(La Porte, IN) - La Porte played host to dozens of philanthropy leaders from around the state this week.

 

The Indiana Philanthropy Alliance held a two-day board meeting here in La Porte. The IPA represents foundations and grantmaking institutions that invest over $2 billion annually. It’s the first time the group has chosen to meet in northwest Indiana. Unity Foundation of LaPorte County and the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte hosted the meeting. They made use of the Healthcare Foundation’s new conference center on East Shore Parkway.

 

IPA Board Chair Maggi Spartz of Unity Foundation expressed her excitement, saying, "Through our collaborative efforts, we have witnessed tangible change and progress, and we are eager to share these inspiring stories with our esteemed colleagues from across Indiana." Maria Fruth of HFL and IPA board member, added, "We are delighted to host the IPA Board meeting at HFL Conference & Learning Center. This is a great opportunity to welcome members from throughout the state and showcase the philanthropic work in our community.”

 

On Wednesday, participants visited the Michigan City area. Stops included the future site of the large-scale multi-use facility at You Are Beautiful property, the Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Washington Park Zoo, the NIPSCO coal generating station, Mount Baldy at Indiana Dunes National Park, the STAR Center-- a cutting-edge nonprofit co-working space-- and Michigan City's portion of the South Shore Double Track project.

 

On Thursday, they turned their attention to La Porte and lived the lake life. Attendees explored a variety of HFL-funded Healthy Living projects, including the Chessie Trail, Stone Lake Beach with its accessible kayak launch and new beach access mat. They also visited Unity Park, a two-acre park on Pine Lake, dedicated in 2016 as a gift to the City from the Unity Foundation of La Porte County.