COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF HOWARD COUNTY AWARDS GRANTS

Nonprofit organizations awarded more than $74,500 during first and second quarters of 2010

July 13, 2010 — The Community Foundation of Howard County has awarded more than $74,500 in competitive grants during the first and second quarters of 2010.

"Through the foresight of donors who have made endowments over the years, we are able to support organizations that provide vital services to the community," said Mike Stegall, Chairman of the Community Foundation of Howard County Board of Directors. "The money we are entrusted with is intended to be a positive influence for the residents of the community. We thank the donors and the organizations for providing the support and the services that need to be offered in order for improvements to be made within a community."

"The members of the Grants Committee are very introspective when they look at each grant request," said Joe Dunbar, Chairman of the Community Foundation of Howard County Grants Committee. "With the unsteady economy, many of the organizations are seeing an increase in need and it is important that the grant funding provide support to as many services as possible. However, people in this community remain generous and we are looking forward to continued growth in our Community Endowment Fund through donor contributions."

The following agencies and programs were awarded grants:

$1,400 to Book Readers and Horn Blowers will be used to provide partial support for a Harriet Tubman program featuring "Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky." The program is intended to reinforce student reading at Western and Taylor intermediate schools through activities that include writing, puzzles and music. In addition, funding will be used for a professional storyteller.

$4,500 to Friends of Howard Haven will provide funds to purchase windows, doors, framing materials and siding to enclose the porches of the Howard Haven facility. The facility's staff and students from the Kokomo Area Career Center will provide the labor. The porches provide an attractive enclosed indoor/outdoor setting for residents and visitors.

$15,000 to the Kokomo Downtown Association will provide partial funding towards landscaping, lawn renovation and irrigation for the grounds of the Howard County Courthouse for Phase Two of a rejuvenation plan. The purpose is to create a vibrant lawn that can withstand festival traffic and economically provide water to the lawn and beds so the work will be sustained. This project is part of a strategy to improve the downtown's image by enhancing its physical appearance.

$17,600 to the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library will provide partial funding towards a City of Firsts glass etching project that will be prominently displayed on the main floor of the renovated library. Fifteen panels will be etched depicting a Kokomo "first" and one will feature a "City of Firsts" history. The etched glass panels were designed to become one of the main focal points of the renovated library.

$2,250 to Sports World will provide partial funding to cover speaker, material and advertising costs for a three-day outreach project in Howard County schools. During 10 school assemblies, a former NFL player will deliver a "you are not born winners, you are not born losers, but you are born choosers" message to 3,000 Howard County students (grades 3-12). The athletes share life experiences to help students recognize the consequences of their choices.

$5,000 to Loving Hands Adult Day Care will provide support for the agency's first year's projected marketing expenses for brochures, newspaper and radio advertising, and the Web site to help educate the public about adult day care services.

$2,600 to Agape Garden Montessori School will provide partial funding to offer 100 high-risk elementary students individual math and reading tutoring to help prevent academic regression during the summer. Funds will be used to purchase materials, educational supplies and snacks.

$3,000 to the Family Service Association of Howard County will provide funding to purchase two laptop computers that will be used to help educate parents about safe sleep habits for infants and to collect data on changes to safe sleep behaviors and attitudes. This is part of a program to provide safe cribs, safe sleep material and instructions for low income families to help provide a safe sleep environment for children.

$4,085 to the F.D. Reese Christian Academy will provide funding to purchase seven computers to help address the technology needs of the school's teachers and students. Students will also participate in the school's summer camp. Many of the students come from low income families and do not have a computer at home.

$2,400 to the Maple Grove Community Church will provide funds for the New Leaf Mentoring Program designed to meet the needs of children of incarcerated parents. The grant will help with the purchase a desktop computer, networking system and database software. The program provides recruiting, interviewing, training, program evaluation, and a networking strategy with community programs and agencies to help the at-risk youth of the community.

$10,000 to the City of Kokomo will provide partial funding to bring a summer concert series to the Kokomo Arts Pavilion from May through September. The summer concerts are conducted by professional artists and the music selected has a broad appeal.

$720 to Coordinated Assistance Ministries will provide funding to help cover the costs for GED testing for twelve clients. The project will be open to the community for CAM clients and referrals from other agencies who do not qualify for financial assistance under other agency guidelines.

$2,000 to the Kokomo Art Association will provide partial support for the Summer Art Camp project. Children and adolescents will have the opportunity to receive art instruction about art history, various artists, types of media and divergent artistic styles/techniques.

$2,800 to the Kokomo Park Band will provide support for the "Youth Activities" concert venue. Components include an instrument Petting Zoo, a Percussion Workshop, student soloist competitions and a side-by-side event involving high school musicians mentored by professional adult band members and two nationally recognized guest conductors. The project also integrates visual arts by providing materials for drawing or coloring music-related pictures that will be displayed at the final Kokomo Park Band concert of the season.

$1,500 to the Ronald McDonald House of Indiana will provide partial support to underwrite the lodging expenses for Howard County families who will utilize the facility during the year. Families are asked to make a donation per night toward the cost of their room, but no family is ever turned away due to an inability to pay.

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 Ron Harper or Hilda Burns at 765-454-7298 or ron@cfhoward.org and hilda@cfhoward.org. The Web site www.cfhoward.org contains information about making gifts to endowment funds, scholarships and grant making.