Foundation announces recipients of Pillar Awards on National Philanthropy Day
At the annual Festival of Philanthropy, Hamilton County Community Foundation, part of the Central Indiana Community Foundation philanthropic collaborative, celebrated the work of over 50 not-for-profit organizations with a showcase and also awarded three not-for-profit audiences selected Pillar Award grants. During the event, presented by Samerian Foundation, attendees interacted with the many different organizations committed to serving the communities of Hamilton County and then voted for their choice to receive a gift of $5,000 made possible by Pillar Sponsors: Ivy Tech Community College of Hamilton County, United Way of Central Indiana and Aspire Indiana Health.
The Pillar Award winners are:
- Agape Therapeutic Riding cultivates personal growth by strengthening the mind, body, and spirit through unique horse-assisted experiences. In 2021, Agape served 1,369 individuals through 6,928 lessons.
- Brooke’s Place provides support groups, therapy services and education to empower children, teens young adults and their families to thrive in the midst of grief. 1 in 7 children will experience the death of a parent, sibling or close loved one by age 20. In 2021, 2,708 individuals received grief support and education through Brooke’s Place.
- Fueled for School strives to eliminate hunger among Hamilton County students by providing food-insecure youth with nutritious meal packs, promoting the educational value of nutrition, increasing access to local food, and instilling hope. In doing so, Fueled for School ensures that food relief has a more meaningful, sustainable impact for undernourished students and local producers.
“We were so excited to be back at the Ritz Charles this year to celebrate more than 50 not-for-profits serving Hamilton County and making transformative changes throughout our community,” said Tom Kilian Jr., president of Hamilton County Community Foundation. “The highlight of the evening was the announcement of our pillar grant awards! Thanks to the support of our pillar sponsors and voting from Festival attendees, three not-for-profits serving Hamilton County have some additional unrestricted operating funds to support their incredible mission work.
Hamilton County Community Foundation’s vision is to build a community where opportunity meets growth for everyone, and philanthropic efforts support not-for-profit organizations doing vital work to make Hamilton County a better place for everyone to live, work and connect. The foundation focuses on three initiatives that overlap and influence each other—mental health, family and youth empowerment and inclusive economic growth.
Since it was established in 1991, Hamilton County Community Foundation has invested over $95 million in initiatives and organizations throughout the county.
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