala, Ryan Merriman, Kelly Peloza, Kimberly Sherwin, Amanda Szura, Christopher Zakian

Joseph Trent Morrow/Urban League of Northwest Indiana Scholarship: Litney Gray, West Side Leadership Academy

June Pangburn Scholarship: Lauren Richter, Hobart High School

Lake County Athletic Officials Association Scholarship: Jessica Elish, Highland High School; Joshua Long, Purdue University (Griffith High School 2008)

Nancy J. Pinnick Memorial Scholarship: Abby Anderson, River Forest High School

Patrick Lindsey Memorial Scholarship: Shayla Austin, Hammond High School; LaVontecia Gist, Merrillville High School

Roger Begnoche Scholarship: Alexander Serrano of Munster High School

Sengupta Family Scholarship: Anna Kacius of Lake Central High School

W. James Spicer Scholarship: Benjamin Niksch, Wirt-Emerson Visual and Performing Arts Academy

Webster Cornwell Memorial Scholarship: Almadelia Aragon, Hammond High School

William J. Moran Indiana University School of Law Scholarship: John McKinlay, Indiana University School of Law (Andrean High School 1995)

For details about any of these scholarships, see Legacy Foundation’s Web site at www.legacyfoundationlakeco.org/scholarships. Lake County high school and college students are encouraged to check the site for information about available scholarship funds.

Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s philanthropic partner, has elected five experienced business and community leaders as the newest members of its board of directors. The board also elected officers for 2011-2012.

New members of the board, each elected to three-year terms, are: Cedar Lake attorney David Austgen; Robert Johnson, III, president and chief executive officer of Merrillville-based Cimcor, Inc.; Tom Keilman, director of government affairs at BP in Whiting; Martha Rivas-Ramos, vice president and branch manager at First Midwest Bank’s Munster branch; and Sandra Snearly-Vosberg, a Crown Point certified public accountant.

“Each of these individuals brings significant professional expertise, an understanding of the power of philanthropy to effect change in our community, and a true love of the Northwest Indiana region demonstrated throughout the course of their personal and professional lives,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “They join a board committed to building on the strengths of Lake County’s past to continue moving Northwest Indiana forward.”

Officers elected to serve for 2011-2012 are: Robert Nickovich, CEO of the Lake County Parks Department, chairman; Nancy Clifford, owner of Financial Strategies, LLC, vice chair; Amy Han, director of development for the Indiana University School of Medicine-Northwest, secretary; Ken Krupinski, CPA with Swartz Retson & Co., treasurer; Margot Clark, community volunteer, immediate past chair; Danette Garza, chief operating officer and general counsel at Medical Specialists of Indiana, chair of the Investment Committee; Richard Komyatte, attorney with Komyatte & Casbon, chair of the Development Committee; and Tory Prasco, attorney with Burke Costanza & Carberry, chair of the Grants Committee.

Other community leaders currently serving on the Legacy Foundation board include: David Bochnowski, chairman and CEO of Peoples Bank; Cornelia Brown, president of Creative Communications, Inc.; Howard Cohen, retired chancellor of Purdue University Calumet; Fredricka Davidson, community volunteer; Frankie Fesko, president, Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana; Matthew Glaros, broker and consultant, Employer Benefit Systems; Carol Highsmith, senior partner, Centier Bank; Janet Moran, owner, Copywrite Communications, LLC; William Nangle, executive editor, The Times of Northwest Indiana; Dave Ryan, executive director of the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce; and Michael Suggs, director of operations integration and strategy at NIPSCO.

Legacy Foundation thanked for their years of dedicated service to the organization members who recently retired from the board: Bob Anadell;

the Hon. Lorenzo Arredondo; James Greiner; Stephen Pangere; and Stephen Place.

Lake County’s philanthropic partner awards nearly $143,000 in recent grants

Local students who may never before have had the opportunity to prepare for college entrance exams will have a better chance to go to college and prepare for careers through a grant from Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s philanthropic partner.

Legacy Foundation recently awarded The First Tee of Hammond $6,500 to help fund its ACT/SAT Prep and Golf Career Awareness program. Tiffani English, interim executive director of The First Tee of Hammond, said the program helps First Tee participants become more prepared for college entrance exams, as well as to consider golf-related careers.

“We’re trying to help our high-school participants be more prepared to go to college and to stay in college,” English said. “This program also helps them complete and submit a college application, learn about financial aid, and gives the opportunity for career and job shadowing.”

The grant, from Legacy Foundation’s College Readiness Fund, is among nearly $143,000 awarded recently to area nonprofit organizations. With the latest grant cycle, Legacy Foundation distributed nearly $555,700 to Lake County organizations during its 2010-11 fiscal year. The total includes $193,600 awarded to the City of Hobart, from the Maria Reiner Senior Citizens Fund managed by Legacy Foundation, to construct and furnish the city’s first-ever dedicated senior center.

“The power of philanthropy is that Legacy Foundation has brought a half-million dollars of donors’ funds into the community to benefit preschoolers through senior citizens,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “These worthy projects will enhance educational attainment, broaden civic and cultural opportunities in the region and support people in need.”

Other recent awards made by Legacy Foundation include:

From the Lake County Community Fund:

Chorus Angelorum – $9,550 to support the 26^th Annual Concert of Music.

Indiana University Northwest – $4,500 to support the publication of “Dreams of Duneland,” a coffee-table book with several hundred color photographs and approximately 100 historic photographs. This funding will help cover the cost of printing, making the book more affordable for members of the community.

White’s Residential & Family Services, Inc. – $8,703 to support two 15-week sessions of the Nurturing Families Program and one 13-week session of the Nurturing Fathers Program to alleviate child abuse in at-risk Lake County homes.

Our Family Center – $15,000 to support an after-school tutoring and mentoring program for at-risk children, and the expansion of a youth leadership program during summer day camp.

From the College Readiness Fund:

Boys & Girls Clubs of Northwest Indiana – $25,000 to support college preparatory activities, college tours, participation in the African American Student Achievement Conference and other college readiness efforts.

Communities in Schools of East Chicago – $8,700 to implement a program to assist all enrolled students and graduates and successfully access post-secondary educational opportunities.

Educating to Excel – $15,000 for continuation of mentoring and college and career readiness activities for low-income, potential first generation college students in grades 6-12.

Gary Life Education Initiative – $15,000 for continuation of college readiness opportunities for students in need at Lew Wallace STEM Academy.

G.E.M.S. – $5,000 for implementation of college readiness workshops and higher educational institute tours for early exposure to a post-secondary educational setting.

International Institute of LACASA – $5,000 for implementation of a student assistance program that will provide information and options to aid in the decision to attend post-secondary education through developing college preparation plans, college visits, and distribution of information.

Our Family Center – $11,400 to implement a college preparatory program that will discuss and provide scholarship opportunities, incentives, part-time guidance counselors, tutoring, mentoring, PSAT/SAT prep, financial aid counseling, and college tours.

Purdue University Calumet’s TRIO Program – $1,000 for the expansion and continuation of community-based seminars and workshops that address college access issues such as admissions standards and financing.

Salvation Army Gary/Merrillville – $11,500 for continuation of after-school and summer programs that focus on the remediation of children in math and language arts while promoting college preparedness and access initiatives.

From the Maria Reiner Senior Citizens Fund

Hobart Education Foundation – $1,000 to support a social outing at the County Line Orchard for grandparents and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

To apply for funding

The next deadline for submitting grant applications is Sept. 1, 2011. Download a grant application and guidelines at www.legacyfoundationlakeco.org. A “brown bag session” for nonprofit organizations wishing to learn more about applying for grants to Legacy Foundation will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 8 at the Munster branch of the Lake County Public Library. To register, call (219) 736-1880 or e-mail maerts@legacyfoundationlakeco.org.

Program Director Brandon White instructs participants in The First Tee of Hammond's golf and life skills program. Legacy Foundation benefits people of all ages throughout Lake County by making grants to nonprofit organizations such as The First Tee of Hammond.

(HOBART, Indiana) – The City of Hobart and Legacy Foundation, Lake County’s leading philanthropic partner, announced a second significant grant for the city’s first dedicated senior center.

Legacy Foundation has approved a $93,600 grant from the Maria Reiner Senior Citizens Fund to furnish the center, which is currently under construction inside the former Hobart Middle School near Fourth and New streets.

The 8,300-square-foot Maria Reiner Center, which will be open to Hobart residents and non-residents age 55 and over, was established with a $100,000 grant through Legacy Foundation in April. The latest award will enable the purchase of furnishings, fitness equipment for the wellness center, and other needs to complete the renovation.

“The Legacy Foundation Board of Directors has once again demonstrated its commitment and willingness to support a vital resource to the community,” Hobart Mayor Brian K. Snedecor said. “Legacy Foundation has partnered with us to make this senior center a reality, providing senior citizens a place that allows social interaction and a place where they can receive important resources. We also thank Maria Reiner for her vision to benefit the seniors of this city.”

Legacy Foundation manages the Maria Reiner Senior Citizens Fund along with more than 260 other funds providing grants and scholarships to benefit people throughout Lake County. Reiner was a Hobartresident who left her estate to be used for Hobart senior citizens. Past grants from her fund have been used to establish and sustain the highly successful Hobart Senior Transportation Program, which provides low-cost vouchers for participating taxi and bus services, and for cultural and civic events open to seniors.

“Legacy Foundation is proud to steward the financial resources left by Maria Reiner, a generous Hobart citizen and philanthropic visionary, to benefit residents of Hobart,” said Harry J. Vande Velde III, president and chief executive officer of Legacy Foundation. “We commend the city’s leaders on identifying the need for services to seniors in the community, and collaborating with Legacy Foundation to develop a solution that will benefit citizens for generations to come.”

The Maria Reiner Center is expected to open this summer. Its services will include a computer learning center, dining area, health and fitness center, and social events such as card playing and movies.