Matt Schuffert, president and CEO of Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, recently presented an oversized check for $35,000 to Andrea Sherwin, president and CEO of Mental Health America of Northwest Indiana, according to a news release.
Mental Health America of Northwest Indiana is a nonprofit organization committed to overall well-being through personal and family support, while remaining committed to its core principle: advocating for people experiencing emotional challenges, the release said. Mental Health America of Northwest Indiana offers programs for adults with mental health conditions or challenges, partners with area employers to ensure a mentally healthy work environment and advocates for people of all ages living with mental illness, the release said .
According to a news release, First Financial Bank and First Financial Foundation have awarded a total of $50,000 in grants to seven organizations in Northwest Indiana.
Across the four states of Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois, First Financial awarded a total of $510,000, matching last year’s performance as the largest grant campaign to date.
In Northwest Indiana, Sojourner Truth House in Gary is one of this year’s recipients, the news release said. Other recipients in the region include the Computer Skills and Training Center and Gary Community Partnership Corp. in Gary; and The Center of Workforce Innovations and United Way of Northwest Indiana, both in Valparaiso.
First Financial’s commitment to the communities it serves extends beyond its annual grant campaign. Earlier this year, First Financial announced a new Community Benefits Agreement for 2024-2028, pledging $2.4 billion in loans and investments to low- and middle-income and census tract customers, the release said.
The Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority recently added Controller Courtney Kvachkoff and Economic Development Director AJ Bytnar to its staff, according to a news release.
As economic development director, Bytnar will be responsible for guiding the Transit Development Districts (TDDs), while Kvachkoff, as controller, will be responsible for overseeing RDA finances, the news release said.
Bytnar brings more than 15 years of experience in economic development, urban planning, zoning and redevelopment, including as executive director of redevelopment for the city of Gary, the release said. Kvachkoff, a resident of Crown Point, comes to RDA from Indianapolis-based Onebridge, where she worked as a staff accountant, the release said.
The Hard Hat Charity Golf Outing, hosted by the Northwest Indiana Business RoundTable (NWIBRT), attracted more than 300 golfers from more than 70 Northwest Indiana businesses and raised $40,000 in charitable contributions, according to a news release.
Four area nonprofits – Meals on Wheels, Tradewinds, Goodwill and Pink Ribbon Society – each received a $10,000 donation for their organization. The funds will be used for programming by the nonprofits for families and individuals throughout the region.
“In addition, the Lilly Endowment matched our $10,000 donation to Tradewinds in honor of the organization’s commitment to the community,” said Tom Gozdecki, co-chair of the 2024 NWIBRT Hard Hat Golf Committee. The 2025 event, hosted by Diversified Marketing Strategies in Crown Point, is scheduled for Sept. 19 at White Hawk Country Club in Crown Point.
Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) announced that 16 organizations will be able to advance their public safety initiatives as a result of support from the 2024 NIPSCO Public Safety Education and Training Action Grant program, according to a release.
The 2024 program recipients received grants ranging from $500 to $5,000 each, the release said.
Recipients included: American National Red Cross, Boys & Girls Club of Greater NWI, Cedar Lake Fire Department, City of East Chicago Fire Department, Crown Point Police Department, Dyer Firefighters Association, Franciscan Alliance Foundation, Lake County Homeland Security /EMA, Lutheran Social Services of Indiana and the MAAC Foundation.
To learn more about the 2024 Public Education and Safety Grant and to view this year’s recipients, visit NIPSCO.com/SafetyGrant.
