2022 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalist

Congratulations, Lilly Hedges, Lucas Lyons (center), and Seth Wilson! We wish you all the best in this next round.

Lilly Hedges, Lucas Lyons (center) and Seth Wilson

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2019 Annual Report

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2020 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalists

2020 Lilly Scholarship Finalists

Each finalist should be proud to have made it this far, and we wish them all the best!

Taylor May, Sara Muhlenkamp, Leah Hamilton, Macey Weitzel

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2021 Winter Teacher Creativity Mini-Grant Recipients

THE PORTLAND FOUNDATION

The Board of Trustees of The Portland Foundation has approved Teacher Creativity Mini-Grants totaling $2,346.76 for 9 projects for the first half of 2021.

Teacher Creativity Mini-Grants are to help cover the costs ($300 or less) of learning experiences which teachers feel are important to their students, yet are outside the budget of their school.  This program is funded by the Virgil and Josephine Thomas Educational Fund, a component fund of The Portland Foundation, as a way to increase funding for educational projects and programs.

This program funds grants for classroom supplies, class projects, programs, music or art instruction, speakers, and educational materials.  The purpose is to allow teachers to become more creative in their teaching styles and methods, without being hindered by cost.

The grants awarded are as follows:

Ms. Rhonda Clott – Jay County Jr.-Sr. High School Grades 9-12 - $250.00 to fund eleven members of the Jay Business Professionals of America (BPA) to attend state competition in March 2021

Ms. Lisa Cook – Jay School Corporation Speech - $ 288.84 to fund the purchase of speech and language instruction materials

Ms. Jenny Gibson – East Elementary School Grade 2 - $207.10 to fund the purchase of a set of SnapWords Pocket Chart Cards

Ms. LaVetha Loucks – Westlawn Elementary School Music - $300.00 to fund the purchase of a Soprano Ukulele Storage Rack

Ms. Beth Mathewson – Jay School Corporation Speech - $254.54 to fund the purchase of two eBook sets

Ms. Meg Mauger – Jay County Jr.-Sr. High School Grades 9-12 - $250.00 to fund eleven members of the Jay Business Professionals of America (BPA) to attend state competition in March 2021

Ms. Lindsey Peterson – East Elementary School Speech - $294.00 to fund the purchase of the Expanding Expression Tool Kit and materials for instruction

Ms. Brooke Schmiesing – East Elementary School Grade 2 - $300.00 to fund the purchase of three Chromebook chargers and a charging cart

Ms. Christy Shauver – Redkey Elementary School Resource Room - $202.28 to fund the purchase of reading and math curriculums for special education, and progress monitoring for IEP goals from Teachers Pay Teachers

The next Teacher Creativity Mini-grant Application deadline is June 14, 2021.

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2021 Winter Grant Recipients

THE PORTLAND FOUNDATION

The Portland Foundation Announces Winter 2021 Grant Recipients

Out of the requests from 26 different projects totaling $626,595 the Board of Trustees of The Portland Foundation has approved grants totaling $282,485 for 22 Jay County projects for the first half of 2021.  $243,847 comes from unrestricted funds and $38,638 from field of interest funds. Those grants are as follows:

A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope - $30,000 to fund addiction treatment for Jay County individuals

Arts Place - $5,000 to fund a post-pandemic celebratory community performance at the Hudson Family Park amphitheater

Arts Place - $25,000 to fund the MusicWorks program

Beneficence Family Scholars - $5,000 to fund monthly events to educate single parents on services provided in the community. $1,324 comes from unrestricted funds and $3,676 comes from the Clyde E. Geeting Memorial Trust, which provides funding for needy families

Dunkirk Beautification Committee - $3,385 to fund the Webster Depot Park Summer Concert Series

Jay Community Center - $30,000 to fund the Boomer Sports program

Jay County 4-H Clubs - $40,000 on a $1 for $1 match to fund renovations of the 4-H buildings at the Jay County Fairgrounds

Jay County Fourth of July Committee - $10,000 to fund the Fourth of July celebration

Jay County Drug Prevention Coalition - $25,000 to fund the organization’s Peer Recovery Coaches

Jay County Fair Association - $10,000 to fund the purchase of a new speaker system and new radios/walkie talkies

Jay County Historical Society - $5,000 to fund the Jay County Heritage Festival

Jay County Special Olympics - $7,250 to fund entry fees for Jay County Special Olympians. $5,032 comes from unrestricted funds and $2,218 comes from the Robert and Frances Gillespie Endowment and the Jean Leslie Jaqua Endowment, which are designated to support individuals with intellectual of developmental disabilities

John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund Robotics and STEM Camps

John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund the Senior Learning Series. Funding comes from the Elizabeth A. Starbuck Fund for the Elderly

John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund the Speakers Series and Symposium

John Jay Center for Learning - $31,800 to fund tuition costs for Jay County High School Students in the SkillsTrac Industrial Maintenance Program. $8,800 comes from unrestricted funds and $23,000 comes from the Weldon L. and Dorothy H. Hamma Memorial Scholarship Fund

Kate’s Kart - $4,000 to fund the purchase of books of distribution to pediatric patients at IU Health Jay Hospital. $3,630 comes from unrestricted funds and $370 comes from the Jay County Endowment for Literacy

Midwest Pet Refuge - $5,000 to fund the purchase of equipment for and the repair of the organization’s new facility. $3,924 comes from unrestricted funds and $1,076 comes from the Mel and Evelyn Hanlin Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Fund and the Harold Rex and Kiku Hardwick Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Fund

City of Portland Park Board - $10,000 to support the construction of a Disc Golf Course at Hudson Family Park

Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana - $5,000 to fund the purchase of food for the Senior Safety Net program. $1,752 comes from unrestricted funds and $3,248 comes from the Ralph and Bertha Green-Tony and Helen Saffer Fund for the Elderly, Elizabeth A. Starbuck Fund for the Elderly, the Ralph Denver Stroud and Helen Stroud Endowment, and the Joseph Vormohr Memorial Fund, all of which are designated to provide support for senior citizens in Jay County.

West Jay Community Center - $8,500 to fund the repair of eaves and masonry sealing on the organization’s facility

Youth Service Bureau of Jay County - $7,500 to fund the Keeping At Risk Students in School (KARSS) program

 “As always, The Portland Foundation is very pleased to be able to award these grants. The funds would not be possible if not for the countless gifts from Jay County citizens over the last 70 years. These programs help support our mission; to enhance the quality of life for the people in Jay County,” said Foundation Executive Director Doug Inman. 

The next grant application deadline is June 14, 2021 by 5:00 p.m.

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Lilly Endowment Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow

The Portland Foundation has successfully completed the Lilly Endowment Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) VII Initiative challenge match to increase it’s unrestricted endowment. The Foundation eclipsed the $250,000 goal by receiving $254,428 in gifts to twenty six different unrestricted endowment funds. Fifteen of the twenty six endowments are new due to the challenge match. Lilly Endowment Inc. will match the $250,000 raised with another $500,000.

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2019 Winter Grant Recipients

THE PORTLAND FOUNDATION

 The Portland Foundation Announces Winter 2019 Grant Recipients

Out of the requests from 27 different projects totaling $522,666 the Board of Trustees of The Portland Foundation has approved grants totaling $220,447 for 18 Jay County projects for the first half of 2019.  $208,593 comes from unrestricted funds and $11,854 from field of interest funds. Those grants are as follows:

Arts Place - $30,000 to fund the MusicWorks program

Down Syndrome of Indiana, Inc. - $350 to fund supplies for New Parents Packets.  Funding comes from the Robert and Frances Gillespie Endowment, which supports the education of children with intellectual or developmental disabilities

Dunkirk Glass Days Festival - $5,000 to fund glass blowing demonstrations

Jay Community Center - $30,000 to fund the Boomer Sports program

Jay County Archers - $5,000 to fund the purchase of 3D archery targets

Jay County Fair Association - $34,000 to fund construction of a new Farmer’s Building

Jay County Fourth of July Committee - $9,000 to fund the Fourth of July celebration  

Jay County Historical Society - $5,000 to fund the Jay County Heritage Festival.  $1,376 comes from unrestricted funds and $3,624 comes from the Clyde E. Geeting Memorial Trust, which provides funding for historical facilities

Jay County Humane Society - $1,047 to fund the purchase of exterior kennel dog doors.  Funding comes from the Mel and Evelyn Hanlin Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Fund and the Harold Rex and Kiku Hardwick Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Fund 

Jay County Special Olympics - $5,000 to fund entry fees and hotel expenses for Jay County Special Olympians.  $3,167 comes from unrestricted funds and $1,833 comes from the Robert and Frances Gillespie Endowment and the Jean Leslie Jaqua Endowment, which are designated to support individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities

Jay-Randolph Developmental Services - $5,000 to fund the development of a client computer lab

John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund the Speakers Series and Symposium

John Jay Center for Learning - $15,000 to offset tuition costs for students in the SkillsTrac Industrial Maintenance Training Program

John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund Robotics Camp

John Jay Center for Learning - $5,000 to fund the Senior Learning Series.  Funding comes from the Elizabeth A. Starbuck Fund for the Elderly

Pennville Community Center - $50,000 on a $2 for $1 match to fund the renovation of the two Pennville Community Center buildings

West Jay Community Center - $6,050 to fund roof repairs and thermostat replacement

Youth Service Bureau - $5,000 to fund the Keeping At Risk Students in School (KARSS) program

  “As always, The Portland Foundation is very pleased to be able to award these grants. The funds would not be possible if not for the countless gifts from Jay County citizens over the last 68 years. These programs help support our mission; to enhance the quality of life for the people in Jay County,” said Foundation Executive Director Doug Inman. 

The next grant application deadline is June 1, 2019 by 5:00 p.m.

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2019 Winter Teacher Creativity Mini-Grant Recipients

THE PORTLAND FOUNDATION

The Board of Trustees of The Portland Foundation has approved Teacher Creativity Mini-Grants totaling $6,146.54 for 22 projects for the first half of 2019.

Teacher Creativity Mini-Grants are to help cover the costs ($300 or less) of learning experiences which teachers feel are important to their students, yet are outside the budget of their school.  This program is funded by the Virgil and Josephine Thomas Educational Fund, a component fund of The Portland Foundation, as a way to increase funding for educational projects and programs.

This program funds grants for field trips, classroom supplies, class projects, programs, music or art instruction, speakers, educational materials and seminars.  The purpose is to allow teachers to become more creative in their teaching styles and methods, without being hindered by cost.

The grants awarded are as follows:

Ms. Kerri Andreshack – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 1 - $300 to fund the performance of “Junie B Jones First Grader at Last”

Ms. Carol Bantz – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 1 - $300 to fund the performance of “Junie B Jones First Grader at Last”

Ms. Tavia Boolman – East Jay Middle School Grade 6 - $249 to fund the purchase of Flocabulary, Kid Blog and Dropbox programs

Ms. Kelly Bricker – Redkey Elementary School Art - $300 to fund the purchase of rocket kits

Ms. Kelly Bricker – Westlawn Elementary School Art - $300 to fund the purchase of rocket kits

Ms. Gina Brockman – East Jay Middle School Grade 8 - $210.68 to fund the purchase of STEM instruction materials

Ms. Megan Byard – East Jay Middle School Grade 8 - $300 to fund the purchase of a 31-class set of the novel “All American Boys”

Ms. Stacy Campbell – Redkey Elementary School Kindergarten - $287 to fund the purchase of a sensory table

Ms. Tracy Christman – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 2 - $300 to fund the performance of “Junie B Jones First Grader at Last”

Ms. Lisa Cook – Jay School Corporation Speech - $289.80 to fund the purchase of speech and language instruction materials

Ms. Holly Farr – Westlawn Elementary School Grade 4 - $300 to fund the purchase of an Amazon Echo, an Amazon Dot, and related items

Ms. Cathy Fugiett – Redkey Elementary School Library - $300 to fund the purchase of Lego Chain Reaction kits

Ms. Cathy Fugiett – Westlawn Elementary School Library - $300 to fund the purchase of Lego Chain Reaction kits

Ms. Kristen Gibson – Bloomfield Elementary School Grade 5 - $81.51 to fund the purchase of fluorescent light covers for the classroom

Mr. Giles Laux – Bloomfield Elementary School Grade 5 - $280 to fund the purchase of a VEX IQ starter kit

Ms. Nicci Littler – Westlawn Elementary School Library - $275 to fund the purchase of a child sized picnic table made of recycled plastic cups

Ms. Beth Mathewson – Jay School Corporation Speech - $296.36 to fund the purchase of Prokoque2Go posters

Ms. Lindsey Peterson – East Elementary School - $280.19 to fund the purchase of materials to decorate the interior of the school

Ms. Jacqueline Rinard – Redkey Elementary School Kindergarten - $300 to fund the purchase a new sight word initiative

Ms. Christa Robinson – Westlawn Elementary School Reading Recovery - $300 to fund the purchase of leveled books

Ms. JoAnn Scott – Jay School Corporation Special Education - $297 to fund the purchase of three IPEVO 4K Ultra High Definition USB Document Cameras to assist visually impaired students

Ms. Sara Wolf – Westlawn Elementary School Kindergarten - $300 to fund the purchase of “Reading Reading” books

 The next Teacher Creativity Mini-grant Application deadline is June 1, 2019.

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2019 Lilly Endowment Winner

Congratulations, Clare! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and education.

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2019 Lilly Endowment Scholarship Finalists

2019 Lilly Scholarship Finalists

Each finalist should be proud to have made it this far, and we wish them all the best!

Clare Dirksen, Kaitlyn Dow, Daniel Bracy, Dillon Muhlenkamp

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