Press Release
Champions for a Safe Community
Boys & Girls Club of Muncie
CONTACT: Melinda Stanley, 765-254-3978

Champions for Safe Community awards $132,000 in 2016

Champions for a Safe Community Wednesday announced its cumulative funding to 17 East Central Indiana community nonprofits totally just over $132,000 for all of 2016. The news came at the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie, Champion’s operating and fiscal partner.

“The scope of work and programs supported include such things as providing programming, services, and activities that support the prevention of violence as well as the protection and care of victims of violence; educational workshops on community peace building, race relations and preventing school violence,” said Jeff Howe, President of the Northeast Region of Old National Bank.

“Champions” is funded by Old National Bank community events including 100 Men Who Cook, as well as 100 Men Who Golf and Just Desserts. Learn more information at muncie100menwhocook.org

“These are the kinds of partnerships that have enduring meaning,” said Juli Metzger, past president for the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie. “Champions for a Safe Community and Boys & Girls Club of Muncie are natural allies in the fight to give kids more opportunities to succeed in life.”

Recipients of 2016 funds included:

  1. A Better Way Services Inc. – for programming, services, and activities that support the prevention of violence as well as the protection and care of victims of violence.
  2. Muncie Unity Center – for new program to reduce gun violence.
  3. Ball State University Center for Peace and Conflict Series – for two-day conference related to peacemaking and peace building
  4. BY5 Early Childhood Initiative – for a14-week family skills training intervention program aimed at strengthening parenting and family functioning.
  5. Southside Middle School Panther Pantry – for weekend food assistance to students in need
  6. Southside Middle School Panther Pantry – for funding for Panther Café, a bi-weekly program for Special Education students that teaches students important life skills.
  7. Muncie Black Expo – for a Teen Empowerment Summit, “A Call to Nonviolence.”
  8. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware County – for mentoring match program
  9. Inside Out Community Development – for hot meals program that feeds 100 children for one month
  10. The Muncie Action Plan – for “Facing Racism,” a project that will explore the impacts of racism and the meaning of race in peoples’ lives.
  11. Teamwork for Quality Living – for programming for children of the families served.
  12. Unity Center – for ongoing program to prevent gun violence
  13. Harvest Soup Kitchen – for the purchase of new tables and chairs
  14. Whitely Community Freestanding Food Pantry and Grocery Store – $6,000 – for the purchase of equipment necessary for start-up project
  15. Boys & Girls Club of Muncie – for a weeklong intensive leadership development course
  16. Second Harvest Food Bank – for establishment of food pantries in seven East Central Indiana schools.
  17. Ross Community Center – for work with children grades 1-8 to develop conflict resolution skills
  18. Youth Opportunity Center – for the purchase of a kitchen steamer
  19. Boys & Girls Club of Muncie – for ongoing work to fulfill after school programming for children and teen-agers.