24-05-2025
Crossroads announces capital grants, unification plan
ELKHART — Crossroads United Way made a pair of announcements Friday – that three nonprofits have been awarded almost $2 million in matching capital grants and that a unification with United Way of Steuben County was underway.
In announcing the grants and the unification plan, the charitable organization said it was making considerable strides in expanding and enhancing essential services across the region.
Crossroads United Way said three nonprofits have been approved for final awards from the Statewide Capital Projects Initiative at Indiana United Ways. Indiana United Ways, the state membership association for all United Ways serving Indiana counties, requires the endorsement of an area United Way to qualify a project for application.
'We are proud to have been able to leverage our name and the United Way brand to make this happen,' Crossroads United Way President and CEO Bill Purcell said. 'Thanks to this infusion of funding from our network's capital grants, our local partners will be able to construct or renovate purpose-built indoor and outdoor spaces, centralize and expand services, reduce operational costs, provide better working conditions, and ensure that people in our region have access to public transportation. We believe the three funded projects are particularly important as they focus on individuals with disabilities in Elkhart, members of the Amish community in LaGrange County and those healing from grief in Goshen.'
Details of the grants:
ADEC: Up to $318,945 has been approved for facility improvements that are critical for providing enhanced services to individuals with disabilities in Elkhart County. The planned renovations are expected to improve infrastructure, centralize service operations, and create safer, more accessible environments for both clients and staff.
LaGrange County Council on Aging: Up to $126,420 has been approved to expand and upgrade facilities to better serve the aging community, including members of the local Amish community. These improvements are designed to streamline service delivery and reduce operational costs, thereby enhancing community care.
Ryan's Place: Up to $1.5 million has been approved to support the construction or renovation of spaces dedicated to programs that help individuals cope with grief. This expanded facility will increase access to vital support.
Construction and renovations by ADEC, LaGrange County Council on Aging and Ryan's Place are anticipated to be completed this summer.
In 'equally exciting news,' the organization said, Crossroads United Way and United Way of Steuben County have taken steps to operate under a single banner.
Should the unification of these United Ways move forward later this summer, Steuben County would be served by Crossroads United Way.
Though details are being ironed out, current directors of the board for United Way of Steuben County would assume seats on the regional Crossroads board.
'When the Board at Steuben County reached out to us to discuss the possibility, we were excited but wanted to move methodically through the exploration to make sure it would be beneficial to the entirety of our footprint and especially to the folks in Steuben County,' Purcell said. 'We are still working through some steps before a final decision is made later this summer, but with leadership changes at United Way of Steuben County, the timing feels right. We look forward to keeping people updated through the coming months.'
