Innovation grants will help Central Indiana kids

Hopelessness can be seen in the eyes of a hungry child. It's evident on the face of a homeless youth.

In Indiana and in the United States, 22 percent of children live at or below the poverty level, defined as $23,550 a year for a family of four. In Marion County, that number is 30.1 percent.

The high poverty rate means physical deprivation for children, according to Bill Stanczykiewicz, president and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute. Kids are much less likely to have a stable home, a family doctor, a nurturing relationship with a teacher, close friends and enough food to eat.

But equally important is the "emotional destitution" that sets in when kids don't have access to the services and relationships they need.

"It's the hopelessness that develops — that sense of fatalism — that is much more difficult to address," Stanczykiewicz said. "We can do food drives and provide vouchers for services, but the biggest challenge is restoring that sense of hope and belief in opportunity."

Star Media's Our Children Our City campaign aims to restore some of that hope and help make better lives for thousands of local children.

You've given your time, talent and treasure to support the Our Children Our City initiative, which last year merged with The Star's Season for Sharing holiday fundraising campaign. Together, we've raised more than $500,000 over the past few years to support agencies that give children the chance for a better future.

In a move to inspire more creative approaches to problems facing today's youth, we are announcing our first innovation grant program.

We want to use some of the money raised during the fund drive to encourage innovation and creativity in the nonprofit sector. We hope to bring attention to unsung programs or smaller agencies that are quietly making an impact in our community.

If you know of a 501(c)(3) agency that has an innovative idea to help kids, or if you think your organization has an existing program that qualifies, download an application and submit it by March 31 to be eligible for up to $25,000 in grant money.

Once all applications are in, Star Media's Community Engagement Committee members will select the finalists, which will be announced April 26.

That's where we need readers' help.

We are asking you to weigh in on a winner. Up to $25,000 will be awarded to the people's choice winner; an equal amount will be awarded to an applicant selected by the Community Engagement Committee.

Voting for the people's choice winner will open April 26 and close May 3. Winners for both grants will be announced May 10.

Call Star reporter Maureen Gilmer at (317) 444-6879. Follow her on Twitter: @MaureenCGilmer.