Foundation awards $93,000 in local community grants

Monday, June 6, 2011
Matthew White (second from right) receives a Youth Philanthropy Grant from the Putnam County Community Foundation for his work on an Eagle Scout project with the Putnam County Museum. He is building above-ground planter boxes to display native plants at the museum. Dean Gambill (left), director of Community Development, Megan Robinson, Youth Philanthropy Committee, and Sam Gould (right), Youth Philanthropy Committee, congratulate White.

An early morning crowd celebrated the Putnam County Community Foundation's 2011 spring grant awards Friday in the Community Room of Area 30, where it was announced that $93,000 was awarded from the Community Foundation's unrestricted and field of interest endowments.

Elaine Peck, Foundation executive director, thanked Hendricks Power Cooperative for sponsoring the event and recognized individuals and organizations that have given unrestricted gifts to the Community Foundation, making these grants possible.

"Without individuals and organizations that make unrestricted gifts and start unrestricted endowments, the Community Foundation would not be able to have the impact in the community that it does today," Peck said.

Susan Price, who chairs the Community Foundation's Grants Committee, thanked donors to the unrestricted endowment, noting that because of their generosity, the Community Foundation has awarded more than $2 million in unrestricted grants since inception.

Each year the Community Foundation awards grants in the spring and fall for charitable projects that improve the lives of Putnam citizens.

Three different types of grants are awarded, Community Grants, Endowment Builder Grants and Youth Philanthropy Grants. Each has its own application and requirements.

Community Grants awarded totaled $86,545. The spring 2011 Community Grants recipients are:

Putnam RISE -- $43,000 to encourage energy conservation in Putnam County by conducting home energy audits, home repairs and through school energy challenges.

Citizens Advisory Commission for Industrial Development -- $16,250 to support economic development efforts in Greencastle and Putnam County.

American Diabetes Association of Indiana -- $1,000 to provide "camperships" to the 2011 Camp John Warvel for two Putnam County youth with diabetes.

Bainbridge Improvement Society -- $2,750 to install fitness equipment along the newly constructed fitness trail at East Point Park.

Friends of the Park Association of Putnam County -- $1,635 to landscape the parking island areas at Big Walnut Sports Park for beautification and shade.

Greencastle Church of the Nazarene -- $2,000 to provide free meals to anyone on Wednesday evening.

Greencastle Police Department /Putnam County Fitting Station -- $1,500 to provide education and new car seats to low-income families in Putnam County.

Hope's Way -- $1,500 to provide wheelchair access to the pony rides by constructing a sidewalk from the existing playground to the pony ride area.

Indiana State University -- $1,160 to provide overnight experience at Indiana State for 10 Putnam County 21st Century Scholars.

New Providence Baptist Church Food Pantry -- $3,000 to provide food for those in need. Funding in part from the Goff-Welch Fund and Christine and Howard Berliner Fund.

North Putnam Youth League -- $3,400 to rehab youth baseball field in Roachdale and upgrade dugout and concession stand.

Reading Improvement Center -- To purchase computer equipment to utilize online tutoring materials.

Reelsville Elementary School -- $2,850 to purchase three sound-field amplification systems for classrooms. Funding from the Farber Endowment for Education.

Roachdale-Franklin Township Public Library -- $1,800 to purchase new public access computers.

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church Non-food Pantry -- $3,000 to provide essential non-food items to those in need. Funding in part from the Christine and Howard Berliner Fund.

Youth Philanthropy Grants awarded totaled $2,831.00. These grants are for youth-led community service projects.

The spring 2011 Youth Philanthropy Grant recipients are:

Putnam County Museum -- $500 for an Eagle Scout Project to construct a display Putnam County native plants by Matthew White.

Deer Meadow Primary School -- $500 toward purchase of a merry-go-round on the school playground.

Greencastle Christian Church/180 Student Ministries -- $500 to purchase supplies and equipment for the annual Build Day in conjunction with Rebuilding Together Owen-Putnam.

Girl Scouts Troop 10358 -- $331 to purchase, install and maintain a pet waste receptacle on the People Pathway between Deer Meadow and Tzouanakis schools.

Tzouanakis Intermediate School -- $500 to purchase equipment for the school playground.

Putnam County Fairgrounds -- $500 to Eagle School Project to build 15 picnic tables for the Putnam County Fairgrounds. Two of the tables will be will be handicap accessible. Chauncey Baker heads the project.

All eligible organizations are encouraged to apply for grants from the Community Foundation. For more information, persons may contact Dean Gambill, community development director, at 653-4978.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: