2025 Community Grant Awards
Eastpoint Neighborhood Assoc/Walker Street Community Garden
This organization’s project is for the Walker Street Community Garden in Michigan City. Since 2017 this organization has worked to engage residents of the Eastport neighborhood in growing food, education and other community events. They will use their $500 grant to purchase plants to be used in their 32 raised beds, hold workshops where residents can learn how to grow food and conduct workshops on food preparation. To learn more about what they do, see their Facebook page.
Family Advocates
This organization’s purpose is to support, educate and advocate for youth and families. They received a grant from the LPCMGA in 2024 that enabled them to create a vegetable garden. Their 2025 grant of $400 will help support their desire to add a butterfly garden so that the youth they serve can learn about the important role of pollinators. The youth will be heavily involved in the preparation and maintenance of the garden as well as enabling them to learn how to measure and plan a garden. To learn more about what they do, see their website.
Kingsford Heights Elementary School
KHES is always seeking ways to engage students with efforts to revitalize their school. They will use their $500 grant to purchase shrubs and bushes for the school and to teach the students about the selection, placement and care of them. This will be part of their process for teaching state standards related to science, agriculture, landscaping and food sourcing. To learn more about Kingsford Heights Elementary, see their website.
LaPorte County Historical Society
The Historical Society is working with Paul Vicari to restore native prairie around the La Porte County Museum with the hope to share what La Porte County looked like when it was first settled. They will use their $500 grant to purchase signage to describe the prairie and various species within it. To learn more about what they do, see their website.
Westville United Methodist Church
In 2024 a garden was created and wish to extend it. They will use their $458 grant to add fencing, soil, plants and other materials to their expanded garden. Because the town grocery store is closing, they will continue to offer fresh local produce for free. High school students will help maintain the garden and learn from doing so. To learn more about what they do, see their website.