Chamber Member Watch Us Farm Awarded Prestigious Grant Dollars from IU Health Foundation

As you know, Watch Us Farm creates meaningful employment and life-changing opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities. Through our diverse operations, hydroponic greenhouse, and Watch Us Weave fiber arts shop, we provide real-world job training that builds independence and confidence. Our employees gain valuable skills across multiple disciplines while becoming valued contributors to our community.

I am writing to share an exciting vision for the future of Watch Us Farm and to invite you to be part of our transformative journey. We’re about to dramatically expand our community impact by launching our most ambitious project yet, a 25-acre integrated work, learn, and live campus that will revolutionize opportunities for adults with intellectual disabilities. The Henke Development Group has donated the land and infrastructure and today, we learned the IU Health Foundation Community Impact Investment Fund will provide a grant toward the Workforce Development Hub Building on the new campus.

This comprehensive campus will focus on the specific needs of adults with intellectual disabilities:

Vocational Training and Career Development

• Expanded job skills training across multiple industries
• State-of-the-art training facilities and workshops
• Career counseling and job placement services
• Partnerships with local employers
• Holistic support services
• Building a replicable model for workforce development

Housing Solutions

• Supported and independent living units
• Safe, accessible design
• Life skills training programs

Community Integration

• Educational programs and workshops
• Event spaces for community gatherings, employment opportunities, and training
• Volunteer opportunities
• Walking paths, orchards, and athletic fields
• Reduced social isolation

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IU Health awards 12 grants to improve the  livelihoods of people across Indiana 

INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 2, 2024) – Indiana University Health has awarded $6.1 million to 12 community organizations working to improve the lives of Hoosiers in need. 

The grants come from the $200 million Community Impact Investment Fund (CIIF), which is  administered by Indiana University Health Foundation to address key social and environmental  factors that impact people’s health outcomes. Yearly grants from the Foundation come from  earnings on the fund’s invested capital.  

Since the fund’s inception in 2018, IU Health has awarded more than $38 million in CIIF grants to  dozens of organizations across Indiana. IU Health Foundation has also obtained an additional $3.6 million in donations to support the contributions from IU Health. This year’s grants address a wide  range of needs, from affordable housing and employment training to community development and mental health services. 

“At IU Health, our commitment goes beyond delivering world-class healthcare to our patients – we  understand that overall health is shaped by more than medical care. Evidence-based research and  our own experiences demonstrate that economic and social challenges, such as poverty, limited  access to healthy food, inadequate housing, and a lack of education options all play a significant  role in the long-term health and well-being of local residents. By investing in organizations that  address these critical needs, we can make a positive difference in the lives of Hoosiers and move  closer to our vision of making Indiana one of the healthiest states in the nation,” said IU Health  President and CEO Dennis Murphy. 

The following community-focused organizations will receive IU Health CIIF grant funding for 2024:  

■ Beacon Inc: $650,000 over two years for building renovations, including permanent  supportive housing, an emergency overnight shelter and resource center with co-located  services from other community partners for individuals with substance use disorder and  severe mental illness in Monroe County.  

■ Boys & Girls Club of Tipton County: $250,000 over three years to develop and pilot a  targeted program curriculum which utilizes local community businesses to provide  mentorship and virtual reality simulations, fostering workplace readiness for high school  students to help them plan for their future and pursue meaningful careers.  

■ Edna Martin Christian Center (EMCC): $750,000 over three years to renovate 37 Place, a  community hub serving residents of the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood in  Indianapolis. This will allow EMCC and other non-profits more space to offer key programs  and services designed to help strengthen the community, making it a safer place to live.  

■ Englewood Community Development Corporation: $375,000 over three years to collaborate  with the Southside US Colored Troop Coalition and lend support to historic Black 

congregations in the 46203-zip code, as well as train congregations to use their cultural  assets to improve health in their communities. 

■ Healthier Moms & Babies Inc (HMB): $630,000 over three years to address infant and  maternal mortality in southeast Fort Wayne, helping launch the HMB Doula Collective, a  program that provides doula training along with entrepreneurship training and mentorship.  Partnerships with other community organizations will offer housing and financial literacy  training and postpartum support via peer groups and mentorship. 

■ Indy Public Safety Foundation: $630,000 over two years to launch the Indy Peace Mobile  Coordinated Neighborhood Stabilization Response team, which will bring resources, support  and hope to disconnected and disinvested communities most affected by gun violence,  building upon the successes of the Indy Peace program as part of the City’s Gun Violence  Reduction Strategy. 

■ Mental Health America – Wabash Valley Region: $250,000 over two years to purchase and  renovate a bus for mobile mental health screenings, working space for youth therapists and  counselors and wellness programming to destigmatize mental health and teach life skills at  schools in Tippecanoe and the surrounding counties. 

■ Nextech Org, Inc: $365,417 over three years, in partnership with TeenWorks, to provide  internships in technology to underserved teens in the Muncie area, introducing them to  postsecondary options and setting them up for career success.  

■ Pantry 279: $250,000 over three years to purchase equipment to increase services and  variety of foods for patrons in Monroe and nearby counties during food delivery and pick up.  

■ Peace Learning Center: $700,000 over three years to lead a community collaboration to  divert youth away from the traditional juvenile justice system into one of case  management, mental health services, and restorative practices by building upstream  diversion programs in community centers and schools in Marion County.  

■ Phalen Leadership Academy: $750,000 over two years to build the Cowdrey Community  Center, providing a safe space for recreational activities and community gatherings.  Located at 42nd Street and Mitthoeffer Road in Indianapolis, activities will be tailored to  address community needs, improving overall quality of life for residents and breaking down  barriers that have hindered progress. 

■ Watch Us Farm: $500,000 over three years to support job and vocational training, as well  as holistic support services for those with intellectual disabilities, critically addressing  community issues including high unemployment, limited access to job training and social  isolation among intellectually disabled adults. The project will take place in Boone County. 

To learn more about the Community Impact Investment Fund, visit https://iuhealth.org/in-the community/community-impact-investment-fund. 

   

About Indiana University Health Foundation 

IU Health Foundation leverages the power of philanthropy to support the IU Health vision of making  Indiana one of the nation’s healthiest states. When you give to IU Health, including as a co-funder 

for a CIIF project, you aren’t just making a donation — you’re making all the difference. To learn  more, visit iuhealthfoundation.org. 

About Indiana University Health 

Named the “#1 Hospital in Indiana” by U.S. News & World Report, Indiana University Health is  dedicated to providing a unified standard of preeminent, patient-centered care. A unique  partnership with Indiana University School of Medicine – one of the nation’s leading medical  schools – gives our highly skilled physicians access to innovative treatments using the latest  research and technology. Learn more at iuhealth.org. 

   

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