From left to right: Adam Turner; Vice President of the United Way of Kosciusko County board, Eric Lane; Executive Director of Fellowship Missions, Patricia Coy; Executive Director of United Way of Kosciusko County, Joe Wood; Combined Community Services board member, Stephen Possell; Executive Director of Combined Community Services and Josh Gordon; President of the United Way board.

KOSCIUSKO COUNTY — The United Way of Kosciusko County has been awarded a UnitedIN16 grant in the amount of $204,341 from the Indiana Association of United Ways. 

With the UnitedIN16 grant, the United Way Kosciusko County will be increasing support for self-sufficiency programs at Fellowship Missions and Combined Community Services.  The established partnership with these programs will assist them to increase the number of clients served as well as their client’s opportunity for long-term success. Additionally the United Way of Kosciusko County will be able to hire another full –time person to be part of the team.

The funding for Fellowship Missions will be used to hire a full-time caseworker for the Catalyst Program to implement a new rehabilitation component within the existing program.  This rehabilitation program will focus on helping residents of the shelter with substance abuse issues; increasing their opportunity for long-term success. 

The funding for the Hand Up program at Combined Community Services will be used to hire a part-time caseworker.  The caseworker will work specifically with those individuals that need additional support with goal setting, building their life skills and community resource utilization in order to go from a life in crisis to stable.  For the Project Independence program at Combined Community Services, the funding will be used to help single parents in their final phase of college with some financial assistance.  When they reach 125 percent of the poverty level, the governmental assistance stops, thus they are unable to finish their degree.  One qualification in particular is they must be going for a degree providing a livable wage for them and their children.

Statewide, nearly six million dollars are available to support community work in education, financial stability or health. Support from Lilly Endowment Inc. created this opportunity for Indiana United Ways and Funds to increase local giving and pursue community results. Each community designs its own resource development strategy to draw new donors and increases within the grant guidelines.  IaUW members must generate new dollars equal to the grant amount to claim the funds prior to Dec. 31, 2017.

“Indiana United Ways are drawing community resources to invest in comprehensive approaches addressing the common good,” according to Maureen Noe, IaUW President/CEO. 

United Way Kosciusko of County is excited for the UnitedIN16 grant opportunity to continue the fight for the education, financial stability and health of every person in our community.