COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HOWARD COUNTY AWARDS GRANTS

Non-profit organizations awarded more than $190,300 in 2017

Dec. 27, 2017 -- The Community Foundation of Howard County has awarded $82,475 in competitive grants during the second half of 2017. Combined with the first half total of $107,839, this brings the total of competitive grants awarded to more than $190,300 for the year.

“Donor generosity has allowed the Community Foundation of Howard County to support these worthwhile projects in Howard County,” said Joe Dunbar, chairman of the Community Foundation of Howard County Grants Committee.  “Through their contributions to our community endowment unrestricted funds, donors have entrusted us to award grants to nonprofit organizations that will benefit the community now and in the future.  This foresight has established their legacy in Howard County and we thank them for their lasting charitable gifts.”

The following agencies and programs were awarded grants during the second half of 2017:

$8,000 to the American Red Cross will be used to implement a home fire preparedness campaign in Howard County. The American Red Cross will collaborate with community partners and volunteers to place smoke alarms in homes, replace batteries, provide fire safety education, and help households develop an escape plan. 

$12,250 to Boy Scouts of America Sagamore Council will be used to renovate and remodel the Scout Shop at the Kokomo Service Center to create more space for a greater range of inventory. 

$20,000 to Family Service Association will be used to purchase and install a camera and video security system for veterans, staff and volunteers at Jackson Street Commons. Adding security cameras to the second and third floor, as well as the perimeter of the building will better assist staff and service providers in providing safety to residents and the community.

$8,525 to the Howard County Automotive Heritage Hall of Fame will be used to purchase a historic marker to be located by the Elwood Haynes Statue at the Seiberling Mansion and one located on the Walk of Excellence behind the field of the Kokomo Municipal Stadium. The markers will share the story about the Apperson Brothers Jackrabbit automobile, as well as the story of Kokomo's industrial wizard Elwood Haynes.

$3,000 to Ivy Tech Foundation provides support for the "Doing the Dream 2018" program.  The purpose of this annual event is to embrace and celebrate cultural diversity.  This year's presenter, Peggy Trotter Preacely, has had a distinguished career as a historian, nonviolence advocate, civil activist and storyteller.  Ms. Preacely will speak at four events in Howard and Cass counties.  She will share her historical perspective with juniors and seniors at Kokomo High School, as well as present to Ivy Tech and other area high school students.

$5,450 to Kokomo Community Concerts provides funding to offset costs for the Derik Nelson Family Concert, a unique group of siblings that delivers a concert experience featuring pristine sound, a state-of-the-art light show and an integrated video display. 

$2,750 to the Kokomo Housing Authority will cover the cost of financial counseling and HUD certified homeownership counseling certification for ten families.  The program provides families with access to resources that improve lives through an incentive-based approach that includes self-accountability measures. The five-year program allows families to save a portion of their rent through a federally approved escrow account where the balance is available to them upon successful completion of the program.

$15,000 to the Kokomo Rescue Mission will be used to help fund the purchase and installation of a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the newly acquired shelter home for single women who need emergency and short-term shelter. 

$2,500 to Mental Health of America of Indiana will be used to cover expenses for Mental Health First Aid Training to assist public safety officers and first responders encountering community members who are experiencing a mental health crisis. The curriculum focuses on de-stigmatization of mental disorders to better understand the effects of mental illness and advocates for individuals to initiate recovery. 

$5,000 to the Russiaville Historical Society will be used to cover part of the materials and installation of a new heating and air conditioning system at the Interurban Station that is being restored as a museum and resource center to house artifacts and information from the western Howard County area. 

The Community Foundation of Howard County, Inc. was formed as a not-for-profit public charity in March 1991. The Foundation seeks to serve donors and make grants to benefit the citizens of Howard County.  For more information about the Community Foundation, contact Greg Aaron at (765) 454-7298 or greg@cfhoward.org. The Web site www.cfhoward.org contains information about making gifts to endowment funds, scholarships and grantmaking.