Contact: Julie Garber Julie@cfwabash.org
For Immediate Release
Date: December 14, 2020
On Dec. 10, the County Commission, officials from Heartland Career Center’s five member school corporations, Grow Wabash County, and the Community Foundation of Wabash County officially kicked off a $1 million fundraising campaign for the new Heartland Learning Center.
In 2019, Wabash County Commissioners had the opportunity to compete for a $4 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration to create a work force training center on the Heartland Career Center campus. The grant requires $1 million in matching funds from the community.
As part of the application process, HCC partner corporations secured commitments from lenders to cover the cost of the match if no charitable dollars were raised, but Commissioners, HCC member corporations, and community partners hope to raise the entire match. Already generous contributions have reduced the need to borrow and will relieve schools and taxpayers of significant debt burden. At press time, a total of $288,500 in gifts and pledges have been received to meet the $1 million match.
Mark Hobbs, HCC Director, adds, “Every dollar contributed becomes a five dollar investment in our region. There are not many giving opportunities that provide as much leverage, reduce our need to finance the project, and, thanks to the Community Foundation, are tax deductible.”
HCC plans to construct a 35,000 square foot, stand-alone building to house a work force training center for post-secondary students. The space will have benefits for high school students as well. Programs at the center will focus on healthcare and advanced manufacturing, covering a wide variety of certifications in industry.
“A dedicated adult education center would provide Ford Meter Box with a location for centralized resources & expert educators, fully equipped to meet our manufacturing training needs,” said Kelly Stouffer, Vice President of Human Resources at Ford Meter Box. “Uniform training allows us to respond to skills gaps and offer re-training or paced training to meet more learning styles. With an adult education center nearby, Ford Meter Box would be able to educate more employees and be able to offer more opportunities when only a handful of people need trained on a topic.”
With the help of the Community Foundation of Wabash County, gifts to the project are charitable and tax deductible. “On the behalf of the foundation, we are thrilled to be a part of this great opportunity that’s going to help many people throughout the region and advance talent development and skills that are available to new companies and companies that are here already,” said Patty Grant, Executive Director of the Foundation.
Gifts received on or before December 31, 2020, will be receipted for the 2020 tax year. Donors wishing to make a contribution can make checks payable to the Community Foundation of Wabash County and write
Heartland Learning Center Fund in the memo line. Drop off or mail checks to the Community Foundation, 105 West 2nd Street, North Manchester, Ind. 46962.
To learn more about this project, contact Mark Hobbs, director of Heartland Career Center by phone, 260-563-7481, extension 1227, or by email, mhobbs@hcc.k12.in.us