IU Health supports community needs with statewide grants

PORTLAND – The Portland Foundation recently received $200,000 from the IU Health Foundation Community Investment Impact Fund (CIIF) for the John Jay Center for Learning to provide equipment to train students in industrial maintenance advanced manufacturing.

“This is a great way to leverage existing partnerships and allow our partners to continue doing even more of what they have already been doing so well for our community,” said Jon Vanator, IU Health Jay President.

“The Community Impact Investment grant has assisted The Portland Foundation in carrying out its mission to enhance the quality of life in Jay County. We are pleased for the opportunity to partner with IU Health and John Jay Center for Learning to increase workforce development skills in the community,” stated Doug Inman, Executive Director, The Portland Foundation.

The John Jay Center for Learning, in partnership with Jay County Jr./Sr. High School, offers an Advanced Manufacturing 2 course for high school seniors. This course prepares students for careers in Industrial Maintenance with the goal of getting students prepared to go directly to the workforce after high school.

In this course, students cover topics in safety, hand tools, mechanical skills, print reading, fluid power, electrical power and motor controls. During this class, students have the opportunity to complete the first two levels of the John Jay Industrial Maintenance program (Green and Yellow Levels).

“John Jay Center for Learning is very appreciative of being an IU Health Community Impact Investment Fund Grant recipient. The funds received will help us build our capacity and to meet our goal of providing quality education and training that enables students to better their lives financially and to positively contribute to the communities in which they work and live,” commented Rusty Inman, Executive Director, John Jay Center for Learning.

“Thank you to IU Health for including the program we do at John Jay. It is fantastic. We currently have 5 seniors in paid internships in industrial maintenance with the goal of full time employment after the internship. These students will also have the opportunity for employer paid completion of the rest of the levels at John Jay. It is a great opportunity for the students,” stated Kyle Love, Jay County High School vocational teacher.

Indiana University Health awarded at total of $3.48 million to local organizations across the state working to address early learning needs, workforce development and other community issues heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other community partners across the state received IU Health CIIF funding this year, including:

• Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County: $205,000 to develop a resource center to improve the quality of childcare centers in Delaware County and to support four childcare centers in underserved areas.

• Central Indiana Community Foundation: $500,000 to assist with the Horizon House/adult and child health supportive housing model in Marion County.

• United Way of Central Indiana: $685,000 for education and childcare efforts including:
  • $400,000 for AYS, Inc., Concord Neighborhood Center, Shepherd Community Center and YMCA of Greater Indianapolis to enhance e-learning and services for families in need.
  • $285,000 to support childcare programs in high-poverty areas.

• Early Learning Indiana: $435,000 plus matching funds contributed by Early Learning Indiana for early education and childcare efforts in Marion County and Eastern and South Central Indiana.

• Hendricks County Community Foundation: $155,000 for the Hendricks Healthcare Sector Partnership to develop a health care and life sciences curriculum to train workers facing job losses.

• Hamilton County Community Foundation: $200,000 to fund at least 45 Ivy Tech Foundation scholarships for adults looking to improve their workforce skills after job losses.

• Tipton County Community Foundation: $50,000 to address food insecurity, especially among seniors.

• United Way of Greater Lafayette: $200,000 to provide safe and affordable housing and meet food insecurity needs in Tippecanoe County. Partners include Food Finders, Meals on Wheels, HomesteadCS, LTCH Homeless Services and Family Promise.

• White County United Way: $90,000 for homelessness prevention and other social net support services provided by Area IV Agency on Aging, the Salvation Army, and Boys and Girls Club of White County.

• United Way of Clinton County: $115,000 for food assistance, workforce development and childcare scholarships for families. Partners include the YMCA and Healthy Communities of Clinton County.

• Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County: $205,000 for Monroe Smart Start to support childcare staffing and quality in Monroe, Morgan, Orange and Lawrence counties.

• United Way of Monroe County: $105,000 to fund a new coalition, United Against Hunger, to improve food security. Partners include Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Monroe County United Ministries’ Early Learning Center, Community Kitchen, Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and Area 10 Agency on Aging.

• Community Foundation Partnership: $85,000 to support Lawrence County organizations providing rent relief and assistance with utilities and food bills.

• United Way of Allen County: $180,000 for place-based and workforce development initiatives by Fort Wayne United, Boys and Girls Club, CSB, Miss Virginia, Joshua’s Hand and Easter Seals.

The grants are from the $100 million Community Impact Investment Fund (CIIF) established in 2018 to address social and environmental determinants of health in Indiana communities. The fund is administered by the IU Health Foundation. This marks the second round of annual grants from the fund for the 2020 grant year. An early second-round grant, of $765,000, was made in June 2020 to more than two dozen organizations around the state helping Hoosiers cope with social and economic hardships during the pandemic.