2026 Grant Awards & Project Summaries
2nd Quarter
Miami County YMCA
$17,234
Core Public Health Service Area:
Access and Linkage to Clinical Care
Project Summary:
Transportation to Clinical Care for Low Income Residents
The Miami County YMCA Transit Program will provide reliable transportation services for in-county medical trips at no cost to Miami County residents who have no other means of transportation.
1st Quarter
Purdue Extension-Miami County
$15,052.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
Food as Medicine
In partnership with Purdue Extension, four different programs will take place; Steps to a Healthy You, Teen Cuisine, Dining with Diabetes, and Junior Master Gardeners Summer Camp.
Steps to a Healthy You is a 4-week program for referred patients who have a chronic disease that would benefit from a plant-based diet, such as a Mediterranean Diet. This program will focus on a Mediterranean lifestyle and will include weekly take home food boxes to replicate the recipes demonstrated. Each participant will be enrolled in an email-based walking program, Get WalkIN which encourages participants to get active outside of the class. This program will be offered once in the Spring and once in the Fall.
Teen Cuisine is a 7-week program for students that will be hosted at Peru High School. This program will include weekly hour-long sessions, along with interactive cooking demonstrations. Each participating student will receive a food box to take home to recreate the recipes they made during class.
Dining with Diabetes, is a 4 week program for referred patients who are diabetic or pre-diabetic. This 4-week program will consist of weekly food boxes combined with evidenced-based nutrition education focused specifically on the disease and adapting lifestyles to better manage. Each participant will also be enrolled in an email-based walking program, Get WalkIN. This program will be offered in the Fall.
Junior Master Gardeners Summer Camp
Junior Masters Gardeners is a program that is designed to establish in kids a desire for learning, success, and community service through gardening education. Student will learn about planning and planting a garden, how to maintain and how to harvest, and how to cook the foods you have grown yourself and the nutritional value. Produce grown in the learning garden largely gets donated to local food pantries.
2025 Grant Awards & Project Summaries
4th Quarter
Miami County YMCA
$28,096.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
Livestrong at the YMCA
An evidence-based program that helps adult cancer survivors reclaim their health and well-being following a cancer diagnosis. The program includes cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and balance and flexibility exercises all facilitated by YMCA certified instructors. Three 12-week sessions will be offered. Participants will be provided a free family membership to the YMCA while in the program and an additional six months of membership upon completion of the program.
3rd Quarter
None
2nd Quarter
Maconaquah Middle School
$28,567.61
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
In partnership with Maconaquah Middle School and Purdue Extension, four different student initiatives will take place; Student Pantry, Indoor and Outdoor Recess Carts, Hydroponics Towers, and Gardens.
The Student Pantry will provide food and hygiene items for students. As Maconaquah Middle School will be able to serve each individual student, they will have the opportunity to help them choose components to make complete meals and discuss cooking skills as well as nutrition during this one-on-one time with students. Recipes will also be available to send home with students.
Indoor and Outdoor Recess Carts will be created to provide a variety of activities to engage all students and keep them actively connected to one another.
Hydroponics Towers will be used to teach students about growing their own food. The harvest will be integrated into Farm to School already within the cafeteria as well as the student pantry.
Raised garden beds and apple trees will be used to give students hands-on instruction in more traditional ways of growing food. This harvest will also be integrated into the cafeteria and/or student pantry.
1st Quarter
Purdue Extension
$18,610.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
In partnership with Purdue Extension, three different programs will take place; Food as Medicine, Steps to a Healthy You, and Teen Cuisine.
Food as Medicine is a 16-week program, which will consist of 8 weeks of produce boxes combined with nutrition education, including 4 weeks of Eat Smart, Move More and 4 weeks of Dining with Diabetes. Each participant will also be enrolled in an email-based walking program, Get WalkIN.
Steps to a Healthy You is an 8-week program for referred patients who have a chronic disease that would benefit from a plant-based diet, such as a Mediterranean Diet. This program will include 5 weeks of produce boxes with nutrition education and 3 weeks of produce only boxes with written education included within the weekly boxes. Each participant will be enrolled in an email-based walking program, Get WalkIN.
Teen Cuisine is a 7-week program for students that will be hosted at Peru High School. This program will include weekly hour-long sessions, along with interactive cooking demonstrations. Each participating student will receive a food box to take home to recreate the recipes they made during class.
2024 Grant Awards & Project Summaries
4th Quarter
North Miami School Corporation
$10,900.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Student Health
Project Summary:
North Miami staff will complete Professional Development training through Playworks and purchase play equipment to implement their training. This training will help North Miami create a place on the playground for every child to feel included, be active, and build valuable social and emotional skills. North Miami will also collaborate with Purdue Extension on additional programs or systems to incorporate into the school day for optimal physical activity for students.
Grant Awards & Project Summaries
3rd Quarter
North Miami School Corporation
$6,625.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Student Health
Project Summary:
- In partnership with Purdue Extension, North Miami Elementary will implement an Edible Education program on a monthly basis within their Kindergarten classes whereas a book will be read by the teacher and then students will assemble a crockpot recipe that relates to the book. Students will be able to taste their recipe and perhaps try a food they have not eaten before.
- In partnership with Purdue Extension, North Miami Elementary will purchase active and inclusive game stencils to be painted on their playground to encourage students to be active during recess, especially when weather permits them from utilizing playground equipment.
- In partnership with Purdue Extension and North Miami FFA, children will help build raised garden beds and will plant and harvest produce. All harvested produce not used for programming will benefit either the school food pantry or the Macy Food Pantry when school is not in session.
Maconaquah Middle School
$1,500.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Student Health
Project Summary:
Implement an evidence-based mental health program for students and other tween/teens within the community, which is a cognitive behavioral approach to teaching students’ skills they can use for a lifetime.
Grant Awards & Project Summaries
2nd Quarter
2025 Grant Awards & Project Summaries
Indiana Health Centers, Inc.
$6,350.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
In partnership with Purdue Extension, a program will take place, which aims to support healthy behavior change among patients with lower incomes and a chronic disease risk, such as diabetic or prediabetic.
Miami County 4-H Youth Council
$3,530.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
Blender Bike will be used by Purdue Extension staff for nutrition education at schools, famers markets and county fair.
Dukes Memorial Hospital
$11,000.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Tobacco and Vaping Prevention Cessation
Project Summary:
In-person smoking cessation classes for Miami County residents whereas methods and techniques through a comprehensive, cognitive, and behavior-oriented program are provided to support individuals.
Miami County YMCA
$2,330.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
In partnership with the Purdue Extension Master Gardeners, raised garden beds will be installed at the YMCA, where students will harvest produce from the garden. Produce will be used during Cooking Club lessons, to introduce students to new recipes and cooking skills. Nutritional education will be provided to participants.
Miami County Chamber of Commerce
$5,900.00
Core Public Health Service Area:
Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction
Project Summary:
Children will participate in a health activity each week at the Farmers Market to obtain Sprout Bucks to spend at any vendor to purchase fruit, vegetables or an edible plant.