United Way of Kosciusko County Invests Campaign Dollars
Posted
Staff Report-
United Way of Kosciusko County recently invested $1,690,700 in 51 local programs and several community initiatives. The investments will be available to the programs from July through June 2014. Additionally, at the request of several donors, $176,865 was sent to other United Ways for program support. United Way Vision Councils, comprised of professionals and citizens with a vested interest in the community, assess outcomes of the programs in the focus areas of education, income and health. This system of review assures donors' gifts are being used effectively and efficiently in Kosciusko County. After the Vision Council process, the Community Impact Committee reviews all of the proposals and makes its final recommendations to the board of directors. The United Way of Kosciusko Board of Directors approved the proposals May 17. The Education Vision Council consisted of representatives from three school corporations (Tippecanoe Valley, Warsaw and Wawasee), Indiana Tech, IVY Tech, Symmetry Medical, a local attorney and a retired professional from RR Donnelley. This committee invested $422,100 in 12 education programs aimed at early interventions to increase the high school graduation rate in Kosciusko County. These programs are: After School Program (Baker Youth Club); Claypool Early Learning Program (Warsaw Community Schools); Community Based Mentoring (Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana) Head Start (Cardinal Services Inc.); Homework Help (Tippecanoe Valley Schools); Kindergarten Readiness (Lakeland Learning Center, New Beginnings Preschool and Daycare, North Webster Daycare); Parents as Teachers (Early Childhood Alliance) Read to Grow (Kosciusko Literacy Services); School Buddies (Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana) and Teens-N-Tots (Heartline Pregnancy Center). The Income Vision Council was comprised of representatives from Biomet, Bowen Center, DePuy Synthes, Lake City Radio, Maple Leaf Farms, Tower Bank and retired professionals from Mutual Bank, Warsaw Police Department and Zimmer Inc. This committee invested $614,000 in 18 economic self-sufficiency and family stabilization programs. These are: Beaman Home (Kosciusko County Shelter for Abuse); Disaster Services (American Red Cross); Emergency Home Repairs, Home Energy Impact, Mobile Home Repairs & Owner Occupied Renovations (Housing Opportunities); Family Development (Community Action of Northeast Indiana) Food Pantry (Mary & Jerry’s Helping Hands); Graduation Coaches (Kosciusko County Educational Development); Jail GED Program & One-to-One Tutors (Kosciusko Literacy Services); Moving Forward (Bowen Center); Rental Assistance (Salvation Army); Stewardship Shelter (Fellowship Missions); Teen Services (Teen Parents Succeeding); Utility Assistance, Hand Up & Project Independence (Combined Community Services). The Health Vision Council contained representatives from the Bowen Center, Kosciusko Community Hospital, K21 Health Foundation, Maple Leaf Fanns, Meridian Title, Zimmer and a retired professional from RR Donnelley. The committee invested $449,040 in 18 health programs. These are: Activity Center, Emergency/Weekend Meals, Home Delivered Meals, In-home Services & Transportation (Kosciusko Community Senior Services); BABE & Earn While You Learn (Heartline Pregnancy Center); Cotmecting Families (Northern Indiana Hispanic Health Coalition); Domestic Violence Education “DoVE” (Kosciusko County Shelter for Abuse); Food Delivery Program & Mobile Pantry (Food Bank of Northern Indiana); Healthy Families (Cardinal Services Inc.); REAL Services (Kosciusko Homecare & Hospice); Sports Program (Lakeland Youth Center); Summer CATCH (Kosciusko Community YMCA); Summer Program (BakerYouth Club); Well Baby Clinic (Kosciusko County Health Department); Women's Recovery Home (Rose Home North). Additionally, Community Initiative Funds (in the amount of $171,000) also will be used for the following: 2-1-1 Information and Referral Service, the Day of Caring, Volunteer Kosciusko, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, Kindergarten Countdown, the Kosciusko County Drug Court and three programs with which United Way has long-standing relationships including the Anthony Wayne Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Kosciusko County and Girl Scouts of Northem Indiana-Michiana. In addition, United Way of Kosciusko County, in partnership with the K21 Health Foundation and the Kosciusko Community Foundation, will fund AmeriCorps VISTA staff at the Fellowship Mission. The ultimate goal of United Way of Kosciusko County is to always create a positive community impact. The Vision Councils consider many factors when making funding decisions. These factors include, but are not limited to, new program funding requests, current challenges within the community and new issues facing the programs within each focus area.
