Indianapolis – First Lady Karen Pence hosted the eighth reception for grant recipients of the Indiana First Lady’s Charitable Foundation at the Governor’s Residence today, where she awarded $38,000 to 40 organizations and charities that serve Hoosier families and children across the state. There, she also awarded the fourth and final major grant of $95,000 to the Art Therapy Program at Riley Hospital for Children.
“When Mike was elected Governor, I was overwhelmed with requests from so many worthy organizations to get involved in their efforts. However, it quickly became clear that I couldn’t be at every event, nor could I champion every cause. That is why I, along with a team of dedicated board members, started the Indiana First Lady’s Charitable Foundation as a way to shine a light on the organizations across Indiana who lift up our communities and make our state strong,” First Lady Karen Pence stated.
First Lady Karen Pence started the Indiana First Lady’s Charitable Foundation in August of 2013 as a way to recognize organizations and charities across the state. At the inaugural First Lady’s Luncheon held in April 2014, the Foundation awarded its first major grant of $100,000 to the Art Therapy Program at Riley Hospital for Children. Last year’s luncheon recipient, Feeding Indiana’s Hungry received a grant of $65,000, which supports food banks and food pantries in all 92 counties. Last year, the third year, $100,000 was awarded to the Indiana Bicentennial Commission for the interactive “Treasures of the Statehouse” display at the Indiana State Library.
“Whether helping a child develop a love for reading or supporting families in need or encouraging a child to go further in the arts, these organizations are the backbone and the heart of our communities. They represent the very best of what it means to be a Hoosier, and we thank them for their service,” said First Lady Karen Pence.
First Lady Karen Pence presented a check to each organization ranging from $500 to $1,000 in grant money from the Indiana First Lady’s Charitable Foundation. Representatives from each of the following organizations were on hand to receive their award and recognition:
| Applicant Name | Website | County(s) Served |
| ArtMix: Art Redefining Disability | www.artmixindiana.org | Marion, Hendricks, Morgan, Johnson, Shelby, Hancock, Hamilton, Boone |
| Aurora, Inc. | http://auroraevansville.org/ | Vanderburgh County |
| BCH, Inc. | www.baptistchildrenshome.org | Lake, Porter, St. Joseph, Elkhart, Wells, Tippecanoe |
| Best Buddies Indiana | www.bestbuddies.org/indiana | Marion, Hamilton, Boone, Madison, Hancock, Lake, Tippecanoe, Delaware, Johnson, Floyd, Clark, Monroe, Bartholomew, Blackford, Jay, & Ripley |
| Bloomington Community Orchard | http://www.bloomingtoncommunityorchard.org | Monroe County |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Bloomington | bgcbloomington.org | Monroe County |
| Brooke’s Place for Grieving Young People | www.brookesplace.org | Hamilton, Marion, Hancock, Johnson, Hendricks, Morgan, Boone |
| Bryson’s Time Out Take Ten | www.brysonstot10.org | Posey, Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, Dubois, Pike, Gibson |
| Caring About People, Inc. | www.caringaboutpeopleinc.com | Allen County |
| Cops Cycling for Survivors | http://www.copscycling4survivors.org | All counties |
| CORE, The Resource Store | coretheresourcestore.org | Allen, Adams, Wells, Dekalb, Noble |
| d/b/a/ Chaucie’s Place, Hamilton County Vesta Foundation for Children, Inc. | www.chauciesplace.org | Boone, Delaware, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Madison, Marion, and Tipton |
| Dunebrook, Inc. | http://dunebrook.org | La Porte County |
| Early Childhood Alliance | www.ecalliance.org | Allen County |
| Flight1 | www.flight1.org | Marion and its surrounding counties |
| Fort Wayne Youtheatre | www.fortwayneyoutheatre.org | Allen County |
| GiGi’s Playhouse Fort Wayne | www.gigisplayhouse.org/fortwayne | Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Elkhart, Grant, Huntington, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben, Wabash, Wells, and Whitley |
| Harrison Center for the Arts | Harrison Center for the Arts | All counties |
| Holly’s House, Inc. | www.hollyshouse.org | Daviess, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick |
| Hoosier Uplands Afterschool Program | http://www.hoosieruplands.org/ | Lawrence, Orange, and Washington Counties |
| Indiana Women In Need Foundation (I.W.I.N.) | www.iwinfoundation.org | all counties of Indiana are eligible |
| Indianapolis Ten Point Coalition | www.indytenpoint.com | Marion County and surrounding counties |
| Jefferson County Transitional Services, Inc. | www.ruthhaven.com | All counties |
| Little Oaks Ranch, Inc. | littleoaksranch.org | Hendricks and Putnam |
| Muncie Children’s Museum | www.munciemuseum.com | Allen, Blackford, Grant, Henry, Hancock, Howard, Jay, Marion, Madison, Randolph, Wells, and Wayne. |
| RemedyLIVE | http://remedylive.com | All counties |
| Riley Teen Leadership Council | In development | Mainly Marion, Hamilton, and Hendricks County, but participants can be from any county in the state. |
| RiverBend Cancer Services | www.riverbendcancerservices.org | St. Joseph, Elkhart, LaPorte, Starke, Marshall, Kosciusko, Wabash |
| Room Full of SIsters | N/A | Marion County |
| School on Wheels Corp | www.indyschoolonwheels.org | Marion County |
| St. Joseph Institute for the Deaf | www.sjid.org | All counties |
| St. Marks United Church of Christ | stmarksucc.org | Floyd County |
| Teachers Warehouse | https://www.facebook.com/TeachersWarehouse | Brown, Greene, Lawrence, Monroe, and Owen counties |
| The Salvation Army Indiana | SalvationArmyIndiana.org | Marion County |
| Tipton Cam, Inc. | www.tiptoncam.doodlekit.com | Tipton County |
| Trinity Horizons, Inc. dba Trinity Life Ministry | trinitylifeministry.com | 30 plus Indiana counties |
| Westminster Neighborhood Services, Inc. | www.westmin.org | Marion County |
| Young Men’s Christian Association of Greater Indianapolis, Avondale Meadows Center | www.indymca.org | Marion County |
| Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana c/o Indiana Philanthropy Alliance Foundation | www.ypin.org | Marion County |
| YWCA of Evansville, IN | www.ywcaevansville.org | Vanderburgh County |
The Indiana First Lady’s Charitable Foundation is a 501 ( c ) (3). The First Lady receives no compensation. Donations are tax deductible. Learn more about how to make a donation or request a grant on the Foundation’s website at: www.IndianaFirstLadysCharitableFoundation.org
