Past IFBC Award Winners
2012
Winner ($1,500 award)
TEAMwork for Quality Living
Delaware County
TEAMwork for Quality Living is a grassroots nonprofit organization that matches trained allies from the middle class who serve as intentional friends and accountability partners to families living in poverty in Delaware County. Each small group, led by the person leaving poverty, focuses on developing plans for education and employment and moving toward life goals.
Finalists ($400 award)
Silver Lining Opportunity Store
Blackford County
Families earn Silver Lining coupons when they participate in family-oriented programs, such as Born to Learn, Healthy Families, WIC, Extension and Early Head Start. The coupons are then redeemed at the Silver Lining Opportunity Store for children's items. The store is funded through grants and donations and is run by volunteers.
Club Exito (Esperanza En Jesucristo Ministries)
Johnson County
Club Exito is an ESL Family Literacy Program for Spanish-speaking families in Johnson County. Once a week, a bus picks up families from their homes and takes them to school so they can read or do homework with their children while volunteers assist. Additional volunteers organize activities for toddlers during this time. After the homework session, children participate in volunteer-led games, songs and reading while parents have an English lesson taught by an ESL teacher and a health lesson taught by a registered nurse. Families end the session by sharing with each other what they have learned.
2011
Winner ($1,500 award)
Early Childhood Alliance
Northeastern Indiana
Book Buddies, an early literacy program by Early Childhood Alliance that serves six Indiana Counties, is the recipient of the 10th annual Purdue University Inspiring Families and Building Communities Award. Book Buddies is a program developed by Early Childhood Alliance that serves DeKalb, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Noble, Steuben and Whitley counties. In the past 10 years, more than 1,500 families have participated in the program. Book Buddies offers opportunities for children, ages 3-6, to develop reading, writing and language skills. It also provides resources to parents on how to nurture those skills in the home. Recently, the program began focusing on outreach to the Burmese population in the Fort Wayne area. During the Book Buddies program, the children learn reading and writing skills needed to enter school. The Book Buddies staff also works with the Burmese parents to better prepare them to nurture these skills in their homes. Book Buddies meets monthly from September through May.
2010
Winner ($1,000 award)
Heart House, Inc.
Southeastern Indiana
In 1998 Heart House Inc., was formed to investigate the prospect of building a shelter in Southeastern Indiana for homeless individuals and families with children. By 2002 a 60-bed shelter serving five southeastern counties was opened providing a safe haven where the families and individuals could reorganize their lives and learn the life skills needed to return the homeless to their communities as productive citizens. Since 2002 almost 1,700 homeless people have stayed at the shelter, about 400 being children. Residents are required to take classes in budgeting, money management, nutrition and parenting in order to prepare for self-sufficiency. Residents who are employable are required to find jobs and retain them. A case manager helps with educational needs and all children attend school. In 2009 the employment rate of those in the shelter who were employable was 68%, an incredible number in the current difficult economic conditions.
Finalists ($500 award)
Esperanza Ministries
Greenwood, Indiana
Esperanza Ministries has been serving the Greenwood, Indiana area for five years. From a vision to facilitate integration of the Hispanic community members settling in the area by coming along side Greenwood and other cities in Johnson County that were being affected by this migration, Esperanza has grown from a Homework Club program and interpreting for parent teacher conferences, to a comprehensive resource for the community. They are very unique to Johnson County in that they are the only organization targeting the educational and medical needs of the Hispanic population in Johnson County.
Family Matters
Posey County, Indiana
Starting in 2009, after receiving over 1,200 calls from Posey County residents, Family Matters started their mission learning about the needs and services in Posey County, listening to individuals and families in the community, linking families with agencies and organizations, and leading the way in responding to the needs of Posey County. They have enabled individuals and families to improve their quality of life by building local assistance and promoting community cooperation. One of their focuses was to promote safe sleeping environments for Posey County infants in response to a Federal report that identified Indiana as a state with one of the highest infant mortality rates in the nation, particularly southern Indiana. The Family Matters efforts were evident in 2009 when zero infant deaths, attributed to SIDS, were reported.
2009
Family Enrichment Series
Right Relations, Inc.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
The program helps parents build and maintain stable relationships with each other and their children. Press Release
2008
Ready or Not, Here I Come!
Partnership for a Healthier Johnson County
Franklin, Indiana
The program provides prenatal education and resources to pregnant teenage, uninsured, or underinsured women in their first trimester to promote a healthy pregnancy. Press Release
2007
Family Preservation Program at the Indiana Women’s Prison
Indianapolis, Indiana
The Indiana Women’s Prison is fostering a connection between the incarcerated mothers and children through a children’s center located inside the prison and a summer camp program. Press Release
LEAP (Literacy Empowering and Advocating Project) of Noble County
Albion, Indiana
Through LEAP, students of all ages can receive one-on-one homework help and tutoring, adult learners can earn a GED in English or Spanish, and parents can attend early childhood education and parenting classes. LEAP also provides a quality after-school program. Press Release
2006
Scott County Partnership, Inc.
Scottsburg, Indiana
Scott County Partnership, Inc. is a community-based organization that helps families with activities and education, and provides assistance to those in need. The organization also created the Family Resource Center that offers programs for children, and the Scott County Clearinghouse, which houses a food pantry, crisis assistance, and a community thrift store. Press Release
2005
Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center Inc.
Indianapolis, Indiana
The Fathers and Families Resource/Research Center serves more than 300 young fathers a year by providing parenting classes, job assistance, and education. Press Release
2004
Newton County Step Ahead/Kindergarten Family Fun Night
Morocco, Indiana
The Dubois County Family Festival
Jasper, Indiana
2003
DIPLOMAS: In-School Child Care Program
Richmond, Indiana
DIPLOMAS is an in-school child care program for teen parents. This program provides affordable, developmentally appropriate child care for the children of teen mothers, enabling them to attend high school full time. Press Release
2002
Hilltop Neighborhood House
Valparaiso, Indiana
Porter County Hilltop Neighborhood House (HNH) was founded in 1995 to meet the urgent need in the Hilltop neighborhood for quality childcare, accessible and affordable health care, and assistance in developing self-sufficiency. It also operates a volunteer-run food pantry and conducts associated programming for children and youth. Press Release
For more information, contact:
Denise Buhrmester, Chair
HHS/Inspiring Families and Building Communities Award
Stone Hall, Room 110
700 West State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2059 Phone: (765) 496-3663
E-mail: dmbuhrmester@purdue.edu