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

‘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

• 2021: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding, matching funds
• 2020: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding, transportation support

Mission

Child Advocates focuses on transforming the child welfare system by addressing the significant gaps and barriers that prevent children from experiencing stability in a safe and permanent home and reaching their full potential.

Overview

A long-time leader in protecting and promoting the well-being of youth in Indiana, Child Advocates core programming includes the Child Permanency Program, the Direct Representation Program, the Department of Mental Health & Addiction’s High Fidelity & Wraparound program, and a comprehensive menu of legal services that are designed to provide support to children, caregivers, and Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA programs) throughout the state in resolving legal issues and advocating with the Department of Child Services (DCS) to resolve issues that prevent a permanent placement.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2021: Program support for the Direct Representation program
• 2020: Program support for the Youth Advocate program

Mission

The Dove Recovery House is committed to empowering women to become substance free, self-sufficient, and healthy, by providing safe housing, quality programming and above all hope for their future.

Overview

Dove House is the largest transitional housing and recovery program for women in Marion County serving 40 women each night and more than 80 women annually. Dove House’s model offers a comprehensive continuum of services including housing, counseling and trauma therapy, case management services, recovery programming, life skills and job readiness classes, nutritious meals, parenting classes, and family reunification services. These services are offered at no cost to women and are designed to support them on their recovery journey from the moment they contemplate treatment, achieve recovery, and transition to independent living. The organization’s comprehensive continuum of care and ability to offer services at no cost is what sets Dove House apart from other treatment providers. Dove House is a leader in the field of recovery and our proven model maintains a high success rate with over 70% of women successfully completing our residential program.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2021: Pilot program support for increased access to mental health services for the children of Dove House clients

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

• 2021: Core Operating/Unrestricted Funding
• 2020: Program & Capacity Building Funding

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

Mission

IBCF invests in children with visual impairments so each child will thrive in school and in daily life.

Overview

The Indiana Blind Children’s Foundation (IBCF) is a philanthropic foundation that supports the unique work and programs of the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ISBVI). The Foundation was formed in 1993 by staff, community members, and parents of students at ISBVI as a separate 501 C-3 non-profit organization. IBCF raises additional funding for the needs of approximately 450 students from ages 3 to age 22 impacted by ISBVI each year. Since its inception, IBCF has focused on raising money to support academics at ISBVI. Over the course of time, IBCF has extended its focus to impact all facets of the students’ intellectual, social, and emotional lives. To help children impacted by ISBVI thrive and be successful, the IBCF Board of Trustees and staff designated five areas on which to focus fundraising and visibility efforts: arts and music; assistive technology; career development; family engagement; and health and wellness programs.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2021: Program support for the ‘Nothing About Us Without Us!’ digital awareness and education campaign led by students to educate the community about the abilities of individuals with visual impairments.

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

Mission

MCCOY champions the positive development of youth through leadership on key issues and support of the youth worker community.

Overview

MCCOY is the lead on systems-level youth work in Marion County. It has several programs that do the following: train youth workers, elevate youth voices, engage in public policy, lead on youth employment, and manage a Youth Activity Directory.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2021: Program support for youth trainings and program supplies

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

• 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
• 2020: Support for the launch of the Miami Village Community Center

Mission

To stand in the gap for vulnerable populations while empowering youth to actively transform their communities.

Overview

Founded in 2010, ProAct brings together organizations in the city – helping groups cross social, racial, and economic boundaries – through meaningful, human-centered service projects and social equity training. Providing innovative and unique programs and services to our community, ProAct intentionally connects schools, businesses, and nonprofits to empower youth and serve the community. ProAct has engaged over 25,000 Indianapolis residents in human-centered social action through it’s “ProAct Community” model which addresses poverty and prevents or reduces societal issues and racism by breaking down silos among the education, nonprofit, and business sectors through intentional community engagement. This work helps amplify youth voice and community action.

Arthur Dean Family Foundation Funding

• 2021: Program support for the school-based, Kids in Action program for Marion County youth
• 2020: Program support to expand the ProActive Communities model to three Marion County Townships