By United Way Communications—
EAST CENTRAL INDIANA – Heart of Indiana United Way (HIUW) is pleased to announce that it has received a second COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative grant for $1,038,592 from Indiana United Ways, the state professional association of which HIUW is a member. The grant will be used to support our community in meeting basic human needs brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The grant is one of 47 grants that Indiana United Ways is making to member organizations and community foundations through the initiative, which was made possible by funding Indiana United Ways received from Lilly Endowment Inc.
“Heart of Indiana United Way has been a key convener and coordinator of our community’s response to meet human needs for decades. Even before this crisis, we knew that nearly half of the families in the counties we serve – Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Madison, Randolph and Rush – were not able to make ends meet – despite working. In the wake of COVID, those needs became even more dire. Thanks to the generous, continued support of Lilly Endowment to our State Association, we can continue to help our community, through nonprofit partners, deal with and hopefully resolve the impacts of this trying time,” said Scott Deetz, Heart of Indiana United Way board chair.
The second COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative grant again calls for United Ways that receive funding to leverage partnerships and relationships to better meet COVID-related basic needs aligned with the social determinants of health as defined by the CDC. Specifically, Heart of Indiana United Way continues to support organizations that are providing housing and utilities assistance, childcare, food and nutrition programs, employment supports and access to mental/emotional health services.
In April 2020, Lilly Endowment helped Indiana United Ways establish the COVID-19 Economic Relief Initiative with an initial $30 million grant. Lilly Endowment made an additional $15 million grant in March to Indiana United Ways to support the initiative. Both grants are part of Lilly Endowment’s overall grantmaking to help organizations meet COVID-related needs. Since March 2020, Lilly Endowment has made grants totaling more than $210 million to organizations working in Indiana and across the nation as they respond to the pandemic.
Heart of Indiana United Way was formed in 2021 through the merger of the United Way of Delaware, Henry & Randolph Counties and the United Way of Madison County serving Fayette County. This newly formed organization will create lasting changes and a brighter future for the communities in Delaware, Fayette, Henry, Madison and Randolph counties.
Indiana United Ways is the state professional association for United Ways in Indiana and supports a thriving United Way system through capacity building, shared services, and network collaboration opportunities. For more information, contact Tonja Stokes, Vice President of Organizational Development at tonja.stokes@iuw.org.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
