Non-Profit

By Lindsey Arthur— MUNCIE, IN—Take a drive around our community and you’ll see too many empty and sometimes abandoned homes. In fact, there are about 2,000 such structures in the city. Another 300 houses could be inhabitable but need repairs. Meanwhile, hundreds of people are on a waitlist for emergency housing. And that’s not counting the dozens of families waiting for what only Habitat can provide – the next step – stable housing meant to last a lifetime. What is clear in our community and in cities across the country, particularly in the industrial Midwest, is that the problem isn’t…

By Juli Metzger— MUNCIE, IN—One hundred paintings of Indiana waterways by five Hoosier plein air artists – rendered during the COVID-19 pandemic – will be available for the first time at auction in May. The sale culminates a three-year project – 20 months of painting and an 18-month traveling exhibit, plus an accompanying 200-plus page coffee table book, “Indiana Waterways: The Art of Conservation.” The book has sold out. Paintings by brothers Dan and Tom Woodson, of Muncie, Curt Stanfield, of Rosedale, John Kelty, of Fort Wayne, and Avon Waters, of Converse, will be available at a final exhibit beginning…

By Jud Fisher—  MUNCIE, IN —  In the heart of Muncie, there’s an organization powerfully reshaping the landscape—and the workforce—one house at a time and one life at a time. ecoREHAB, a nonprofit headquartered in Muncie’s Old West End, is on a mission to help revitalize the community’s neighborhoods through sustainable design, rehabilitation, and education. At the same time, the organization is building a new generation of workers prepared for high-demand jobs in construction trades. ecoREHAB was founded 15 years ago by Jonathan Spodek, a visionary Ball State University architecture professor, as a response to the housing crisis gripping the nation…

By Carly Acree-King— MUNCIE, IN—Nonprofit Support Network’s mission is deeply rooted in empowering nonprofit organizations throughout Muncie-Delaware County. We firmly believe that by providing organizations with the necessary resources, we can catalyze their ability to achieve their missions, serving our community with greater impact and effectiveness. As advocates and allies for the nonprofit sector, we recognize the critical importance of understanding our local community’s unique challenges, strengths, and opportunities. Understanding the significance of this, we’ve introduced the 2024 Muncie-Delaware County Nonprofit Landscape Survey to capture information about the nonprofits in our community and how we can best serve them. In…

By Keith Roysdon— DELAWARE COUNTY, Indiana – Imagine if you were nine years old, removed from an abusive or neglected circumstance and headed for foster care – but first, you had to wait for hours or even overnight in a cubicle in a welfare office. The multi-state Isaiah 117 Houses are intended to prevent that unwelcome layover at a child services office by offering a homelike accommodation for a child and their caseworker until a foster home is ready. With $200,000 in funding spearheaded from Delaware County Commissioner James King and the Delaware County Redevelopment Commission, an Isaiah 117 House…

By Michelle Kinsey— MUNCIE, IN—More than 130 people attended this year’s IDEA conference March 2 on the campus of Ball State University. And during his opening remarks, Mitch Isaacs said they all had something in common. “We all love Muncie,” Isaacs, Executive Director of Shafer Leadership Academy, said. “We all love our community.” The Intentional Development and Education for Association (IDEA) conference brings together citizens and leaders representing Muncie’s neighborhoods to develop and strengthen community-building skills. IDEA presenters provide leadership training, share best practices for engaging residents, and connect neighborhoods with community resources. The event was hosted by Building Better…

By Colleen Cooper, Altrusa Foundation— MUNCIE, IN—The Altrusa Foundation of Muncie awarded a $10,000 one-time impact grant to Isaiah 117 House, a non-profit organization, building a house in Delaware county. This grant is awarded in celebration of the Foundation’s 40thanniversary, which also coincides with the Altrusa Club of Muncie’s centennial anniversary (2023). The grant’s purpose is to provide funding for educational and other charitable purposes. Isaiah 117 House reduces trauma in foster children by providing a safe, loving transition from family removal to foster care placement. Isaiah 117 House Delaware County is the local arm of this organization and is…