“I am so happy and honored to have received a scholarship for the IUPUI course, it was very beneficial and it was nice to be back in the ‘classroom’,” said Emma Rose of Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana.
Recipients include: (from left to right) Lara Bates, Challenger Learning Center of NWI; Sade Carrasquillo, For the Love of the Arts; Donna Catalano, South Shore Neighborhood Development Corp.; Sandra Dafiaghor, CRWorks; Anthony Englert, Wittenberg Village; Maranda Fishback, Legacy Foundation.
(Left to right) Kristina Fry, Humane Indiana; Stephanie Harden, Transitions Resource Center; Lisa Hughes, St. Mary Catholic Comm. School; Rachel Hurst, Meals on Wheels of NWI; Richele Kaiser, Mental Health America; Pamela Key, Women Organizing Women
(Left to right) Denise Mavity, Old Sheriff’s House; Barbara Muckel, Dream Chaser NWI; Emma Rose, Challenger Learning Center; Amy Stevens, Dream Chaser NWI; Catisha Toney, Coates, Inc; Allyson Vaulx, Food Bank of NWI
Recipients who are not pictured include: Antoinette Brumfield of FAITH CDC, Anthony Burrell of The Welcome Network, Roger Cavazos of International Institute of NWI, Elizabeth Gonzales of Respite Care Services, Vanessa Allen McCloud of Urban League of NWI, and Michelle Robinson of Cause 4Paws.
“Through this program, Legacy Foundation seeks to give nonprofit leaders, especially leaders of color, access to the tools they need to have an organization that is well positioned to be sustainable, even in times of hardship,” said Kelly Anoe, vice president at Legacy Foundation.
Of the 24 recipients, 13 (54%) self-identified as belonging to a minority group, which was a priority for distribution of the awards. From its COVID-19 Response Fund, Legacy Foundation aims to mitigate the effect of the pandemic on nonprofit organizations and communities across Lake County, Indiana, whose health and financial situations have been most severely impacted by COVID-19 and who have been historically marginalized.
Legacy Foundation COVID-19 Response
Legacy Foundation’s response to the novel coronavirus reflects its pledge to inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA). One of the commitments in the foundation’s IDEA statement is to invest in professional development and coaching for leaders of color. Additionally, Legacy Foundation has published a request for proposals for innovative COVID-19 response grants of up to $50,000 for programs that address disparities that exist in communities of color.
The foundation is also collaborating with Crown Point Community Foundation and Foundations of East Chicago to offer $5,000 grants for organizations looking to develop or implement an emergency preparedness plan or strategic restructuring plan. Eligible emergency preparedness plans can be specific to COVID-19 recovery or may cover general preparedness for disasters such as tornado, fire, or flood. The strategic restructuring grants are intended to support nonprofits as they look for ways to make operations more efficient as a result of a decrease in revenue.