The Porter County Community Foundation has awarded grants totaling $124,058 to 10 organizations for health-related programs.

The money comes from a new fund established with from the former Porter Hospital Foundation. When the county sold Porter hospital last year, the hospital foundation board chose to transfer its endowed funds to the Porter County Community Foundation. The fund that was established as a result is the Porter Health and Wellness Fund.

The hospital foundation funds are not the same as the proceeds from the sale of the county hospital. County officials have not yet decided what to do with those funds.

The Porter County Community Foundation recently held a press conference at the Portage Township YMCA to announce the first recipients of grants from the Porter Health and Wellness Fund. The recipients are:

•Christian Community Action of Porter County, $7,200 for health education for homeless teens.

•Jacob’s Ladder, $7,500 for operating support.

•NorthShore Health Centers, $25,000 for equipment for a clinic expansion.

•Opportunity Enterprises, $7,478 for First Reponse program.

•Pathway Family Center in Chesterton, $10,000 in start-up funds.

•Planned Parenthood of Indiana, $10,700 for its Women’s Health Fund’s Free Pap Week.

•Portage Township YMCA, $20,000 for its capital campaign.

•Porter County Family Counseling Center, $7,500 for a scholarship/subsidy program for counseling services.

•St. Agnes Adult Day Service Center, $8,680 for person-centered care and dementia care mapping.

•Valparaiso Family YMCA, $20,000 for its Youth Fitness Center Fund.

This year, the Community Foundation will distribute $1.2 million in grants to non-profit organizations. The Foundation said that grant amount is much higher than previous year’s grant distributions, and that the addition of funds from the hospital foundation is a significant reason.

“When our assets increase, our ability to make grants increases. We have reason to celebrate the donors who have joined together to increase our giving potential and the nonprofit organizations who benefit from these gifts,” said Barbara Young, president of the Porter County Community Foundation.

The Porter County Community Foundation, one of more than 600 in the country, allows donors to compound their gifts into permanent endowments, allowing the earnings to support charitable organizations. For more information about how to contribute to the foundation, call 465-0295.

Posted 3/10/2008