United Way of Central Indiana awards $8 million to 29 organizations for family programs
INDIANAPOLIS – United Way of Central Indiana announced Wednesday that it is awarding $8 million in grants to 29 organizations from its Family Opportunity Fund.
The fund is meant to help improve the education, financial stability and overall health and well-being of families. The work is rooted in what's called the 2Gen – short for two-generation – approach, which focuses on supporting children and their caregivers to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
A committee of 14 people – including United Way staff, board members and community volunteers – reviewed applications and selected the recipients.
“We remain committed to working alongside our partners, who are providing innovative and integrated 2Gen services and programs to hundreds of Central Indiana families,” said Shannon Jenkins, United Way’s family opportunity senior director. “We know that sustaining successful models and investing in new pathways and opportunities for families to achieve educational success, economic mobility and well-being is critical as our community continues to move forward.”
Organizations that received grants serve people throughout Central Indiana. United Way estimates the funding will assist more than 4,000 families.
Caleb Sutton, executive director of Hawthorne Community Center, said the funding helps Hawthorne not only address employment and financial stability but look holistically at a family’s education, social capital and health – all in one program.
“The Family Opportunity funding allows us to invest in a staffing model where we can build long-term relationships with the entire family, both the caregivers and the young people in the family,” Sutton said.
2022-2023 Family Opportunity Fund grantees:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana — $100,000
Catholic Charities — $350,000
Community Alliance of the Far Eastside (CAFE) — $550,000
Concord Neighborhood Center — $125,000
Early Learning Indiana — $250,000
Easterseals Crossroads — $200,000
Edna Martin Christian Center — $575,000
Fathers and Families Center — $340,000
Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center — $115,000
Firefly Children & Family Alliance — $125,000
Flanner House — $575,000
Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana — $300,000
Hawthorne Community Center — $450,000
Indianapolis Urban League — $450,000
The John H. Boner Community Center, Inc. — $425,000
Lutheran Child and Family Services — $575,000
Marion County Commission on Youth — $100,000
Martin Luther King Community Center — $325,000
Reach For Youth — $140,000
School on Wheels — $170,000
Shepherd Community Center — $125,000
Southeast Community Services — $325,000
St. Mary's Early Childhood Center — $275,000
Starfish Initiative — $100,000
TeenWorks — $100,000
The Villages of Indiana — $250,000
Visually Impaired Preschool Services — $75,000
Volunteers of America Ohio & Indiana — $375,000
YMCA of Morgan County — $135,000
Additionally, United Way will award $400,000 in 2Gen capacity-building grants to five organizations. Recipients will work with United Way staff members to refine 2Gen programming concepts, build partnerships and improve data collection and reporting.
Capacity-building grantees:
Burmese American Community Institute — $80,000
Indy Reads — $80,000
Noble — $80,000
PACE — $80,000
YMCA of Greater Indianapolis — $80,000