Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) awarded $6,502,170 in grants in 2021, bringing HFL’s total investment in the community to over $30 million since HFL’s founding in 2017.
Dedicated to empowering La Porte County residents to live healthy and well, HFL makes grants to advance its strategic priorities of Healthy Children, Healthy Living, and Healthy Minds and responds to community health and wellness needs outside of these priorities through Healthy La Porte grants. HFL supports efforts to strengthen nonprofit organizations in La Porte County through Healthy Partners grants and grants AED equipment to help community members survive cardiac arrest through the foundation’s When Seconds Count – AED Initiative. Additionally, HFL makes grants to respond to emergencies that affect the health and wellness of La Porte County residents, such as the case with HFL’s COVID-19 Emergency Grants, and provides Health Career Scholarships.
Most grants support projects and programs addressing the foundation’s strategic priorities. Of the roughly $6.5 million granted in the year, $5,727,062 were awarded through 54 Healthy Children, Healthy Living, and Healthy Minds grants.
HFL awarded 25 Healthy Children grant awards totaling $980,008. In 2021, HFL continued its investment in 20 established community programs working to ensure all children are healthy, well, and safe and supported five new projects and programs. New partners include the Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County and Goodwill Industries of Michiana. The $102,317 grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County supports new clubs in Westville and Kingsford Heights. The $40,000 grant to Goodwill Industries of Michiana provides funding to hire a doula dedicated to La Porte County to support first-time, low-income mothers who lack adequate birth partners. Doulas provide support to mothers in preparation of labor, during labor and delivery, and up to six weeks postpartum.
Healthy Living grants totaled $3,904,049 and ranged from $2,350 to Purdue Extension – La Porte County for the Kingsford Heights Community Gardens to $2,239,500 to the City of La Porte to support the Clear Lake Greenway Loop Project. Of the 20 Healthy Living grants this year, five provide funding for trails. In addition to the Clear Lake Greenway Loop, grants supporting trails include: $337,060 to the City of La Porte to construct the second phase of the Chessie Trail and $25,000 to support the Stone Lake Trail Expansion, $300,000 to La Porte County Parks Department to support the extension of the Lincoln Trail in Westville, and $107,500 to Union Mills Conservation Club for the expansion of the walking path at Mill Pond Park in Union Mills.
The seven Healthy Minds grants HFL awarded in 2021 totaled $513,575. Grants support mental health programs and services, including the prevention and treatment of substance use disorder. The largest grant is to Porter-Starke Services to support the La Porte Recovery Center.
Responding to community needs outside of its strategic priorities, HFL awarded 22 Healthy La Porte grants totaling $329,430 to community partners. Many of Healthy La Porte grants support long-running programs that make a difference in the lives of community members either directly through a health and wellness program or through a program that improves factors that contribute to health and wellness. The $12,768 grant to READ La Porte County, for example, provides English language classes for community members who first spoke a language other than English. English language classes help community members secure jobs and get promotions, communicate with teachers to support their children’s education, and communicate with healthcare providers. Results from the 2020 grant include one community member pregnant with her first child who said she felt much more confident talking with her doctor in English and asking questions about her health and her baby’s health.
HFL’s 2021 investment in the community includes $593,429 for the foundation’s county-wide Partners in Prevention (PiP) initiative. This investment includes grants to support implementation of the third year of the initiative in 11 schools and school districts, technical assistance to support partners in the implementation process, and program evaluation to understand the effectiveness of the programs. PiP is 3-year grant initiative to help La Porte County schools identify, implement, and sustain proven substance use prevention programs.
Other grant awards this year include $65,228 in Emergency, Capacity Building, and Responsive Grants and $18,451 awarded through HFL’s When Seconds Count – AED Initiative.
In partnership with La Porte Hospital Auxiliary, HFL awarded 44 scholarships totaling $98,000 to students who either reside or work in La Porte County. Scholarships are for the 2021-2022 academic year and support students pursuing careers in health science occupations.
HFL is honored to partner with so many organizations dedicated to making a difference in the health and wellness of La Porte County. Maria Fruth, President & CEO, commented, “In 2021, we awarded 99 grants to 66 community partners committed to improving the health and wellness of the community. Together, we are empowering La Porte County residents to live healthy and well.”
HFL is a nonprofit, independent, private foundation dedicated to empowering La Porte County residents to live healthy and well. The foundation was initially funded in March 2016 from the proceeds of the sale of IU Health La Porte Hospital. With a shared vision, the La Porte Hospital Foundation and Healthcare Foundation of La Porte blended their financial and operational efforts together in 2017.