We Believe in East Chicago

We Believe in East Chicago

Town Meeting Held to Update Community

The Foundations of East Chicago held a Town Meeting on Thursday August 6 to keep the citizens of East Chicago up to date on our activities. The meeting presentation included:

  • Recognition of our 2009 Scholarship recipients
  • Assessment activity to advance our Strategic Plan
  • Review of the work of our Collaborative Network Grantees

There was also a Community Expo with many agencies providing information about their agency and the programs they offer.

The Foundations of East Chicago believe that no single person or organization has all the answers. We need to work together to find the best solutions to our problems. Our limited financial resources cannot solve community concerns alone; we hope to engage our citizens in a process to heal the community. We are bringing together resources and agencies to find the best practices to resolve major issues through participation.

Please continue to check our website for future events.

View the entire FEC Report: A Collaborative Approach to Improve East Chicago.[PDF - 1.07MB]

Foundation’s Strategic Plan Becomes an Active Tool for Grantmaking

Since adopting our Strategic Plan in January 2008, citizens and agencies have worked with the Foundations of East Chicago to advance the plan’s positive impacts in the community. A Town Meeting scheduled for August 6, 2009 will update the community on how the Strategic Plan is helping the Foundation, nonprofit agencies and government agencies work together to improve our city.

The Strategic Plan is divided into the following topics:

  • Past and Present — Foundation’s history and Overall Strategic Planning Process
  • Critical Priorities — Foundation’s Vision Statement, Mission, and Top Priorities addressing Education and Public Safety
  • Other Priorities — Youth Development, Family Support, Health, and Financial Independence and Community

    • Development

  • Goals and Strategies — Grantmaking, Building Community Capacity, Measuring Impact, Broadening Respect, Strengthening Partnerships, Leveraging Resources and addressing Operation and Governance issues

Click this link to read the Strategic Plan [PDF - 626K] in its entirety.

Historic Perspective

January 2008 marked the beginning of using the Foundation’s Strategic Plan as a means of focusing grant dollars on critical issues. In March 2008, 50 residents and 110 grantees reviewed and discussed the Strategic Plan. The document below summarizes the evening.

FEC Report: Town Meeting Concerns (March 11, 2008) [PDF - 198K]

About Us

Foundations of East Chicago were conceived by the citizens of East Chicago to be independent, citizen-run, private foundations funded by East Chicago’s local casino. The Foundation supports churches, schools, and nonprofit organizations that know the community best and put grant dollars where it does the most good.

The Foundations of East Chicago is committed to improving the lives of every resident of our city. Since 1997, we’ve given more than $26 million in grants and scholarships to benefit the community, through local churches, government, schools, and community organizations who work to make our area a safer and healthier place to learn and live.

Board of Directors

  • Nadyne Kokot, President
  • George Weems, Vice President
  • Pete Smith, Secretary
  • Dr. James Rajchel, Treasurer
  • R. Louie Gonzalez, Member

Staff

  • Russell G. Taylor, Executive Director
  • K. Tyrone Spann, Director of Programming
  • Rosa M. Peña, Director of Administrative Services
  • Janet Wozniak, Program Manager
  • Almeta Williams, Administrative Assistant
  • Evelyn Goins, Secretary
  • Raquel Avila, Information Officer

Foundations Financial Reports

Other Documents

Newsletters of the Foundations of East Chicago