Valparaiso-based First Things First Porter County received a total of $100,000 in grant funding to support 10 community projects.
The funds from the Collaboration Challenge Grants will support prenatal to three-years care in Porter County. These grants are awarded to sets of partnering organizations that propose a project to improve programming for Porter County infants, toddlers and their families. Each project gained $10,000 to bolster their efforts.
“It’s very powerful to see all of these different community organizations and providers come together and brainstorm how they can best serve families right here in Porter County,” said Laura Green, First Things First outreach coordinator, in a press release.
The partnerships and projects include:
- Mental Health America of Northwest Indiana, Porter County Health Department and the Porter County Fetal Infant Mortality Review team will collaborate to support families with children prenatal to age three.
- Parents as Teachers Porter County and Portage Township Schools will create a program that promotes milestone development, early literacy and social emotional growth.
- Powers Health and Valparaiso Family YMCA will create a food education and healthy cooking program to support prenatal and early childhood development.
- Duneland School and Kidworks will enhance support for families at Duneland School Corp.’s Early Learning HUB.
- Portage Township YMCA and Northshore Health Centers will develop a 3-month prenatal membership to the YMCA for expectant parents focusing on support and well being.
- Duneland Family YMCA and Jacob’s Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation will provide training to YMCA early learning staff on developmental milestones and early intervention.
- Three20 Recovery, Gabriel’s Horn and Homes of Compassion will launch an awareness campaign to connect pregnant and new mothers with recovery coaches.
- Porter-Starke Services and Powers Health will establish a one-day conference for health care professionals discussing perinatal mental health.
- Kidworks and Valpo Parks will build an inclusive, sensory-based naturalistic playground at Discovery Cottage.
- Dunes Learning Center, Duneland Family YMCA and Duneland Early Learning HUB will work together to make the benefits of nature-based learning available to more children.
The Porter County Community Foundation launched First Things First in 2021 to promote healthy beginnings, family support and quality early experiences. First Things First brings together organizations, providers and individuals across Porter County working to mitigate families' challenges when they welcome a baby home.
