Porter County Community Foundation Awards Over $250,000 to Local Community Organizations

VALPARAISO, IND. — The Porter County Community Foundation (PCCF) awarded $257,479 in grants to 33 local nonprofit organizations as part of the 2026 Spring Community Fund grant cycle.

The following organizations and programs are receiving funding:

• The Caring Place – $10,000 to increase survivor safety through trauma-informed partnership with local law enforcement
• Daybreak Shelter – $10,000 to expand a volunteer‑driven transportation program
• Dunes Learning Center – $10,000 to support hands-on environmental STEAM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics)
• Hebron Country Pantry – $10,000 to replace aging refrigerators and freezers
• Humane Indiana – $5,000 to help establish a Wildlife Resource and Intake Center
• Humane Society of Hobart – $5,000 to support care costs for Porter County animals
• Lakeshore Public Media – $8,484 to improve radio broadcast delivery capabilities
• LaSalle Council, Scouting America – $5,000 to increase access to scouting for Porter County youth
• Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department – $10,000 to improve safety with the purchase of task-appropriate gear
• Living Hope Community Church – $10,000 to create a commissary kitchen for Community Change Center’s Fresh Starts Food Truck
• Memorial Opera House Foundation – $5,965 to enhance technology for a more seamless experience for patrons, donors, and team members
• Mental Health America (MHA) of Northwest Indiana – $10,000 to integrate mental health care and support into the Mothers & Babies program
• Moraine House – $4,500 to upgrade kitchen appliances
• Ogden Dunes Volunteer Fire Department – $4,570 to purchase specialized fire equipment for incidents involving electric and hybrid vehicles
• Opportunity Enterprises – $10,000 to support Camp Lakeside, a summer day camp designed for children of all abilities
• Pines Fire Department – $5,800 to enhance safety with the purchase of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
• Portage Recovery Association – $10,000 to support the transformation of their community-based 12-Step substance recovery and mental health facility
• Porter County Aging and Community Services – $10,000 to provide short-term support to Porter County residents facing unexpected crises
• Porter County Parks Foundation – $10,000 to support completion of a playground at Sunset Hill Farm County Park
• Porter County Public Library System – $10,000 to support safety with the addition of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) at all Porter County Public Library branches
• Porter County Special Olympics – $10,000 to expand access to year-round bowling for Porter County Special Olympics athletes
• Project Neighbors – $10,000 to increase organizational capacity and better serve residents with a secure maintenance shed
• Rebuilding Together Duneland – $5,000 to improve the safety and livability of homes for low-income residents
• Rebuilding Together Hebron – $5,000 to complete repair projects that help low-income homeowners stay in their homes
• The Salvation Army of Northwest Indiana – $10,000 to support food pantry equipment upgrades
• Shirley Heinze Land Trust – $1,160 to support professional development and training
• Sleep in Heavenly Peace – $4,000 to build beds for 25 children who do not have one
• South Shore Performing Arts – $8,000 to replace essential South Shore Brass Band equipment
• Agnes Adult Day Service Center – $5,000 to replace leaking and corroded sinks and faucets
• United Way Northwest Indiana – $10,000 to support volunteer mobilization for high-impact service projects and enhance year-round engagement
• Valparaiso Parks and Recreation Foundation – $10,000 to support creation of an infant and toddler play zone at Kirchhoff Park
• Valparaiso Police Department – $5,000 to provide car seats and child passenger safety education
• VNA Hospice NWI – $10,000 to expand and strengthen support for grieving children, teens, young adults, and their families through the VNA Phoenix Center
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These grants are possible because of the support of philanthropic community members who have given to the Porter County Community Fund or made unrestricted gifts to the Foundation since 1996.

The application for the next grant cycle will open July 1. The deadline to apply is August 15, 2026, at noon. More information is available online at PCCF.gives.