Valparaiso-based First Things First Porter County was awarded $1 million from Indiana Economic Development Corp.’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative.
Managed by Porter County Community Foundation, the funds will be used to support new and existing projects including:
- Building Blocks multimedia project
- Bright By Text
- Help Me Grow Porter County
- Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
- Creekside Early Learning Center at Neighbors’ Educational Opportunities
Building Blocks, presented by Lakeshore Media, is a six-part television docu-series. Premiering in September, episodes explore the science behind early childhood development. Lakeshore is also creating a hub of resources supporting early childhood development.
Bright by Text is a free service that sends prenatal and parenting advice by text message. The service spans pregnancy through age nine. The messages are age-based, topic-based and location-based, keeping families aware of Porter County events.
Help Me Grow Porter County connects caregivers of young children to community resources. Resources incuded developmental screenings, prenatal and postpartum care and parenting education. Help Me Grow also offers housing and financial assistance.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library sends an age-appropriate book to every enrolled child from birth through age five. Since 2023, the program has served over 2,900 children in Porter County.
Neighbors’ Educational Opportunities plans to open a 9,000 square foot facility in Portage. The facility will have the capacity for 135 children.
“With this funding from READI, we are positioned to support a wide variety of initiatives to support our youngest ones, their caregivers and the entire community system for pregnant women, infants and toddlers,” said Mary Jane Eisenhauer, First Things First Porter County executive director, in a press release.
READI was launched by Gov. Holcomb in 2021. Through READI, 17 regions across Indiana have received funding. The grants support projects designed to enhance Indiana’s regions for current and future Hoosiers.
The Porter County Community Foundation launched First Things First in 2021. The goal is to strengthen partnerships to promote healthy beginnings, family support and early experiences. First Things First brings together organizations, providers and individuals to help families when they welcome a baby home.
