By: Juli Metzger—
Muncie, IN – The George and Frances Ball Foundation has awarded $200,000 to area non-profits for COVID-19 related causes, and notes funding may be available to non-profits for technical support in the preparation of applications for federal CARES Act dollars.
“It’s in times like these it becomes clear this is a very special community with everyone pulling together,” said foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Kinghorn. Organizations that need funding to help pay associated expenses of filing for federal relief are urged to contact the foundation by calling 765-741-5500.
Meanwhile, grants ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 have been awarded to:
—Back to School Teachers Store: Purchase of supplies for home-learning supply kits for Muncie Community Schools elementary students
—Boys & Girls Clubs of Muncie: Provide personnel support to allow the Clubs to stay open for a limited number of youths during the pandemic
—Bridges Community Services: Purchase of cleaning and hygiene supplies to be used throughout facilities
—BY5: Costs associated with meeting immediate needs of early childhood providers, purchase of supplies for 500 learning packets for PreK through 2nd graders
—Christian Ministries: Purchase of cleaning supplies for shelters and food for food pantry distributions
—The Community Foundation of Muncie and Delaware County: Additional funding for BY5’s response to early childhood needs
—Cornerstone Center for the Arts: Offset of operational expenses including staffing and development of online programming
—Inside Out: Costs for food and packing of hot carry out meals
—LifeStream Services: Purchase of gift cards for client groceries and essentials, cost of home delivery
—Muncie Children’s Museum: Offset of operational expenses including staffing and development of online programming
—Muncie Mission: Purchase of perishable and nonperishable food for neighborhood distribution, purchase of food for daily public lunches, purchase of cleaning and safety supplies
—Project Leadership: Purchase and assembly of care packages for program families, buildout of technology setup for virtual operations
—Second Harvest Food Bank: Purchase of food to distribute to family households
—YMCA of Muncie: Operational support for the emergency childcare program
—YWCA Central Indiana: Offset of operational expenses, purchase of cleaning supplies
“Children are our future and every step we take to aid them in their development will pay substantial returns for them, their families, and the community,” Kinghorn said.
Additional grantees are:
—United Way of Delaware, Henry, and Randolph Counties – $30,000 for its COVID-19 related Emergency Granting Fund
—Muncie & Delaware County BY5 Early Childhood Initiative – $20,000 to address needs of early childhood providers and the continued purchase and assembly of learning packets.
—Second Harvest Food Bank – $30,000 for the purchase of food associated with distribution costs.
In addition, the foundation has set aside $80,000 to award to local school districts. Burris, Cowan, Daleville, Delaware Community, Muncie, Liberty-Perry, Wes-Del, and Yorktown have been invited to apply for up to $15,000 each for support including, but not limited to costs associated with food distribution, connectivity, e-learning, and mental health services.
“We want to offer special thanks for the outstanding work and effort of hundreds of essential employees and volunteers who have demonstrated the courage and provided the effort to make us all safer,” said Kinghorn.
Founded in 1937, the George and Frances Ball Foundation promotes charitable, scientific and educational work, with a commitment to East Central Indiana. It adopted a new proactive grantmaking strategy in 2018, which carries forward a legacy to increase educational attainment through a community Cradle to Career Initiative. To learn more, go to www.gfballfdn.org.
