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 26th 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.
Leave a comment