News

Thank You to the Service League of Northwest Indiana

Giving Back

A BIG thank you to the Service League of NW Indiana for their generosity and philanthropy through the local community. TradeWinds 2023 Functional Skills Camp for youth ages 13 to 17 is thankful and honored to be a beneficiary of your generous donation this year. The Service League of Northwest Indiana is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1938. At its core, the Service League is a group of women from many diverse backgrounds who look for ways to give back to our communities. They support the interests and activities of over 35 Northwest Indiana charities.

Trevor Polaski honored at Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

Outdoor beautification at Lake Station homes in August 2022.

On February 5, 2023, Trevor Polaski was celebrated with the Eagle Court of Honor in recognition of outstanding service to the community and achieving scouting’s highest rank. Trevor organized his scout troop of 32 Boy Scouts (Troop 532 of Schererville), family members and friends who worked on an outdoor beautification and landscaping project at one of TradeWinds homes located in Lake Station. This project was a group effort working over a couple of weekends in August 2022 to complete. Lisa Tatina was privileged to attend this ceremony honoring Trevor. TradeWinds and the home’s residents are very thankful for their contribution to helping beautify our home and the community.

TradeWinds Services & Franciscan Health partner in SIPP program

Working collaboratively towards meaningful and sustainable change empowers community residents to take better care of themselves and their families. The Social Impact Partnership Program (SIPP), supported by Franciscan Health, aims to improve health and well-being through partnerships with community organizations. TradeWinds was one of 57 Indiana & Illinois organizations chosen to receive this grant funding. The benefit from this community partnership program will help support children of diverse abilities in our Summer & Functional Skills camp programs and to implement a family support program with Parent Cafés at TradeWinds. Our summer camp programs provide a safe, supervised social & learning environment for children of all abilities. The campers have fun daily activities and social interaction with peers and in the community, providing stress relief and improved mental health and well-being. We are excited to be chosen again as a partner with Franciscan Health as we serve people with special needs by empowering them to realize their full potential.

Thank You S&S ACTIVEWEAR

TradeWinds was awarded grant funding from S&S Activewear to use for winter knit hats & scarves for our adults with diverse abilities. Each item was embroidered with TradeWinds logo, and every client received a hat or scarf at the holiday dinner in December. S&S Activewear is one of TradeWinds Sign Shop vendors we use for many types of clothing.

TradeWinds Recognizes Service Years

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!

"Please congratulate the following employees on their years of service at TradeWinds helping take care of our consumers. Great accomplishment! Thank you for all of your hard work." Jon Gold CEO. 45-YEARS - Nadine Jones. 25-YEARS - Wendell Deloney, Maricella Murillo-Vargas. 20-YEARS - Cathy Jenkins, Jackie Washington. 15-YEARS - Anthony Adams, Charmaine Danzy, Dorothy Wheeler. 10-YEARS - ​Aaryon Collins, Carlos Gonzalez, Melodie Hines, Lucy Rodriguez, Carolyn Sweezer, Carletta Tate, Sheri Wagster. 5-YEARS - Dawn Bryant-Caster, Andrew Castillo, Fredrick Davidson, Jonnie Dean, Nicole Finney, Stephanie Hack, Brandy James, Janet Koontz, Rene Miliner, Michelle Novak, Jeanne Painter, Joseph Wright.

Legacy Foundation partners with TradeWinds Community Pantry

to help meet food insecurity needs in our community.

TradeWinds Community Pantry received grant funding of $12,500 from the Legacy Foundation - Transform Lake County fund. These funds will help support individuals and families who struggle with food insecurity; one in six people in our community face this issue. Improving the nutrition, health & well-being of individuals & their families can help make a stronger community. The pantry is also an opportunity for situational job training for our clients and for volunteers from local community organizations and individuals to help provide a community service. TradeWinds Community Pantry is open the last Thursday of the month, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm (except holidays – see our web page for additional details). The Community Pantry is a drive-thru with workers taking orders from vehicle drivers and delivering food bags to vehicle trunks. TradeWinds Community Pantry is made possible in part by this grant from the Legacy Foundation.

Indiana Arts Commission awards grant to TradeWinds

to strengthen people with disabilities through arts and creativity.

TradeWinds is honored to be selected to receive Arts Project Support funding from the Indiana Arts Commission for the fiscal year 2023. Over the next year, arts & craft enrichment activities will help TradeWinds clients to improve functional skills and develop and express creativity. These activities are made possible, in part, by the South Shore Arts and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts. We are also excited and proud to be selected again this year as a beneficiary of the Indiana Arts Commission's Arts Trust License Plate project for Lake County. Because of this designation, TradeWinds will receive funding from the Arts Trust, supported by donations from sales of "Celebrate the Arts" license plates. TradeWinds’ program will be highlighted in IAC emails, social media, and website as an example of excellence in quality of life and the arts. Thank you to "Celebrate the Arts" license plate holders for supporting creativity in Lake County, and thank you to the Indiana Arts Commission, Governor Holcomb, Lieutenant Governor Crouch, and South Shore Arts for support of our mission.

The Big Lots Foundation

Supporting Local Food Insecurity

Thank you to The Big Lots Foundation for grant funding of $2,250 to help TradeWinds Services assist individuals in our community who face food insecurity. This grant will help support a specific group of food-insecure individuals and families with approximately 25 pounds of groceries each month. #BigLotsCares

Support for TradeWinds Community Pantry

Crown Point Community Foundation

Thank You, Crown Point Community Foundation, for the $5,000 grant awarded in September to support TradeWinds Community Pantry helping residents of Lake County who are food insecure. TradeWinds’ newest community outreach began this past June and has averaged 245 individuals / 200 families served in Northwest Indiana each distribution day. One in six people faces food insecurity daily. For over 50 years, our goal as a service agency has been to improve the health & well-being of those we serve & educate on inclusion & diversity. The pantry is an opportunity for situational job training for our clients and volunteers from local community organizations and individuals to help provide community service. With the help of the Crown Point Community Foundation, TradeWinds can do more for Lake County residents. For additional information on TradeWinds Community Pantry, visit https://www.tradewindsnwi.org/community/community-pantry/

Read More

Thank You InTRAC (Indiana Telephone Relay Access Corporation)

TradeWinds Services recently received a grant award from InTRAC to support our Deaf Services program. This funding will help with home safety, advocacy, and social activities to help enhance the quality of life for individuals who are deaf and hard-of-hearing in Northwest Indiana.