News

Whole Kids Foundation Garden Program

Supporting Health & Well-being

Thank you to the Whole Kids Foundation for the grant funding that will help provide learning experiences for our Functional Skills campers with mild to moderate disabilities (age 13-18) - helping build a new organic garden area at the front grassy section of our building. This project gives hands-on activities as they assist with developing this new garden into a teaching space for all TradeWinds participants of varied abilities - growing healthy foods and learning about nutrition & conservation. We plan to include vertical growing space, rain barrel water conservation, & plants to attract butterflies. These activities will aid in skills retention, personal growth for greater independence, physical activity, an “I can do it” attitude, lessons learned for improved nutrition, and life lessons, including teamwork, diversity, inclusion, & acceptance.

Crown Point Community Foundation

Grant Support for TradeWinds Community Pantry

Thank You to Crown Point Community Foundation for supporting TradeWinds Community Pantry, serving Lake & Porter County residents who need a helping hand due to food insecurity. This grant funding will help hundreds of local families and provide additional hands-on training and community interaction for TradeWinds program participants with varied abilities. This partnership strengthens the CPCF mission: Enriching the quality of life in South Lake County and TradeWinds goal: to improve the lifestyle, health, and well-being of those we serve and to educate on inclusion and diversity.

Strack & Van Til CheckOut Challenge “Round-Up”

Thank You for Supporting TradeWinds Services

Thank you, to the customers of Strack & Van Til Food Markets for your compassion and generous support raising $23,388, during the “Round-Up for TradeWinds Services” from July 10 to 23. These funds will help support so many programs at TradeWinds - such as Childcare and Summer & Functional Skills Camps for children of all abilities; and for our adults with developmental & physical disabilities - including Adult Day Activity & Training Program; Transitional Vocational Training, Pre-Vocational Training in Industries/Production, Sewing Manufacturing & Sign Shop; Employment Services for community employment; Respite services for families; and Deaf Services advocacy & Sign Language classes. Presenting the "BIG" check are (left to right) - Jeff Strack, President & CEO of Strack & Van Til Food Markets, Lisa Tatina, Director of Development & Marketing and Jon Gold, CEO of TradeWinds Services, and Dave Wilkinson COO of Strack & Van Til Food Markets. And a “VERY BIG” THANK YOU to all the hardworking cashiers who helped make this possible, your support in this campaign will make a life-changing difference for TradeWinds children and adults with varied abilities. Congratulations to the top 3 cashiers: Large Tier Stores - Kenna Katona of the Schererville store, Medium Tier Stores - Mandy Moses of the Cedar Lake store and Small Tier Stores - Ava Sabaitis of the Lowell store.

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.