Community Foundation of Whitley County Awards $162,515 in Grants

Thanks to generous donors past and present, the Community Foundation of Whitley County was able to grant funding to 22 deserving organizations serving local residents during the organization’s 2024 Winter Grants Session. The Board of Directors approved the following recommendations made by the members of the Grants Committee:

• Gary Bird Volunteer Cemetery Restoration Group, $2,500 for efforts to clean and restore the headstones of Whitley County veterans; made possible in part by the Jerry Busche Family Fund.
• BABE, $3,300 to purchase new tables and chairs for the new location; made possible in part with funding from Donna K. Harl Unrestricted Fund.
• Boomerang Backpacks, $5,000 to provide food so Whitley County children do not go hungry when they are not in school; made possible in part by the Tim and Beth Bloom Community Fund.
• Churubusco Suicide Awareness Task Force, $2,000 to increase the number of certified QPR trainers; made possible in part by the Philip and Leta Shriver Fund.
• Camp Whitley, $10,000 to replace the roof on the boathouse; made possible in part by the Honorables Phil M. and Patricia A. McNagny Community Fund.
• Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, $7,000 toward resources for Whitley County residents; made possible in part by the Shirley Ann Gates Fund.
• The Center for Whitley County Youth, $50,000 to sustain programming in South Whitley for 2025-2026; made possible in part by the Don and Sharlene Berkshire Community Fund and the Ferber Family Fund.
• Community Harvest Food Bank, $5,000 toward their Farm Wagon Program; made possible in part by the Max Fahl Unrestricted Endowment Fund
• Difference Makers, $10,000 toward the cost of stocking the food pantry; made possible in part by the Jean and Roger Long Community Fund.
• Easterseals Passages, $20,000 to enhance workforce development offerings for Passages clients; made possible in part by the Pamela S. McCoy Fund in Memory of Russel & Evelyn Fahl.
• Giving Gardens, $875 toward staff continuing education, made possible by the Clark Waterfall DVM Fund.
• Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, $3,000 to process donated meat for Whitley County food pantries; made possible in part by William and Barbara Overdeer Community Fund.
• Joe’s Kids, $10,000 to offset the costs of therapy sessions for Whitley County children with physical disabilities; made possible in part by the Joseph E. Fahl Endowment Fund.
• Junior Achievement, $2,500 for Whitley County programming; made possible in part with funding from the Charl and Karen Bandelier Community Fund.
• Northeast Indiana Casa, $2,000 to recruit much-needed volunteers to work with children in the court system; made possible in part by James R. and Kathleen M. Heuer Community Fund.
• One Community, $2,000 toward program expenses for Kids Connect; made possible in part by the Joseph and Darci Kessie Community Fund.
• Midweek Meal, $5,000 toward food expenses; made possible in part by the Don and Jane Langeloh Community Fund.
• Stillwater Hospice, $7,500 toward programming and support for Whitley County residents; made possible in part by the Sherm Kneller Endowment Fund.
• Whitley County Corrections, $1,840 toward the support dog vet and grooming expenses; made possible in part by the Whitley County K-9 Fund.
• Trinity Presbyterian Church, $5,500 toward the cost of food for youth program; made possible in part by the Gary and Ann Dillon Community Fund.
• Whitko Community Schools, $5,000 to enhance their Community Based Learning initiatives; made possible in part by Scientific & Regulatory Consultants Community Fund.
• Whitley County Health Department, $3,000 toward Empower Whitley event costs; made possible in part by the Greg and Ann Fahl Community Fund.
• YWCA, $10,000 for Whitley County programming to address domestic violence and assist victims; made possible in part by the Lake City Bank Community Fund.

Each of these grants were made possible thanks to local donors who trusted the Community Foundation to direct their funding to the greatest need.