WABASH COUNTY, Ind. – The Wabash County United Fund distributed $10,000 on February 26 to eight local non-profit organizations. The funds were part of the 2018 Annual Campaign conducted by Wabash County United Fund. This is the 8thconsecutive year for the United Fund matching partnership with the Wabash Cannonball Chili for Charity, bringing the total partnership commitment to $80,000.
“This $10,000 matching fund is just one of the tools United Fund uses to fight for families in Wabash County who struggle to make ends meet,” stated Steve Johnson, executive director for UF. “Partnering with Chili for Charity and other organizations creates even greater impact and results in lasting change. “
The organizations who received this year’s monetary awards include:
Blessings in a Backpack – Wabash
Blessings in a Backpack in Wabash provides weekend food kits for approximately 500 elementary students who qualify for free or reduced lunches at Metro North Elementary, Southwood Elementary, and OJ Neighbours Elementary schools. Volunteers gather each week during the school year to prepare the kits for delivery to each school.
Hands of Hope
Hands of Hope supports victims of domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking by providing them with an advocate. The advocate provides counseling, assistance with paperwork, and direction through law enforcement processes. Advocates may also link victims to community resources and help educate the community about the dynamics of domestic violence, sexual violence and stalking.
Honeywell Foundation Educational Outreach Program (EOP)
Honeywell Foundation Educational Outreach provides curriculum-based, arts-in-education opportunities to students in Wabash County and beyond. EOP supplements arts programming in the schools andteaches students critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills that take them successfully beyond the classroom and into the real world. EOP focuses on key educational issues including College & Career Readiness and early childhood literacy.
“Without support from the United Fund, Chili for Charity, and others, these amazing experiences would not be available.”
Lighthouse Mission
Lighthouse Mission operates a thrift store in Wabash, selling a variety of household items ranging from clothing to household goods to furniture. Lighthouse Mission is a non-profit organization that serves people in need in Wabash County.
Manchester Early Learning Center
Manchester Early Learning Center (MELC) provides affordable preschool, childcare and after school activities in North Manchester. The new MELC facility is licensed by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and meets state and county requirements for health, safety, nutrition and programming for youth in Wabash County.
Wabash FAME (Foundation for Art & Music in Education)
Wabash FAME fosters and perpetuates creativity through multicultural arts education. FAME believesin the value and power of the arts to kindle imagination, encourage thinking and enhance human development.
Wabash County Transit
Wabash County Transit (WCT) provides transportation for all ages and incomes in Wabash County and is operated by Living Well in Wabash County. WCT removes transportation barriers to community services, health care, employment, shopping, recreation and more within Wabash County.
Wabash County Cancer Society
Wabash County Cancer Society provides local cancer patients with supportive equipment, supplies assistance, and transportation and prescription reimbursement.
Wabash County United Fund invests in programs that have a positive impact on the quality of life for residents of Wabash County. United Fund focuses on three main funding initiatives: Income/Financial Stability, Health/Healthy Living and Education. “Non-profit organizations in Wabash County help improve the quality of local life for many residents, making Wabash County a better place to live and raise families” said Marilyn Custer-Mitchell, 2019 president of the UF volunteer board of directors.
Wabash Cannonball Chili for Charity and Wabash County United Fund are locally governed non-profit organizations dedicated to providing financial support to qualified non-profit organizations serving Wabash County. For more information about Chili for Charity please visit www.chiliforcharity.com or by calling Todd Titus at 260-571-4587. For more information about Wabash County United Fund or ways you can be involved with United Fund, please call the office at 260-563-6726 or send an email to steve.johnson@wcunitedfund.org.