"Thank you all, you are helping a lot of ladies and children,” said Lisa Jordan, Vice President of Family & Youth Services Bureau, as she accepted a $50,000 Women’s Fund of Porter County grant for the Tot Shop from Impact Porter County, a women’s giving circle associated with the Porter County Community Foundation.
The grant will help the agency to continue to educate a growing number of young parents in need while also providing baby clothing, equipment and furniture through the Tot Shop program. “We served 800 families last year,” said Jordan. “With funding cuts, we were very concerned about sustaining the program. This grant will go a long way to continue our parenting education and provide baby supplies, clothing and furniture that these families would otherwise not be able to afford.”
"Family & Youth Services Bureau was one of the three grant finalists vying this year for the Women’s Fund high-impact grant,” said Joanne Urschel, Impact Porter County Grant Committee Chair. Women’s Fund grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations in support of a program serving women and children in Porter County.
The Family & Youth Services Bureau’s Tot Shop Program was established in 2003 and encourages responsible parenting by providing supplies for women and for families with infants and young children up to age 5.
Families earn coupons by completing certain activities like prenatal exams, well-baby check ups, health screenings, immunizations, parenting classes and car seat safety programs.
Then they redeem the coupons at The Tot Shop for items such as cribs, mattresses, potty chairs, baby clothes, diapers, strollers, high chairs and toys.
For more information about the Tot Shop, contact Jade Palin at 763-6623.