Urban League of Northwest Indiana has been serving Lake, Porter, and La Porte counties for over 75+ years, and continues to outstretch its resources to the community in the present. Through its extensive programs and scholarship efforts, the organization offers aid to its community in a multitude of avenues.
Urban League of NWI offers a variety of services to assist Region residents in need, but some of its most impactful facets lie in its programming.
There are three categories of programming available: education, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and financial literacy. Each category is anchored to the needs of the community and focuses on providing usable information and skills at a fraction of the cost.
Educational career & college programming is available for eligible students in grades eight through 12, and scholarship opportunities are provided from multiple sources to Region residents in need of assistance paying for college.
Students in eighth through 12th grades can participate in an in-person or online college career and readiness program over the course of four to six weeks, which helps students prepare for their next steps after high school. Students in 11th grade and 12th grade who are interested in pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) are eligible to participate in the NIPSCO Energy Ambassadors program, which traditionally offers a small stipend for participating. Registration will begin mid August for students in Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties.
In addition to these programs, Urban League offers over 30 scholarships from various community members and organizations for graduating seniors. Over $60,000 are awarded to students each year during a luncheon in May. This luncheon is sponsored annually by NIPSCO.
Students and parents of all grades are encouraged to attend the annual college fair hosted by Urban League in order to meet with different college ambassadors in one convenient location. While visiting one in-state college can cost parents at least a day of travel and tours; the fair gives students a chance to explore the state and beyond without leaving the Region. The Scholarship Fair will be held on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at Indiana University Northwest from 9:00 a.m., - 12 noon, located 3400 Broadway, Gary, IN 46409.
"The impact is immediate because we're giving students and their parents an opportunity to see about 60 colleges and universities in one setting and one day. If you had to take your child on a college visit to three or four colleges in the State of Indiana, the cost and time commitment can become overwhelming. When you come to our college fair, you could see five to seven colleges at one time not only in-state but also out-of-state in one setting," President and CEO Vanessa Allen-McCloud said. For those students who meet the criterial, several colleges and universities will be offering partial and/or full scholarships.
For individuals between the ages of 21 and 40 looking for ways to stay involved with professional development in youth, Urban League Young Professionals may be a fitting place to merge a love of education and growth with adulthood.
"They are an exciting group. We always need to mentor and be able to train and provide services to that age group and develop them into furthering their leadership opportunities," Allen-McCloud said.
Just as it believes education is one of the greatest tools to have, Urban League of NWI believes that financial literacy is an imperative skill as people navigate life outside of school. The organization proudly offers free income tax return preparation appointments for households earning $60,000 or less in collaboration with the Northwest Indiana Community Action Agency and the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Authority (VITA).
"If you go somewhere to get your taxes done, they're going to charge you about $200. When you come to our office, you're getting all of your money and there's no charge," Allen-McCloud said.
Urban League of NWI also equips the community with tools to educate themselves and others on DEI practices, which teaches companies and individuals ways to handle situations in the areas of racism, stereotypes, implicit bias, and harassment and teaches ways to encourage diversity in the workplace. Businesses and organizations can pay a fee to receive this professional development training, but those without proper funding can apply for a grant through the READI program and Urban League of NWI to receive the training with READI funding..
In every facet of the organization, Urban League of NWI works to better the community and bring new life and knowledge to the Region. In addition to educational and financial assistance, Urban League of NWI also provides grants for community certified block through the Federation of Block Clubs.
"A block club is simply where two or three people are gathered to say, 'This is my block, I want to clean it up and beautify it with some flowers' and other things along those lines," Allen-McCloud said.
The Federation of Block Clubs offers community members the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to $1,000 in the pursuit of beautifying or cleaning up their community. Once an application is approved, a staff member from the Urban League of NWI will meet with the community member at a local home improvement shop and guide them through necessary purchases with the approved stipend. The community members are then able to use the resources to make improvements to their block.
There's a program for everyone at Urban League of NWI, and the organization consistently works to provide more in-depth and effective programs for its community.
To learn more about Urban League of Northwest Indiana, visit urbanleagueofnwi.org.