Community Foundation Awards $680,000 in Grants

Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County

As part of its 2022 fall grants cycle, the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County has awarded $680,000 to local nonprofit organizations through Special Project Grants.

The Special Project Grant process encourages projects in community development and urban affairs; parks, recreation, and environment; health and human services, and youth and education. All nonprofit organizations serving the citizens of St. Joseph County are eligible to apply.

These Special Project Grant recipients include:

• Oaklawn Foundation for Mental Health: $250,000 (payable over two years)
  This grant will support a $5 million capital project that will replace Oaklawn’s 170-year-old building and transform how the organization provides mental health and substance use services to St. Joseph County residents. The new space will allow Oaklawn to expand its existing programs and staff, and will include an integrated physical care clinic, a pharmacy, multiple new group therapy rooms, an additional 52 therapy offices, and telehealth offices.
• Transformation Ministries: $125,000
  This grant will support Transformation Ministries’ renovation of 1101 King Street in South Bend. This additional space will allow the organization to expand its current program capacity from 15 to 75 students in “City Light Kids” (grades K-5), 72 to 100 students in “Iron Sharpens Irons” (middle and high school students), 20 to 50 young adults in “Alumni,” and 100 to 400 people at family-style dinners. The building will also include a Family Resource Center that can accommodate over 100 community members. Transformation Ministries’ current building on Portage Avenue will be renovated into an Early Learning Center, serving children up to age 5.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County: $100,000
  This grant supports BGCSJC’s transportation program, encompassing the purchase of two 25-passenger buses, one yellow bus, and the salary for two part-time bus drivers. A recent grant awarded by the IDOE’s STRIVE program has resulted in significant growth in the number of youth that BGCSJC serves (from 500 to 1,700 students), the number of Club sites (from 10 to 25), and total staff (from 50 to 180). Housing its own transportation program will allow BGCSJC to create many more experiential learning programs and will get Club members there safely with dependable staff and reliable vehicles.
• Goodwill Industries of Michiana: $100,000
  This grant will help support the creation of The Academy at Goodwill’s Bendix Campus. Located within the same building as The Excel Center, this new 35,000-square-foot facility will include an Automotive Training Center, as well as spaces for certification courses in welding, CNC, construction (in partnership with Habitat for Humanity), and industrial sewing. Goodwill plans to serve 150-180 students across these programs annually. The building will have dedicated conference room space available for local nonprofits to use for training and professional development.
• The Upper Room Recovery Community: $55,000
  This grant will help upgrade the kitchen and community room in the Men’s Home at the Upper Room Recovery Community (URRC), making the space feel more like “home” for residents. With access to the upgraded kitchen, 32 male residents will have the opportunity to establish healthy eating habits by cooking balanced meals in conjunction with URRC’s Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) program. Renovations will include new flooring, cabinets, countertops, sinks, energy-efficient light fixtures and extended wiring, as well as large energy-efficient appliances which will reduce utility costs.
• Faith IN Indiana: $50,000 (payable over two years)
  This grant will support Faith IN Indiana St. Joseph County Chapter’s efforts to build and broaden grassroots leadership and participation through training 50 leaders and engaging in hundreds of relationship-building and listening meetings. Ultimately, Faith IN Indiana seeks to improve our community’s dialogue around significant issues by bringing together a broad base of citizens from different faith and cultural backgrounds.