Legacy Fund Announces Funding for Sheridan Youth Assistance Program

Will partner with Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program to support Sheridan-based at-risk youth programming with a focus on educational attainment, career opportunities

Indianapolis, IN (April 13, 2015) – Legacy Fund Community Foundation, an affiliate of Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), has awarded $12,500 to the Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program in order to expand its programming to Sheridan. The early-intervention programming was created to help at-risk youth avoid making mistakes that lead to long-term involvement in the county’s legal system. A community campaign, led by Brian Myers, president, Biddle Memorial Foundation, raised and awarded an additional $14,500 in support of the expansion.

The Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program was developed in the fall of 2009 as a pilot program in Westfield, Indiana. The program expanded to Noblesville in 2013 and Fishers in 2014. In 2012 Legacy Fund partnered with Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program as part of the Foundation’s Community Leadership Initiative, a county-wide initiative focused on youth-development. The Early Intervention Advocates in each community work under the appointment of Judge Paul Felix, Hamilton County Circuit Court and Judge Steven Nation, Hamilton County Superior Court 1.

Legacy Fund has now awarded $135,000 to Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program since 2012. “Our long-term vision and commitment is to help our county’s next generation lead more successful, productive and happier lives, and we believe the program’s expansion will help more young people do that,” said Terry Anker, president, Legacy Fund. “We are also focused on seeding effective not-for-profits such as Hamilton County Youth Assistance Program as they develop valuable community-based programs and establish self-sufficiency through them. Anker said that Sheridan’s Youth Assistance Program will begin accepting referrals in April of 2015.