Grant Catalog 2025

WCUF is launching Dolly Parton's Imagination Library for children from 0 to 5 in Wabash County at no cost to the family. We can unite to create a path to academic success, encourage imagination and creativity, and cultivate a lifelong love of reading
Wabash County United Fund is seeking funding support Dolly Parton's Imagination Library! Wabash County United Fund (WCUF) has committed to launching Dolly Parton's Imagination Library (DPIL) for all children from birth to age 5 in Wabash County. At no cost to the family, each qualified, registered child within the household is mailed one free, high quality, age-appropriate book directly from Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to expand literacy growth and encourage bonding between parent/guardian and child. Currently, Indiana State Library coordinates the state-wide expansion program of DPIL and provides the state's match of 50% of the local program cost. DPIL has never been offered in Wabash County but has been successful in all surrounding counties for years. With the support of the Wabash County community, we can unite to create a path to academic success, encourage imagination and creativity, and cultivate a lifelong love of reading. WCUF is the Local Program Partner committed to coordinating the national program to be offered to eligible children in all of Wabash County. We have selected the coverage area of all eleven zip codes affiliated with Wabash, Indiana, so no child is left without this opportunity to grow. Associates of DPIL are vested community partners who receive important announcements, newsletters and other updates involving the DPIL program. This may be the local champion, sponsor, community leaders, board members, and/or other individuals instrumental in the success of the program. With the help of these community partners, Dolly Parton's Imagination Library can be sponsored by zip code, month, or even year! Let's unite to spark a lifelong journey of discovery and wonder through reading!

Honeywell Summer Arts Camps inspire creativity through theatre and visual arts for K-12 students. Your support keeps these camps affordable, providing top-notch instruction, supplies, and unforgettable experiences. Donate today!
This summer, hundreds of young artists in Wabash County will act, paint, sing, and create during the 2025 Honeywell Summer Arts Camps—but we can't do it without you! These multi-week theatre and visual arts camps provide fun, educational, and inspiring experiences for students from kindergarten through high school, all at an affordable cost to families. Whether stepping into the spotlight in a full-scale musical or experimenting with paint and mixed media, students build confidence, develop creativity, and form lifelong friendships in a welcoming, supportive environment. Why Your Support Matters: The true cost of these camps far exceeds what families pay, and your generosity helps bridge the gap. Your gift ensures we can: 🎭 Produce high-quality theatre performances with costumes, sets, and professional instruction. 🎨 Provide top-notch art supplies so students can explore different techniques and mediums. 👩‍🎨 Employ experienced local teaching artists who guide students in their artistic growth. 🏫 Keep camp registration fees affordable, making the arts accessible to more families in our community. More Than Just a Summer Camp: These camps don't just teach acting and painting - they nurture teamwork, self-expression, and creative problem-solving. The skills students develop here carry over into academics, social interactions, and future careers. Help Us Keep the Arts Alive! Camps run throughout June 2025, and with your support, we can continue to provide these transformative experiences to Wabash County youth. Every dollar helps bring the arts to life for our community's next generation of creators and leaders. Join us in making this summer unforgettable—donate today! Theatre Camps: Grades 1-4 Young performers will explore acting, movement, and improv through games and exercises, building confidence and teamwork. The camp will culminate in a performance of Circus Stars. Kaitlyn Whinery, Director. Grades 5-8 Participants will dive into acting, singing, and stage movement as they rehearse for a production of the timeless classic The Music Man. Directors Lindsay Rice & Aeron Kincaid. Grades 9-12 Students will have the opportunity to perform in Anything Goes, honing their acting, singing, and dancing skills. For those interested in behind-the-scenes action, there's also the option to work backstage, learning about stagecraft, lighting, and theatre production. Whether on stage or behind the scenes, this camp is all about creativity, collaboration, and building confidence! Directors Jessica Keffaber & Aeron Kincaid. Visual Art Camps: Grades K-1 Young artists finishing Kindergarten and 1st grade will explore drawing, painting, printmaking, and 3D art through fun exercises and mixed media projects. With creative prompts and guided exploration, campers will develop artistic thinking skills like problem-solving, persistence, and self-expression. Led by Danielle Winger & Jackie Carpenter. Grades 2-4 Students finishing grades 2 through 4 will explore a variety of mediums including weaving, realistic watercolor, and stylized painted radial design, plus create a Surrealist-inspired piece inspired by Salvador Dalí. This camp fosters creativity, fine motor skills, focus and observational skills in a supportive, hands-on environment. Led by Katy Gray. Grades 5-8 Students finishing grades 5 through 8 are invited to fuel their creativity at this "out of this world" art camp. Explore galaxies and design planets using a variety of mediums while developing confidence, creative independence, and advanced artistic techniques. Led by Nora Majors. Grades 9-12 Students who have completed grades 9 through 12 will hone their artistic skills in this intensive 2D art camp. Explore painting, printmaking, mixed media, while developing observational techniques. Engage with diverse materials and methods to expand your creative process and elevate your artistic expression. Led by Danielle Winger.

Archives Digitization and Public Access Project

The Wabash County Museum is seeking contributions toward a one-time cost to digitize around 1,000 oversized documents in our archives. Digitizing and cataloging oversized items is impossible in house because the Museum does not own the equipment to do so. Digitizing the documents in the archives will make them searchable, which will expand the museum's ability to preserve and share history. The archives are particularly important because they are accessed frequently via research requests from people searching for genealogy information, researching the history of a property or event, writing a paper or even a book, by educators for classroom use, and more. Read the Full Request Here

The Manchester Recreation Association is a not-for-profit community organization that promotes an environment of healthy competition, character development, and a passion for the games of baseball and softball.
We are thrilled to share with you an exciting initiative that is currently underway at our facility—an effort to enhance our lighting infrastructure and parking facilities. As we continually strive to improve the overall experience for our community and visitors, we recognize the importance of modernizing these crucial aspects of our space. Why lighting and parking? Our commitment to creating a safe, welcoming, and enjoyable environment drives us to focus on upgrading our lighting infrastructure and parking facilities. This not only addresses practical concerns but also plays a vital role in elevating the overall atmosphere for everyone who utilizes our space. Field Lighting for the Squires Softball Team: As the proud home of the Squires Softball team, ensuring top-notch field lighting is a priority. This not only enhances the safety of our players but also contributes significantly to the quality and enjoyment of the game. Upgrading our lighting system is a key step in maintaining the excellence that our team and community deserve. How You Can Help? We are reaching out to our community for support in making this project a reality. Your contributions will directly impact the success of our fundraising efforts, allowing us to update and improve our lighting infrastructure and parking facilities. Every donation, big or small, brings us one step closer to achieving our goal. Whether you're a passionate supporter of the Squires Softball team, a dedicated community member, or someone who simply appreciates the value of well-maintained facilities, we invite you to join us on this journey. Your involvement can make a significant difference, helping us create a space that we can all take pride in. Thank you for your consideration and support. Together, we can illuminate the path to a brighter and better future for our community.

"Coach" Dick Miller Pavilion
Manchester High School is fundraising for a cross country pavilion to be named in memory of "Coach" Dick Miller. We have currently raised $70,000, but the all-in cost of the project will be closer to $150,000. Would you consider making a gift? More details of the project can be found in the PDF.

Town of Somerset is seeking the assistance to fund replacement of destroyed town sign
We are seeking assistance to supplement our efforts in raising funds for the new Somerset sign. The Somerset town sign was destroyed by a severe thunderstorm in 2022. The sign was a long-standing icon in the community and was recognized by travelers along State Road 13 for over 40 years. Previously, the Town of Somerset's funding relied heavily on the selling of vacant lots. With no more available lots remaining, Somerset relies on its volunteers, donations, and grants to maintain the town's facilities (fire station, community building, and parks). Currently, the quote is approximately $9,800.00 from a local business in Wabash County. Any funds remaining will go towards the landscaping around the sign. This will include mulch, rocks, and perennials from local businesses in Wabash County. The above sign estimate includes the following: --16 ft x 8 ft custom made wood sign (2 sided) --Letter board added below the sign (2 sided) --Labor --Installation with Permit

Outdoor Play Space for Toddler & Preschool Ages
St. Roberts Catholic Church in North Manchester is seeking to build community and provide a safe, active space for our town's children and parents. Our church serves a diverse English and Hispanic community and works to provide programs for all. One such program that has gained traction is our group, "Connecting Among the Chaos." This group is open to all parents with young children in the community. We share parenting advice, provide a moral lesson and creative activity for the kids. This has become a valuable resource and place of support; specifically for stay-at-home parents. The project we are raising funds for is a play space for this group and others to utilize that is safe for our toddler and preschool aged kids. Our design is a kid-sized track for bikes, scooters or walking. Inside the track we will have a "kid's village," with play homes, businesses and a church. Also, inside the track will be a hill with a tunnel underneath and slide alongside the mound. We will include a swing structure with baby and child swings. There is also a parent zone with benches and tables for safely watching children while being able to connect. The goal is to give our youngest, active children a safe space to play and imagine without fear of lofty falls or climbing accidents. This space is designed to be dual purpose, the first is a safe place for young kids to play, imagine and exercise. The second purpose is to bring parents together for community. We believe this will have a lasting benefit to parents and children in those formative, sometimes demanding, early years.

A new Library for MELC

MELC has never had a working library that the children could utilize. 61% of lower income families have no children's books in their homes. This can create a 30-million-word gap by age 3, which then leads to lower performance throughout their school years. We want to change that and make sure all children in our center have a variety of ways to use and access books. We have found a space to use and have brought in some of the books. However, we are in need of furniture for the children to utilize, more book shelves and art work. We will also want to add a computer for checking in and out books. The current selection of books will need to be updated as well. We think the children will really enjoy this space in our school. Thank you for considering donating to our library.

Center for History Summer Camp: Summer in the Sixties
The goal of our summer camp program, now in its 5th year, is to educate the youth in our area about the 150+ year history of our community and to develop an appreciation of how progress has affected their lives. In 2025, our camp commences on June 3 and continues through July 29. We have a team of professional educators, now retired, who create the curriculum and oversee the activities ensuring that topics are presented in an age-appropriate manner. This camp is done in cooperation with the North Manchester Parks and Recreation department to provide curriculum for their summer program and also fulfill our mission of interpreting our collection through educational programming. It also allows the Center for History to support the programming of the Town of North Manchester as they provide financial resources to us each year. This year our theme will be "Summer in the Sixties". Each year we access items from our archives, craft projects, community experts, guest speakers, and multi-media resources to teach our participants about our selected theme. Activities will include tie-dying and other crafts while also learning about foods, entertainment, and sports from the era. We will also explore issues and milestones like topics related to space travel, social norms, and family dynamics. The Center for History and our team appreciates this opportunity each year to partner with our local Parks and Rec to provide meaningful programming for area children. The benefits to our organization have been an appreciable growth in the response and knowledge of kids visiting our facility. Whether they are bringing family with them for a visit or sharing what they know on school visits with their peers, our campers are retaining and enjoying what they have learned. We know our time and effort is having success.

Looking to fund a new Microfilm Reader for our Library Indiana Room.

The Roann library is celebrating 109 years, serving the Community of Roann and all of Paw Paw Township. Part of our mission is to save and embrace our rich and colorful history. As part of our project to reorganize our Indiana Room, which is set aside for genealogical research and local history, we are in need of a new microfilm reader to enable researchers to read our collection of The Roann Clarion, our local historic newspaper. The library holds microfilm for our paper from 1902-1942. Currently this collection as we have it, is not available anywhere else. Online historic databases appear to only cover approximately 20 years. We are seeking funds for a microfilm reader / scanner the enables us to print via a computer. This will be an invaluable asset for researchers whose families played a part in the building of this 170 year old community.

New Reading Program Launching in August of 2025
Babe of Wabash County is a non-profit organization that promotes good health, education, and connection in Wabash County. Our mission is to build community connections by providing families with educational, physical, and emotional resources. Babe of Wabash County is launching a new Reading Program in August 2025! Our request will help fund books, materials, technology, furniture and shelving, as well as coupon incentives for families. This new program will focus on teaching parents how to effectively engage their children in reading, especially as part of bedtime routines. Many parents struggle when their children lose interest or won't sit still, so the program will provide guidance on making reading interactive and engaging. This will help parents understand how to introduce books in a way that captures their child's attention, and foster a love for reading while also supporting cognitive and social development. Integrating reading into nightly routines not only strengthens the parent-child bond but also helps children wind down, making bedtime smoother and more predictable.

Blessings provides food for our local food insecure students.

We currently serve Pre-K to 6th grade students in both MSD of Wabash County and Wabash City Schools. Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch qualify to receive Blessings bags. Currently, we serve approximately 473 students weekly. We provide weekly bags to each student containing between eight to nine items. We like to include two warm items (mac n' cheese cup, cup of noodles, or canned pasta), two breakfast items (oatmeal, cereal, or breakfast bars), fruit (either fresh apples or applesauce), and a variety of snacks (crackers, cookies, granola bars, popcorn, trail mix, gummy snacks, Slim Jims, pudding, or a juice pouch). We also provide allergy-safe bags with different food items for students with food allergies. Your support will help sustain Blessings in a Backpack Wabash.

Providing 750 bags of food to those in need for Thanksgiving and Easter.

Lighthouse Missions is a local not-for-profit in downtown Wabash that has been helping Wabash County residents with food, clothing, and other basic needs for 18 years. Lighthouse Missions is seeking contributions to help provide food and clothing to individuals and families in need during the holiday season. Each year, Lighthouse Missions gives away roughly $26,000 in food during the Thanksgiving/Christmas and Easter Holidays. Read the Full Request Here

Racing Wheelchair and Enclosed Trailer
Our goal is to purchase 1 racing wheelchair and an enclosed trailer to transport our My Team Triumph race chairs to local and regional events. My Team Triumph connects children, teens, adults, and veterans with disabilities/ special abilities with able-bodied people to have a chance to compete and finish endurance running, cycling, and triathlon events. By doing this we enrich the health and well-being of individuals with disabilities/ special abilities by fostering lasting and authentic relationships through the teamwork environment. Our teams consist of a Captain and Angel. The person riding in the race chair is called a "Captain", as they are the captain of the team. The able-bodied person is the "Angel", as they are there to ensure success but unseen in the eyes of the event as they do not wear a race number so all credit goes to the captain.

Support for housing counseling for individuals in or applying for the HOST program.

Advantage Housing (AHI) is providing HOST Homes in Wabash County. HOST stands for Housing Options Short Term. We acquire properties and renovate them into efficiency apartments and family living units. These units are for the individuals in a housing crisis. To qualify for this program individuals/families are considered homeless, being evicted, not in a safe living environment or are a domestic violence victim. The housing counseling focuses on reducing or removing all the barriers to establishing a long-term residence. By far, this is the greatest help we can provide clients. The housing counseling service helps individuals build positive habits and mindsets and provides financial education such as budgeting basics. Contributions will help provide counseling for individuals in or applying for the HOST program. Read the Full Request Here