United Way of Kosciusko County recently invested $1,471,572 in 47 local programs and several community initiatives which will help the residents of our county improve their lives.

The investments will be available to the programs from July 2014 through June 2015. Additionally, at the request of the several donors, $159,807 was sent to other United Ways for program support.

United Way Vision Councils, comprised of professionals and citizens with a vested interest in our 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 made their final recommendations to the Board of Directors. The United Way of Kosciusko County Board of Directors approved the proposals on May 16.

The Education Vision Council consisted of representatives from three school corporations (Tippecanoe Valley, Warsaw and Wawasee), Grace College, Indiana Tech, Symmetry Medical, a local attorney and a retiree from RR Donnelley. This committee invested $382,200 in 13 education programs aimed at early interventions to increase the high school graduation rate in Kosciusko County. 

The local education programs receiving funds are:  

• After School Program (Baker Youth Club)
• Claypool and Leesburg Early Learning Program (Warsaw Community Schools)
• Community Based Mentoring and School Buddies (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 & Daycare, North Webster Daycare)
• Read to Grow (Kosciusko Literacy Services)
• Teens-N-Tots (Heartline Pregnancy Center)
• Tippecanoe Valley Homework Help

The Income Vision Council was comprised of representatives from Biomet, Bowen Center, DePuy Synthes, Lake City Radio, Tower Bank, Staff Mark, Axzo Nobel, Lake City Bank and retired community professionals from Zimmer. This committee invested $530,900 in 16 economic self-sufficiency and family stabilization programs.

These service programs receiving funding 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)
• Graduation Coaches (Kosciusko County Educational Development)
• Jail GED Program and 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 and Project Independence (Combined Community Services)

The Health Vision Council contained representatives from the Kosciusko Community Hospital, K21 Health Foundation, Maple Leaf Farms, Kosciusko Sheriffs’ Department, Meridian Title, Miller’s Merry Manor and two local attorneys. The committee invested $416,428 in 18 health programs.

Programs receiving funds are:

• B.A.B.E. and Earn While You Learn (Heartline Pregnancy Center)
• Connecting Families (Northern Indiana Hispanic Health Coalition)
• Domestic Violence Education “DoVE” (Kosciusko County Shelter for Abuse)
• Food Delivery Program and Mobile Pantry (Food Bank of Northern Indiana)
• Food Pantry (Mary and Jerry’s Helping Hands)
• Healthy Families (Cardinal Services, Inc.)
• Home Delivered Meals, Emergency/Weekend Meals, Activity Center and Transportation (Kosciusko Community Senior Services)
• Food Pantry (Mary & Jerry’s Helping Hands)
• REAL Services (Kosciusko Homecare & Hospice)
• Summer CATCH and Diabetes Prevention (Kosciusko Community YMCA)
• Summer Program (Baker Youth Club)
• Well Baby Clinic (Kosciusko County Health Department)
• Women’s Addiction Recovery Home (Rose Home North)

Additionally, Community Initiative Funds (in the amount $108,572) will also be used for the following: 2-1-1 Information and Referral Service, the Day of Caring, Volunteer Kosciusko, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), Kindergarten Countdown, the Kosciusko County Drug Court, Anthony Wayne Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Kosciusko County (CASA) and Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana – Michiana. 

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.