Read more in Nosotros Magazine

The ceremony began with an introduction by NI Executive Director, Keith Speaks. The contests were sponsored by a Foundations of East Chicago (FEC) grant. NI has been doing improvement, decorating, and landscaping contests since 2001 and has hosted more than 30 contests with nearly 4000 participants in the cities of East Chicago, Hammond, Highland, Calumet City and Burnham.

Read more in Northwest Indiana Times

EAST CHICAGO | – An initiative to target unemployed city residents and provide them with job skill development and employment placement opportunities was announced Thursday at Ivy Tech Community College.

Put East Chicago Back to Work is an initiative developed through a partnership with Foundations of East Chicago and Holistic Community Coalition, a locally-based nonprofit organization designed to address the disparity of underserved communities.

“It’s a pretty comprehensive program that’s aggressive, sustainable and measurable,” said the Rev. Darnell Johnson, CEO of the coalition and pastor of the nearby Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church. Johnson said the initiative will give participants a more sustainable and better quality of life.

“It’s something that’s actually going to catapult our participants into career paths,” he said. “Ultimately, we’re not just looking at job placement; we’re also concerned about job retention. We have empowered ourselves to place individuals in real-time job opportunities.

Partners in the initiative include Ivy Tech, Lake County Community Corrections, Indiana Plan, North Township Trustee, Disposal Alternative Organization and Mission of Jesus Christ.

Foundations of East Chicago is providing a $240,000 grant for the initiative’s first year of a three-year implementation plan that has a capacity to offer customized training to 240 local residents.

“For us to invest $240,000 for the first year of operation of this and to hear there is potentially 240 people who will be gainfully employed from the results of this — the math works out pretty good,” Foundations Executive Director Russell Taylor said.

Ivy Tech will provide all of the training on a short-term timetable and get participants certified through its Corporate College program. Johnson said residents then can be placed in jobs with companies that are actually hiring for the skills they’ve been trained to receive.

Ivy Tech Vice Chancellor Louis Gonzalez said the initiative is a renaissance for the city. “In my opinion it’s going to be a turning point for East Chicago,” he said. The first training module of the initiative will begin at the end of November.

East Chicago residents who want more information can call (219) 354-0249, ext. 16, and ask for Sophia Williams.

Click here for instructions how to apply.

“Restoring funding and the receipt of the escrowed funds ensures the long-term viability of the Foundations, enabling us to continue fulfilling our mission to serve the citizens of East Chicago,” said Russ Taylor, Executive Director of the Foundations.

The Foundations also recognize the leadership of Mayor Copeland in finalizing an agreement that should allow millions of dollars to be invested in the City that were tied up in bank accounts during the litigation. Under the settlement, the City will also receive millions for economic development that previously would have gone to East Chicago Second Century, Inc.

The City and the Foundations agreed to split evenly future payments of riverboat revenues. The now-resolved disputes between the Foundations and the City entailed three lawsuits, with several appeals to the Indiana Supreme Court.

The Foundations is a non-profit corporation created when gaming came to East Chicago. Its predecessors were created through a citizen task force deliberation that determined that a portion of gaming revenue needed to be distributed outside the governmental processes. Due to its private, nonprofit status, the Foundations serves a vital community role which supports worthy organizations that government cannot, such as local religious institutions. It can also make investments that government cannot, enabling it to create an endowment for future use – likely to be especially important given the possibility of further casinos in Illinois.

For more information, please read this story from the September 15th edition of Northwest Indiana Times:
Gaming Commission Approves Settlements in E. C. Lawsuits