Hoosiers help raise $352,000 for newly unemployed

Hoosiers all over the state (individuals and businesses) opened their hearts and wallets to help their neighbors in need. And, although the grant application period for matching funds has now ended, you can always make a donation to The Salvation Army online, anytime here.

Our partners donated generously across the state. Here’s how it broke down by county:

• Anderson / Madison County: $6,000
• Kokomo / Howard County: $9,000
• Marion / Grant County: $10,581
• Muncie / Delaware County: $9,200
• Richmond / Warren County: $500
• Terre Haute / Vigo County: $9,000
• Indianapolis / Marion County: $7,340
• Statewide other: $77,970

“Doing the Most Good” with your support

Everywhere you turn there’s talk of the economy – who’s cutting jobs, who’s being bailed out, who’s profitting and who’s not. But who’s helping, really HELPING who? Maybe the government – to some extent. More often, it’s the non-profits and their communities meeting the needs. But with so many organizations out there, how do you know where to give and who’s doing the most with what you’re able to give?

We realize we’re just one of the thousands of options out there. In fact, the number of charities and non-profits INCREASED by more than 5% in each of the past two years – to nearly 1.2 million in 2008! With so many choices (and good causes), it’s important that you know that “doing the most good” for our neighbors in need isn’t just a slogan at The Salvation Army.

Efficiency and effectiveness make it possible for more than 84 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army to be used to provide assistance to those who are struggling. In 2008, through the support of our partners here in Indiana, The Salvation Army…

• served 66,392 people by providing shelter and care
• provided 192,937 meals
• gave winter coats to over 4,000 kids through Coats for Kids
• played Santa to over 900 families through our annual Toy Shop
• assisted 1,286 people with substance abuse care
• sent 546 at-risk youth to summer camp
• shipped nearly 7,000 care packages to our troops through Operation Compassion
• provided $2.5 million in assistance as well as 10,000 meals and 4,000 clean-up kits to Indiana flood victims

We appreciate the vital role our partners play in keeping our doors open and the assistance available. Right now the need is greater than it has been in some time (go here to help). But, Hoosiers have been generous no matter how turbulent the economy has been.

Thank you for your continued support! It’s amazing how much we can do when we work together.

Give help, hope to newly unemployed

The ability to provide for our families is not something we should take for granted. Many of our fellow Hoosiers are struggling to make ends meet in light of rising job loss in our state. So much so that we’re expecting an additional 15% increase in requests for assistance this year due to unemployment alone.

So to continue “doing the most good”, The Salvation Army’s Midwest Headquarters has reallocated some endowment funds to make $3.45 million available in what we’re calling Hoosier Help for Hardship grants. Through this program, your neighbors in need will be able to get assistance with utilities, housing expenses and groceries.

But, in order to receive one of these $18,000 grants, each community must raise a $9,000 match of funds for a total of $27,000 of available assistance. And here’s how you can help.If just 900 of us could give at least $10 each, we’ll make our $9,000 match goal! Read more