Mission

The mission of the Asante Art Institute of Indianapolis is to cultivate global citizens through the arts.

Overview

In 1990, the Asante Children’s Theatre (ACT) was birthed as a place where youth (ages 10-18-year-olds) could achieve self-confidence with cultural pride. After 31 years, we are now the Asante Art Institute of Indianapolis, Inc. under which ACT continues and where two other branches now exist. They embody what has occurred organically throughout the life of the organization. The Artreprenuerial Incubator is where, through our existing College Connection initiative, we intentionally reexamine the intersectionality of theatre and other industries. It is a system for youth and adults to develop the essential skills and knowledge necessary to be change agents and leaders as global citizens. The Community Connection program is where we preserve and promote African-centered sacred art, create intergenerational scholarship, and arrange community gatherings that foster change in thought and deed for tackling pertinent societal issues. Our mission is to cultivate global citizens through the arts.

Previous Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2021: Program support for Zora’s Daughters’ creative writing and character-development program, Program support for Prep4Life Upperclass youth development program
• 2020: Program Pilot support for Zora’s Daughters’ creative writing and character-development program

Mission:

To provide youth with opportunities that bend the arc of social justice in their direction.

Overview:

Aspire Higher Foundation works with Indianapolis based youth by providing educational, technical, economic, social and sports programming to enhance their experiences and successes in life – all while developing a sense of community.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding:

• 2022: Program Support towards Safe Spaces to Play & Learn
• 2023: Program Support towards Safe Spaces to Play & Learn
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2024: Unrestricted Operating Support
• 2025: Unrestricted Operating Support
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support

Mission:

Providing safe, educational and positive atmospheres where youth can prosper and reach their full potential.

Overview:

When the school bell rings for the end of the day, many Indianapolis youth are left with few options for positive after-school activities. Some are at home with no adult care or supervision, not because they do not have great caretakers, but because caretakers must work long hours to support their families. Young people need to know that someone cares when guardians cannot be there.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding:

• 2023: Program Support

Mission

‘The Center’ conducts its own youth programs, and catalyzes partnerships with other youth-serving organizations and ministries to give young people opportunities to thrive regardless of background, personal struggles, obstacles, and support.

Overview

The Center for Whitley County Youth’s mission is to provide developmentally intentional connection and supports that help young people thrive. Connection happens in family-like environments with peers and adults where young people feel a sense of belonging, care, challenge, and support in times of struggle. Supports fill gaps where young people lack basic and developmental needs, as well as opportunities for them grow in skills, character, knowledge and experiences that help shape their ability to contribute to their own future and their community.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2020: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2021: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2022: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2023: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2025: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support

Mission

The mission of the Felege Hiywot Center (FHC) is to guide urban, suburban and second-generation immigrant youth to transform their communities, their environment and themselves.

Overview

Through its agriculture-based STEAM program, FHC engages students from early grade school beyond high school and into careers in educational enrichment and servant leadership. FHC acknowledges that many of the students in the neighborhood are unfairly disadvantaged when it comes to educational opportunities. With that awareness in mind, FHC leverages its role as a longstanding non-profit to best help those students. Through summer programming focused on STEAM+, year-round mentorship, employment training, and community engagement, FHC opens up a world of new possibilities for these young students to elevate the neighborhood in which they live.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2022: Program Support: STEAM Education growth
• 2021: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2020: Program & Capacity Building Funding
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support

Mission:

To arm young girls with life skills that will help them to be successful in school, have positive social interactions with their peers, and boost their self-esteem to create a positive self-image.

Overview:

Girl Talk Inc. is a newer non-profit that serves primarily Black girls, with comprehensive mentorship programming that provides young girls with the skills necessary to build healthy relationships, maintain a positive self-esteem, navigate conflict resolution, and other core life skills.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding:

• 2022: Programmatic Support – Empowering & Employing Youth
• 2023: Programmatic Support – Empowering & Employing Youth
• 2024: Programmatic Support – EmPowerHer Academy of Excellence
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2025: Programmatic Support
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support

Mission

To inspire all girls to be strong, smart and bold.

Overview

Girls Inc. Indy helps participants to explore and celebrate their strengths, their voices, who they are today, and who they will become, ensuring they grow up healthy, educated, and independent. Girls Inc. Indy offers empowering, comprehensive programs at partner schools and at the Girls Inc. Indy office, allowing participants to experience a linear pathway of education and personal development from age 6 to 18. In addition to attending Summer Camp (ages 6-14), participants may begin with Girls Inc.’s Outreach Program (grade 3), transition to EmpowerHubs (grades 3-8), and end with the Young Women in Leadership (YWIL, grades 9-12) and/or Eureka! programs (grades 8-12), enabling the deepest possible impact on their growth and development.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2021: Program support for EmpowerHub services in Marion County schools.
• 2022: Program support for EmpowerHub services in Marion County schools.
• 2023: Program support for EmpowerHub services in Marion County schools.
• 2024: Capacity Building Support.
• 2024: Program Support for EmpowerHub services in Marion County schools.
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support.
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2025: Core Operating/Unrestricted Support

Mission:

To create safer spaces to foster community and provide programming that empowers LGBTQ+ youth and magnifies their voices.

Overview:

IYG programming revolves around building community, developing leadership qualities, and increasing self-esteem and self-efficacy. Programs include: basic needs services, educational support, case management, and more!

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding:

• 2022: Programmatic Support: Independent Living Skills Program
• 2023: Programmatic Support: Independent Living Skills Program
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2024: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2025: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding

Mission

The mission of KDO is to positively impact the lives of all children through joyful dance programs that inspire excellence, instill confidence, encourage teamwork, and applaud persistence.

Overview

KDO provides accessible, high-quality dance and arts education programs to Indianapolis children. KDO’s philosophy centers on the belief that the arts have the unique power to ignite curiosity in learning in all children regardless of background, race, or ability and motivate them toward excellence. The organization offers many accessible programs through Fall, Spring and Summer sessions that include: In-school programs, Scholarship programs, the Dancers with Disabilities program, Summer programming and special events including KDO Community Days and the KDO Event of the Year. To date, more than 17,000 children have experienced the arts’ transformative power through KDO’s innovative programs – different from a dance school – programs are free for every child.

Previous Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2022: Program Expansion Support
• 2023: Program Expansion Support
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2024: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2025: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support

Mission:

To support all adults, youth, and marginalized communities, transcending language barriers to transform lives and bring about lasting change.

Overview:

Founded by Guatemalan-born artist and welder, Consuelo Lockhart, the Guild provides equal access and education to support low to moderate-income adults and youth in skilled trades and industry certifications.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding:

• 2023: Core Operating / Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Core Operating / Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2025: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support

Mission

To provide shelter to the homeless, to assist them in obtaining and keeping a job, to provide classes on budgeting, self-sufficiency, nutrition, parenting, and self-esteem to enable clients to become fully functioning members of the community.

Overview

Mission 25 provides the following programs and services to meet their mission of providing a pathway for recovery, prevention and transition, as well as meeting their vision to foster long-term success for those served:

1. Shelter Services – A Transitional Shelter certified as a Level III Recovery Residence being a 32-bed facility serving single men, women and single moms and their children. Within shelter services, Mission 25 provides case management, financial case management, child case management, employment case management, and therapeutic services through individual counseling and groups. Everything within shelter services is developed per the individual, allowing Mission 25 to develop individualized pathway goals which are evaluated weekly and new pathway goals are developed every 3 months. Priority Areas Are: Recovery, Prevention and Transition
2. Outreach Case Management – Mission 25 provides outreach case management with those who complete Mission 25 shelter services. Case managers work with the individual on pathway goals, their budgeting, recovery, financial stability and their continued self-sufficiency. Priority Areas Are: Recovery and Prevention
3. Miami Village Community Center (MVCC) – Mission 25’s outreach location within the Miami Village Mobile Home Park – feet on the ground in one of the communities within the county with the highest rate of criminal activity, drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse and neglect and domestic violence. Currently, MVCC provides out-of-school programming for school age children who live within the mobile home park. The Mission 25 team works to develop trusting and impactful relationships with those who live in the mobile home park. Priority Areas Are: Recovery and Prevention
4. Supportive Housing – Mission 25 owns 3 properties within Whitley County to allow for supportive housing when completing Mission 25 programming (a sixplex, triplex and a quad – 13 individual units total). This is a new program for Mission 25. Having supportive housing will allow for Mission 25 to journey with individuals in their pathway of stability and economic self-sufficiency with staff providing ongoing case management to ensure employment and financial stability remains a priority, along with their mental wellness and recovery journey. Priority Areas Are: Recovery, Prevention and Transition.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2020: Support for the launch of the Miami Village Community Center
• 2021: Support for a second year of youth development and out-of-school time educational services and two-generation programming at Miami Village Community Center
• 2022: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2023: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund support
• 2025: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support

Mission

Overview

To increase diversity in science and aquatics, with the goal of increasing marine conservation efforts.

Sea Scope Inc. exists to help all people of various ages in the areas of mental health and awareness, as well as self-esteem and self-direction. Scientific education, marine conservation, and aquatic skills development (swim and scuba diving) amongst underrepreented minorities and disadvantaged youth are a hallmark of Sea Scope programs. Within the sciences, the corporation’s focus is to educate in the specific disciples of Chemistry, Optics (and other Physics), Physiology, and Environmental Sciences.

Previous Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding:

• 2023: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2024: Staff Renewal Fund Support
• 2025: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2025: Staff Renewal Fund Support