Each fall, RCCF awards grants from our Field of Interest Funds. These funds were established by donors to support a particular cause such as autism, education and hunger to name a few. They offer a flexible option to support the community in the ways that matter most to you.

Learn more about the current Field of Interest Funds or make a donation today.

The 2020 awards total $22,992.45 and will do so much good work for our community. This wouldn’t happen without the generosity of our fund founders and donors like you – THANK YOU!

• Hope Center’s “I Decide for Me” program empowers students with truth, facts and medically accurate data on sexual health to help them achieve healthy lifestyles and relationships. Approximately 200 students at RCHS will participate. Rush County Education Fund: $545

• Milroy Elementary is looking for creative ways to help its students engage in physical activities. A flat screen TV, wireless microphone headset and portable speaker will help modernize the experience for students. With outdoor instruction and physical distancing in use, students will be able to see and hear the programming more effectively. They will also learn resources they can use to help keep them active while at home or in the event of distance learning. These tools will also help open up future possibilities with new interactive technologies. While P.E. is only held two days per week at Milroy, this allows other teachers to make use of these resources in their classrooms as well. Rush County Education Fund: $1,200

• Rushville Consolidated High School and Rush Memorial Hospital have teamed up to help student athletes reach their potential with the LionStrong Nutrition program. Each Wednesday in the half hour between the end of classes and the beginning of practice, a dietitian from RMH will teach students the importance of good nutrition. Some of the topics to be covered include: proteins, hydration, portions sizes, healthy fats, meal planning and more. A healthy snack will be provided. This program is open to all students, not just athletes, and will support 100-150 youth. Rush County Youth Athletic Fund: $355.53

• Rushville Elementary School West wants every child to succeed. Flexible seating helps students with autism, health impairment and learning & emotional disabilities remain focused on the lesson at hand. Having several different options of seating allows kids to find just the perfect fit, including the option to stand. With nearly 17% of the 136 students currently enrolled in 4th-6th grades at RESW diagnosed with one of these conditions, these options will make a positive difference for many kids now and many more in the future. Alex Workman Memorial Fund: $2,310

• Rob and Angie Workman know the deepest of pains. They lost their son, Alex, unexpectedly at age 8. They also understand the challenges faced by families dealing with autism, like Alex did. They turned their grief into a way to help others. The Alex Workman Memorial Fund is one of the few at RCCF that offers support to individuals directly. One Rush County family will receive assistance to help their son, deal with many physical and behavioral challenges he experiences daily. The support they receive will be used to cover the cost of bi-weekly osteopathic manipulations not covered by insurance that help regulate him so he can feel better and just be an energetic and bubbly five-year-old. Alex Workman Memorial Fund: $1,680

• The Rush County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) uses the Nature Center behind Rushville Elementary School East and West to develop an appreciation for the conservation of nature and agriculture. Funds will be used to organize the storage shed; create a locked space to safely store chemicals used only by adults; and buy tools like gloves, shovels, rakes, soil testers and more for students to use. Plans for agricultural education include planting popcorn, which will teach students how to test and amend soil and conduct genetics, mass, matter and other scientific experiments. Rita Yager Memorial Ag Grant Fund: $1,901.92

• Rush County Community Assistance (RCCA) offers food assistance to 400 families each month, including seniors age 65+. A gallon of milk is included with each visit or when food is delivered by RCCA or Meals on Wheels volunteers. A staple that many take for granted, this milk is one way RCCA continues to support its clients with healthy options. Helen and Jim Ewing Fund to Help the Elderly and Feed the Hungry: $2,500

• Gleaners Mobile Food Pantry helps serve Rush County’s most vulnerable residents. According to Gleaners, 23% of seniors report skipping one or two meals a week due to lack of food or money. The mobile pantry provides food including fresh produce to families once a month in Rush County. With 3,150 (18.8%) of our residents having been determined to be food insecure and the onset and continuation of the pandemic, this number will likely rise and the need increase. Any funds not needed by the mobile pantry will be allocated to the Milroy Community Food Pantry. Helen and Jim Ewing Fund to Help the Elderly and Feed the Hungry: $12,500