The Neighborhood Improvement Project mini-grant program focuses on projects intended to enhance the “look and feel” of a neighborhood by addressing public safety, beautification projects, blight elimination, and/or government-service improvements or a combination of any of these categories.  The Council is awarding 8 projects across the Wabash Valley with awards of $5,000. The projects address various areas and needs including creating neighborhood gathering areas, addressing safety concerns, and investing in neighborhood beautification.  Award winners include:

• Mary’s Village Community Welcome Project (West Terre Haute, IN) – Beautification – Help jumpstart the larger needs for beatification, removal of overgrown shrubbery, fixing dilapidated fences, and litter removal.
• Eugene Township Community Center (Eugene, IN) –Community Center – The Center will consist of a community room and park. Repair of peeling paint, poor lighting, empty rooms, and addition of kitchenette. A playground will also be added.
• Standard Opera House Community Center, Phase 1 (Perrysville, IN) – Community Center – Repair and replace windows to seal the building from the weather. This will start the beginning of reconstruction.
• Sensory Garden Sunshade (Terre Haute, IN) – Sunshade – Installation of a permanent shade port structure in Hoosier Prairie’s existing sensory garden. Open to the public. Allows for students to use the garden during hot summers.
• Cultivating Community along the Old National Road (West Terre Haute, IN) – Beautification – The overall project supports 19 flower beds, in which a community member/organization can sponsor. The grant supports the winter, spring, and summer updates to the flowerbeds such as bulbs, plants, and mulch as well as seasonal décor.
• Dawson Pond Revitalization Project (Town of Shelburn, IN) – Beautification/Revitalization – The neglected pond for over 15 years will get trash cleaned out, and stocked with fish and electricity installed so lighting can be added.
• Sugar Creek Resource Center Ramp Project (Bloomingdale, IN) – Ramp Installation – Installation of a ramp leading into the food pantry. Helps for wheelchairs, walks, crutches, as well as wagons full of items.
• Disc Golf Course at Craig Park (Brazil, IN) –Disc Golf Installation– Installing 9 new disc golf baskets, 18 concrete slabs, and signage for the new 18-hole disc golf course at Craig Park.

Carey LaBella, co-chair of the United Way’s Strong Neighborhood Council stated that “The Strong Neighborhood Council is happy to announce a fourth round of mini-grant winners. We love to see creative ideas and see neighbors come together to improve their surroundings. The impact these projects have on a neighborhood is visible and it’s catching on! When someone sees a great idea come to life then they might want to see what they can do to make our community a better place to work and live. Thank you to the applicants in this round for investing in their community and working with the United Way of the Wabash Valley’s Strong Neighborhood Council to see it through. We hope your ideas inspire new projects.”

Michele Bennett, Community Impact Specialist at United Way stated “The United Way of the Wabash Valley Strong Neighborhoods Impact Council seeks to impact our community by investing in programs and initiatives that provide our community with safe, vibrant, and inclusive neighborhoods. UWWV Strong Neighborhoods Impact Council believes families living in thriving neighborhoods will have greater financial stability, and that resident engagement is crucial to neighborhood growth and stability. Neighborhoods grow stronger when we discover and build upon their unique strengths.”

Another co-chair of United Way’s Strong Neighborhoods Impact Council stated “It has been awesome to receive so many requests and diverse ideas for mini-grants from all across the Wabash Valley. These are great opportunities and improvements for us who live here. I am already excited for the next round!”

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United Way of the Wabash Valley is an organization looking to go beyond temporary fixes to create lasting change in our communities throughout our six-county region. By bringing together volunteers, companies, and organizations focused on innovative solutions, we impact thousands of lives every year right here in the Wabash Valley.  Our new bold goal is to move 10,000 local families out of financial struggles.  For more information, please visit, www.uwwv.org.

The United Way created a new program coordinator position to form partnerships with local neighborhood organizations thanks to CenterPoint Energy grant funds. WVNHN coordinator Schelia Romanelly manages project intakes, the website, and mobilizes and screens volunteers. United Way looks forward to collaborating with individuals and organizations already active in their neighborhoods and investing in their energy and talents.

WVNHN Coordinator Schelia Romanelly states, “I’m most excited to stand beside a program that I strongly believe can make a difference in how we view our neighbors. Rosa Parks stated “What really matters is not whether we have problems, but how we go through them. We must keep going on to make it through whatever we are facing.” Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors will connect and empower people to care for one another.”

Studies show that even minor home improvements benefit residents’ physical and mental health, re-instill a sense of pride and belonging in their community, and increase safety and independence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe home repairs for low-income households as a high-impact strategy for addressing root causes of poor physical and mental health. Moreover, home repairs and modifications allow people with disabilities, veterans, and older adults to avoid outside care and to
stay in their homes. When a home is repaired, the property value increases, benefitting the entire neighborhood.

Martha Crossen, co-chair of United Way’s Strong Neighborhood Impact Council, said, “We’re extremely grateful to the many individuals and organizations who have supported the launch this new program. Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors will be an effective way to take care of home repair issues and give residents a helping hand. We’re looking forward to bringing people and organizations together to improve the quality of life and strengthen sense of community.”

United Way’s Strong Neighborhoods Impact Council seeks to create a positive impact for struggling working families by investing in initiatives that provide our community with safe, vibrant, and inclusive neighborhoods. The Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors aligns with this goal and demonstrates United Way’s long-term commitment to strengthening the Wabash Valley.

wvnhn.org

The Neighborhood Improvement Projects include:

Mini Lending Libraries: The Lending Libraries, created by Hamilton Center, will be installed in seven different locations across 5 counties. Each Lending Library will be filled with donated books that are free for the community to enjoy. Each will also double as a place to post information about events in the area that will positively impact the success and growth of the community.

12 Points Beautification Project: A part of the 12 Points Revitalization Initiative, this will include useful items like a bus stop shell, trash can receptacles, permanent benches, and signage. The project also includes the installation of new landscape beds and planters. All these improvements will add visual appeal and provide practical amenities to encourage pedestrian traffic.

Central Elementary School Greenhouse: The Vermillion County EDC is working to create a community garden at Central Elementary School in Clinton, including raised beds and a greenhouse. This project aims to create a gathering space for students, encourage healthy lifestyles centered around healthy eating, and enhance the beautification of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Geulah Ministry Garden: The Geulah Ministry will install a border of fruit trees around an empty lot, along with a vineyard, pollinators, and a community produce garden. The new garden area will provide a meeting space for the community and promote healthy eating as well.

Solar Lights Community Garden: This project will help support the creation and installation of four solar-powered pillar lights in reTHINK’s Community Garden. The solar lights will be built to last using pressured lumber for framing and will use recycled plastic panels that are locally manufactured in reTHINK’s plastic upcycling center. The project will provide outdoor lighting in the neighborhood as well as double as a blessing box.

The Lab Concert Series: A collaboration between the Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra and Three Sisters Investments will help to support a larger project that will create a 3-event chamber music series for the Ryves neighborhood. The concert series will feature small ensembles of Terre Haute Symphony Orchestra musicians like brass, string, or woodwind quintets, bringing music-centered gathering opportunities to the neighborhood.

Terre Haute Truck Stop Upgrade: Truck Stop Indy will be working to improve the Truck Stop’s accessibility in 12 Points along with its lighting, concrete, increased seating, plants, and dog waste stations. This is also part of a larger project that will bring more food and beverage options to the neighborhood that are local, affordable, and delicious. It will also give the community a space to gather and relax.

Herz-Rose Park Sculpture Project: Part of a larger project by Wabash Valley Art Spaces, this mini-grant will support a public art project in Herz-Rose Park by artist Greg Mueller. The art installation will be created to respond to the neighborhood’s desire for better communication and community connection. The project will add a unique element to the Ryves neighborhood while offering a way for people to creatively connect with one another and increase neighborhood pride.

12 Points Library Splash Pad: This project by the Vigo County Public Library will help add a splash pad to the outdoor area of the upcoming 12 Points Vigo County Public Library branch. The water used in the splash pad will be captured and used to water plants on the property, including a raised bed garden.

Summer Camp at Spencer Ball Park: Part of a larger project by the Terre Haute Area Association of Realtors, this mini-grant will help support a community service project for campers who are participating in the summer camp at Spencer Ball Park. As part of their camp week, campers will help improve the park’s infrastructure by planting flowers and painting a park building. This project will help the children learn important skills involving renovation and planting while helping their community.

All ten of these projects will help make a difference across the Wabash Valley and its neighborhoods and will be implemented this spring and summer.  Dorothy Chambers, the Community Impact Manager for United Way stated, “In this third round of funding, we continued to be amazed by the creative projects proposed by community groups to improve safety and connectedness in our neighborhoods. We were also pleased to see applications from organizations that had never applied for United Way funding before. These projects are wonderful examples of neighbors working together to elevate their communities.”

To get involved in United Way’s work or donate to support their mission, visit www.uwwv.org or call (812) 235-6287

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United Way of the Wabash Valley is an organization looking to go beyond temporary fixes to create lasting change in our communities throughout our six-county region. By bringing together volunteers, companies, and organizations focused on innovative solutions, we impact thousands of lives every year right here in the Wabash Valley.  Our bold goal is to move 10,000 local families out of financial struggles.  For more information, please visit, www.uwwv.org.

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Homeowners will be able to submit their repair requests via a user-friendly Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors website. Generally, the repair projects should be easily completed by individuals or groups and not require special tools or advanced skills. Volunteers will use the website to identify projects and sign up to work on them. In addition to connecting volunteers to projects, the website will contain helpful resources and track the number of projects underway. United Way will purchase a license for the website from Community One, a nonprofit organization in Evansville that launched Neighbors Helping Neighbors in its own city a few years ago.

CenterPoint Energy Foundation funds will enable United Way to create a new coordinator position to form partnerships with local neighborhood organizations. The coordinator will also manage project intake and the website, and mobilize and screen volunteers. In addition, CenterPoint Energy Foundation funds will be used to defray initial costs of repair materials and tools, program marketing, and the website license. United Way looks forward to collaborating with individuals and organizations already active in their neighborhoods and investing in their energy and talents.

The new program will accept requests for basic home repair and maintenance projects for neighbors who own and live in their homes. In addition to home repair, examples could include basic yard cleanup, landscaping, and snow removal; moving assistance and basic transportation for shopping or running errands; technology or paperwork assistance; or a friendly phone call or visit.

Martha Crossen, co-chair of United Way’s Strong Neighborhood Impact Council, said, “We’re extremely grateful for CenterPoint Energy Foundation’s commitment to neighborhood revitalization, and we appreciate the support they’re giving us to launch this new program. Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors will be an effective way to take care of home repair issues and give residents a helping hand. We’re looking forward to bringing people and organizations together to improve the quality of life and strengthen sense of community.”

Dorothy Chambers, United Way’s Community Impact Senior Staff, commented, “The investment that CenterPoint Energy is making in Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors demonstrates the tremendous good that can happen when businesses and nonprofits work together to revitalize and strengthen our neighborhoods. We appreciate our continued partnership with CenterPoint Energy and value their investment in our work across the Wabash Valley.  We’re looking forward to developing the program over the next few months so that it’s ready to launch this spring.”

Studies show that even minor home improvements benefit residents’ physical and mental health, re-instill a sense of pride and belonging in their community, and increase safety and independence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describe home repairs for low-income households as a high-impact strategy for addressing root causes of poor physical and mental health. Moreover, home repairs and modifications allow people with disabilities, veterans, and older adults to avoid institutional care and stay in their homes. Home repairs are an effective way to address crime through non-police interventions. When a low-income home is repaired, the property value increases, benefitting the entire neighborhood.

United Way’s Strong Neighborhoods Impact Council seeks to create a positive impact for struggling working families by investing in initiatives that provide our community with safe, vibrant, and inclusive neighborhoods. Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors aligns well with this goal and demonstrates United Way’s long-term commitment to the revitalization of Ryves and other neighborhoods in West Central Indiana.