There are many charities to give to in Cass County.
Emmaus Mission Center is one of the gems of the community and Executive Director Jason Mitchell and his team do a lot for those who need help.
There is also the United Way of Cass County, an organization that gives a lot to the community, but many still don’t understand their mission and the many ways it impacts Logansport.
There are four great schools within the community with students active in programs that could use a financial boost. There are also opportunities within these school companies to help students and families in need.
For those looking for nonprofits to support in the area this holiday season, here are five that play an important role in Cass County and could use a helping hand.
A reason for legs
A Cause for Paws is a small local organization that offers cats and dogs for adoption. Every Saturday, the Pharos-Tribune features a potential pet from A Cause for Paws, and the group presents other available options on their Facebook page.
The nonprofit organization regularly needs dry and wet cat food, dry dog ​​food and cat litter.
Anyone who would like to contribute to A Cause for Paws or is interested in adopting a pet can call 574-753-5575.
Cass County Humane Society
The Cass County Humane Society welcomed Ashley Ayers as its new executive director this year.
The humane society is filled with cats and dogs and has varying needs for grooming products and materials for planned projects.
Products needed by the humane society include slip leashes for dogs, water and food buckets that attach to kennel doors so they prevent spills, cat drinkers that attach to crate doors, grain-free dog food – preferably sweet potato and rice for fed dogs sensitivities, Purina Kitten Chow dry food (yellow bag), Pate wet food, lysine powder, Nutri-cal High Calorie Gel (Tomlyn) malt flavor, Liqui-Tinic 4X, puppy sanitary towels, KMR milk replacer or goat’s milk, paper towels, B12 supplements, Rebound, Hydra Care for cats and paper food bowls of 150 grams.
The project needs are to convert the adoptable cat area of ​​the shelter into an indoor catio, PVC pipes of various sizes, PVC fittings (elbows, tees, connectors), screws and zip ties, wire mesh, scrap wood for shelves and climbing features, screen or screen door for the kitten room (former front office) so that staff and volunteers can easily see and interact with the kittens and a thorough cleaning of the shelter.
The Cass County Humane Society is located at 700 Water St. and can be reached at 574-516-1526.
Logansport Arts Association
The Logansport Art Association is one of the oldest art associations in Indiana and hosts classes, exhibitions and competitions for local and aspiring artists each year.
The LAA can always use stretched canvas of all shapes and sizes, acrylic paint, liquid watercolor, sharpies, copy paper, glue, paper towels and baggies, said President Jane Vandermark Williams.
The organization is looking for volunteers who may be able to help brighten up the veranda with a new coat of paint or furniture. The garage also needs a few repairs.
The Logansport Art Association is located at 424 Front St. and can be reached at 574-735-2915.
Logansport Junior Civic Theater
The Junior Civic Theater has a plethora of needs when it comes to their base of operations, located at 408 E. Broadway. The most urgent need is a new roof.
Samantha Boller Hunnicutt recently recalled walking into the building one day and finding a puddle of water on their stage. Because the building has a flat roof, repairs are estimated to cost approximately $50,000.
The JCT building would never be considered cozy, and Boller Hunnicutt understood that when the organization accepted the building as a donation.
Another major need is air conditioning and heating. Over the summer, the young actors sweat through practice and their rehearsal before the Light Up Logansport parade featured quite a few kids in jackets.
Sure, the building must have been a relief between two outdoor performances on a freezing Saturday, but fifty degrees is only small consolation after singing and dancing in twenty-degree temperatures.
Goals that fall more into the wants than needs category, given the condition of the roof, include finished walls and possibly studio mirrors that can be attached to those walls for choreographic purposes.
The Logansport Junior Civic Theater can be reached at logansportjct@gmail.com.
Stand up Cass County
Stand Up Cass County has been working hard in 2024 to provide local teens with support and education on issues such as mental health and substance abuse. The program hosts after-school activities for youth and their families, such as free skating at Logansport Skate World and Fun Center, family movies at the Mary Max Cinema, gaming at Black Dog and more.
Stand Up Cass County is currently looking to match a 100 percent grant of $125,000 to help them organize activities. They are limited in the ways they can use the funding, so they can use donations that can also be used to provide food at events and gatherings, printing materials, hiring speakers and for Red Ribbon Week activities. Red Ribbon Week is a national drug prevention program in which local schools participate.
The nonprofit also accepts donations that can be used as gifts and prizes for those who attend events.
For more information about the organization, visit standupcasscounty.org or email nikki@ysainc.org.