NWI community: Region continues to dig deep for nonprofits

In Northwest Indiana if you see women in formals and men in tuxes and it's not a wedding, the odds are they are attending one of the many fundraising galas to support a nonprofit in our area.

The region has a reputation for its generosity. No matter how dark things seem economically, the community takes care of its neighbors. And the local nonprofits rely heavily on this generosity.

Even in a good year it is a struggle for organizations like Campagna Academy and Hospice of the Calumet Area to raise the funds needed to assist residents at the start and the end of their lives.

Organizations like Nazareth Home, the foster home in East Chicago which provides 24-hour care to medically compromised children, receives a stipend from the government. But as any foster parent will tell you, it's not enough.

The region has services such as the Crisis Center in Gary which provides everything from a 24-hour suicide hot line to a temporary shelter for children in trouble. In Valparaiso, The Caring Place provides shelter and safety for both men and women and their children who are victims of domestic violence. It also provides a women's recovery program and more regardless of ability to pay.

These are just a few of the agencies receiving some government financial support, but the services they provide to the community rely heavily on fundraisers to meet needs.

Although corporate donations were down, somehow individuals still dug deep to share what they had with those less fortunate.

Campagna Academy has undergone many changes over the years since the Rev. Michael Campagna started Hoosier Boys' Town in Schererville in 1944. It evolved from a home for delinquent boys to an accredited charter school that has a campus housing both boys and girls. It also is a day campus for students who want to be educated in a secure and healthy environment.

"No two words have created as much sentiment for Campagna as 'thank you,'" Bruce D. Hillman, Campagna CEO, said. "During these difficult economic times, donors from all walks of life have found a way to continue to support Campagna's mission of 'Restoring Hope and Building Dreams' for children, youth and families of our community.

The academy is fortunate year-end giving has been on the upswing, he said, and most donors actually have increased their annual support.

Hillman said that recent reductions in public funding are causing great concern within Indiana's nonprofit sector.

"We all are faced with the possibility that we will not have adequate resources to fulfill our mission at a time when there is increasing need for our services," he said.

Julie Stogsdill, director of development for Hospice of the Calumet Area, knows that without the Friends of Hospice, the hospice's history would be much different.

The Friends of Hospice is the fundraising auxiliary of Hospice of the Calumet Area. In 1982, an group of area women formed Friends of Hospice to financially assist the pioneer concept of hospice care.

As membership increased to more than 200, donations have grown accordingly. In addition to two signature events, the Seeds of Hope gala dinner with silent auction and the Mum's the Word luncheon, volunteers have formed the Hospice Artisans. Their creations include "must-have" handbags and scarves, one-of-a-kind greeting cards and other gift items that are sold at regional events.

Since its inception, the Friends of Hospice has given more than $600,000 in donations to help fulfill its mission of providing comfort care for individuals, regardless of their ability to pay.

"It’s an honor to be part of the fabric of a community that puts such a high priority on end-of-life care," said Adrianne May, executive director of Hospice of the Calumet Area.

Northwest Indiana has several community foundations, organizations that support many community services as well as providing scholarships for worthy students.

Porter County Community Foundation has issued grants to The Caring Place, First Contact, Gabriel's Horn, Moraine House, Jacob's Ladder Pediatric Rehab Center, Hilltop Neighborhood House, South Shore Arts and the American Red Cross, Porter County.

Donations are invested and the interest is used to support local nonprofit organizations today and into the future -- organizations the donor chooses.

"We are all about the infrastructure for the nonprofits," Barbara A. Young, foundation president, said. "We are fortunate to have so many wonderful individuals and businesses working to make Porter County a better place."

"People can be very supportive when times are tough, because we (in Northwest Indiana) are an incredibly philanthropic people." Young said.

In Northwest Indiana if you see women in formals and men in tuxes and it's not a wedding, the odds are they are attending one of the many fundraising galas to support a nonprofit in our area.

The region has a reputation for its generosity. No matter how dark things seem economically, the community takes care of its neighbors. And the local nonprofits rely heavily on this generosity.

Even in a good year it is a struggle for organizations like Campagna Academy and Hospice of the Calumet Area to raise the funds needed to assist residents at the start and the end of their lives.

Organizations like Nazareth Home, the foster home in East Chicago which provides 24-hour care to medically compromised children, receives a stipend from the government. But as any foster parent will tell you, it's not enough.

The region has services such as the Crisis Center in Gary which provides everything from a 24-hour suicide hot line to a temporary shelter for children in trouble. In Valparaiso, The Caring Place provides shelter and safety for both men and women and their children who are victims of domestic violence. It also provides a women's recovery program and more regardless of ability to pay.

These are just a few of the agencies receiving some government financial support, but the services they provide to the community rely heavily on fundraisers to meet needs.

Although corporate donations were down, somehow individuals still dug deep to share what they had with those less fortunate.

Campagna Academy has undergone many changes over the years since the Rev. Michael Campagna started Hoosier Boys' Town in Schererville in 1944. It evolved from a home for delinquent boys to an accredited charter school that has a campus housing both boys and girls. It also is a day campus for students who want to be educated in a secure and healthy environment.

"No two words have created as much sentiment for Campagna as 'thank you,'" Bruce D. Hillman, Campagna CEO, said. "During these difficult economic times, donors from all walks of life have found a way to continue to support Campagna's mission of 'Restoring Hope and Building Dreams' for children, youth and families of our community.

The academy is fortunate year-end giving has been on the upswing, he said, and most donors actually have increased their annual support.

Hillman said that recent reductions in public funding are causing great concern within Indiana's nonprofit sector.

"We all are faced with the possibility that we will not have adequate resources to fulfill our mission at a time when there is increasing need for our services," he said.

Julie Stogsdill, director of development for Hospice of the Calumet Area, knows that without the Friends of Hospice, the hospice's history would be much different.

The Friends of Hospice is the fundraising auxiliary of Hospice of the Calumet Area. In 1982, an group of area women formed Friends of Hospice to financially assist the pioneer concept of hospice care.

As membership increased to more than 200, donations have grown accordingly. In addition to two signature events, the Seeds of Hope gala dinner with silent auction and the Mum's the Word luncheon, volunteers have formed the Hospice Artisans. Their creations include "must-have" handbags and scarves, one-of-a-kind greeting cards and other gift items that are sold at regional events.

Since its inception, the Friends of Hospice has given more than $600,000 in donations to help fulfill its mission of providing comfort care for individuals, regardless of their ability to pay.

"It’s an honor to be part of the fabric of a community that puts such a high priority on end-of-life care," said Adrianne May, executive director of Hospice of the Calumet Area.

Northwest Indiana has several community foundations, organizations that support many community services as well as providing scholarships for worthy students.

Porter County Community Foundation has issued grants to The Caring Place, First Contact, Gabriel's Horn, Moraine House, Jacob's Ladder Pediatric Rehab Center, Hilltop Neighborhood House, South Shore Arts and the American Red Cross, Porter County.

Donations are invested and the interest is used to support local nonprofit organizations today and into the future -- organizations the donor chooses.

"We are all about the infrastructure for the nonprofits," Barbara A. Young, foundation president, said. "We are fortunate to have so many wonderful individuals and businesses working to make Porter County a better place."

"People can be very supportive when times are tough, because we (in Northwest Indiana) are an incredibly philanthropic people." Young said.