HFL Announces Second Round of 2025 Grants, Surpasses $50M Invested in La Porte County

Health Foundation of La Porte (HFL) is excited to announce its second round of 2025 grants awarded. In this round, HFL has awarded 43 grants totaling $2,310,943, which brings HFL’s total investment in the community since 2017 to more than $50M!

“Since our first grants in November 2017, we have had the privilege of collaborating with dedicated partners throughout La Porte County working to make this a healthier place to live,” said Eric DeWald, HFL President & CEO. “We are so grateful to all of our nonprofit and governmental partners working together on the community conditions that affect our health. We look forward to the next $50M invested in our community!”

This year, HFL accepted grant applications addressing strategic priorities (Healthy Children, Healthy Living, and Healthy Minds) and Healthy La Porte requests on a rolling basis from January through June. The first round of 2025 grants awarded was announced in June and can be viewed here.

View the 2025 Round 2 grants awarded below.

Healthy Children – 6 Grants Totaling $511,816
Dunebrook: Public Education Program - $103,464
Dunebrook: Healthy Families La Porte County - $201,627
Family Advocates: Youth & Family Mental Health Initiative Year 2 - $93,725
Leadership La Porte County: Youth Program Support - $15,000
NWI Food Council: FarmHer to Mama - La Porte County - $73,000
Women’s Care Center: Expanding Access to Critical Services for Moms and Babies - $25,000

Healthy Living – 15 Grants Totaling $1,420,121
City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department: Activity Center for Older Adults 2026 - $52,413
Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee, Wills Townships: Food Pantry - $5,000
HealthLinc: Food as Medicine La Porte County - $117,510
Homeward Bound: Karwick Village Phase 1 Expanded Scope - $340,000
La Porte Community School Corporation: Health Careers - $600,000
Nest Community Shelter: Operational Capacity Building Initiative - $150,000
New Hope Missionary Baptist Church: New Hope Food Pantry - $7,500
North Central Community Action Agencies: Weatherization Deferral Program - $15,000
Northwest Health – La Porte: Direct Patient Assistance - $30,000
Paladin: Health Equipment - $9,277
Sacred Heart Food Pantry at St. Mary’s: Food Pantry Assistance - $10,000
The Salvation Army: Client Choice Food Pantry - $20,000
Shirley Heinze Land Trust: Boardwalk Replacement at Wintergreen Woods - $23,421
Social and Learning Institute: Health & Wellness Program - $15,000
Town of Trail Creek Parks and Recreation Board: New Playground at Nelson Park - $25,000

Healthy Minds – 8 Grants Totaling $118,303
Amber's House: Women's Program - $25,000
The Dunes House: Nine Bed Scholarship - $23,640
The Intrepid Phoenix: Fitness Program for Recovery from Substance Use Disorder - $9,963
La Porte County Drug Free Partnership: Building Community Capacity to Address Substance Use and Positive Mental Health - $10,000
Northwest Health – La Porte: Perinatal Bereavement Program - $4,700
Samaritan Counseling Centers: Helping Our Staff to Help Our Neighbors - $10,000
StRides Against Suicide & Overdose: Scholarships for Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment - $10,000
Swanson Center: Compassion in Crisis: Strengthening Mental Health Response - $25,000

Healthy La Porte – 14 Grants Totaling $260,703
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Gary: Save Haven Homeless Prevention - $25,000
Center of Workforce Innovations: English as a New Language Classes with a Health and Wellbeing Component - $22,671
City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department: Downtown Ice Rink 2025-26 - $10,000
City of La Porte Park and Recreation Department: Summer Nature Camp - $5,500
La Porte County Emergency Medical Service: High Functioning Training Mannequin - $18,665
La Porte County Health Department: Stop the Bleed - $25,000
La Porte County Public Library: Promoting Literacy through Community Outreach - $15,000
Long Beach Volunteer Fire Department: CPR/AED Training Program - $4,304
Lubeznik Center for the Arts: Public Art Liaison to Build Capacity - $25,000

Noble Township Volunteer Fire Department: Lucas Chest Compression System - $25,000
Paladin: Unreimbursed Medical Expenses - $25,000
Purdue Northwest Sinai Forum: 2025 Season - $25,000
Reins of Life: Facility Improvements - $24,145
Save the Dunes: Bloom Where You Are: Finding and Creating Nature Connections - $10,418

What’s next for HFL grants?
HFL continues developing our new strategic plan, a process that began in fall 2024. Currently, we are conducting research to inform strategy development for our three focus areas: Attainable Housing, Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL), and Mental Health & Substance Use. Results will be shared with the community in late 2025.

For now, mark your calendar for February 1, 2026. This is when HFL’s Healthy Community Fund, which will include mini grants up to $5,000 and small grants from $5,001 - $25,000, will begin accepting applications on a rolling basis.

Additional information about grant opportunities with HFL will be published when available on HFL’s website at https://www.hflaporte.org/grants/. Subscribe to HFL’s monthly e-newsletter, Changemakers Chat, at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/E8e0Olb/HFL to receive updates and deadline reminders throughout the year. You can always email contact@hflaporte.org with questions.