New Albany-Floyd County Education Foundation

The New Albany-Floyd County Education Foundation received $300,000.00 to match fund-raising efforts to help provide full-day Kindergarten for approximately 850 eligible children per year. The Educational Foundation is raising funds to cover the cost of the program for two years until it is fully funded by the state beginning in 2009. Full Day Kindergarten is essential to the successful future of children in Floyd County and the Foundation felt too many children would be left behind if they waited for full state funding. In a community committed to education, the schools will work to decrease achievement gaps that currently exist, and ensure that all our children get the best possible start for a successful life.

Rauch Autism Resource Center

Rauch, Inc. received $150,000.00 to fund an Autism resource center for families, professionals, school staff, community and ancillary staff. This is a joint partnership with BridgePointe Goodwill, where the medical clinic will be located. Rauch, Inc. in New Albany, will house other services with the Autism resource center. This three year project will address the critical needs of persons in Southern Indiana diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Guerin Woods Senior Residences

Guerin, Inc. received a major grant of $200,000 to leverage matching funds for the construction of two self-contained residences designed to provide “aging in place” opportunities for elders of southern Indiana. The residences will be a home-based model rather than an institutional facility. It will be built at Guerin Woods, a 15 acre development for senior citizens that adjoins the Providence House for Children campus at Georgetown.

BridgePointe Services and Goodwill Industries of Southern Indiana Community Center

BridgePointe Services and Goodwill Industries of Southern Indiana received $400,000 in December 2007 to help fund the construction of a community center that will house a “social service campus” as well as several non-profit organizations. The building will provide a home for the Pediatric Services, Children’s Academy, Youth Programs, Career Services, and administrative offices. This is part of a major capital project for BridgePointe as they rebuild from the fire which devastated their Goodwill Industries store and relocate all their services on a single campus.

Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center

The Falls of the Ohio Foundation received $150,000 in December 2007 to use for the redesign and planning to replace the 13-year-old exhibits at the Interpretive Center. The project will update current exhibits with state-of-the-art displays in line with contemporary museum practices for the 21st century student, family, and visitor. It will emphasize the immersive experience and be interactive to engage the thousands of visitors who attend the exhibits annually.

Cardinal Ritter Birthplace

Cardinal Ritter Birthplace Foundation received $200,000 in December 2007, to complete the internal renovation of space to preserve the birthplace of Cardinal Joseph Ritter and to house charitable service providers. Cardinal Joseph Ritter, a New Albany native, was a national leader in school integration long before it became law. It will also provide a community center for non-profit services to serve the families that live in the east side of New Albany.

St. Mary’s Church, New Albany

St. Mary’s Church in New Albany received $200,000.00 in December 2007 to match funding for the restoration of the historic steeple. Added to the church in 1865, the steeple has long been a landmark of the city’s skyline.  Due to damage from the elements and time, the steeple needs major repair or it will have to be removed.  The 1858 church building is the only example of basilica style church architecture in New Albany.

Indiana University Southeast Library

The Indiana University Southeast Library in New Albany received a grant award in October 2006 in support of the Indiana University Southeast Library Campaign. The funds will be used to support the purchase of library materials, (printed and electronic books and periodicals, electronic information resources, maps, audio visual materials and appropriate materials in other forms which may emerge in the future), library equipment, and to sponsor cultural and educational programs related to the Library’s mission.

With the completion of the new $14.5 million Library facility with $2 million in furnishings and equipment, the Southern Indiana community and especially the students at IU Southeast realized what a treasure this recourse is to the entire community. The Caesars Foundation of Floyd County grant will help ensure this gem will remain state-of-the-art. The lobby entrance and Board Room will be named in honor of the Foundation for the gift. The grant will be paid over a five year period.

Children's Hospital Foundation

Children’s Hospital Foundation of Louisville, received a $500,000.00 grant award in support on the of the Children’s Hospital Foundation Capital Campaign in March, 2006. Kosair Children’s Hospital serves thousands of Floyd County Children and families through various services each year. There is a strong physician and employee base from Floyd County.

Being the place for primary children’s health services for our community, it made sense for Caesars Foundation to join the Children’s Hospital Foundation as they embark on a $60 million goal to upgrade facilities, develop research, and provide clinical support. The Special Procedures room in the Neo-natal intensive care will be named in honor of the Foundation for to gift. The grant will be paid over a five year period.

Community Montessori Charter School

The Caesars Foundation of Floyd County recognized the educational impact the Community Montessori Charter School will have on the Floyd County by presenting a major grant for $135,000 to help furnish classroom equipment for the students and faculty in their new school.

Community Montessori is a public charter school which has leased facilities in Floyd County. As the school enrollment grew, so did the need for a permanent home more conducive to the Montessori style of education. Private funding built the school, and the Foundation provided funds for classrooms. The Foundation will provide support to Community Montessori by helping purchase the necessary learning materials and equipment needed for the new classrooms and equipping student, family and staff areas.

Community Montessori was founded in 1997 with a passion to establish more school choice in our community. In 2002, the school became an Indiana charter school through Ball State University. Since its inception, Community Montessori has experienced tremendous growth, with enrollment exceeding 350 students for the 2006-07 school year. Community Montessori is the first charter school in Indiana to find funding for and build its own facility, and in September 2004, broke ground on Phase I of an educational environment that will expand to accommodate 600 children maximum, ages 3–18, by 2010. This educational environment has been purposely designed for children and their development and lends support to an educational philosophy that is conducive to academic confidence, positive risk taking, and empowerment.

The mission of the Community Montessori Charter School is “Respecting Children. Engaging Families. Encouraging Thoughts. Embracing the Community.”

Providence Retirement Home Activities Center

Providence Retirement Home of New Albany received a major grant in February 2006 to complete the construction project for the Fellowship Hall and Activities Center. The grant will be paid in three installments over three years. The Caesars Foundation of Floyd County recognizes the quality care Providence Retirement Home provides its residents by presenting a grant for $900,000 to help finish construction on their new $1.7 million dollar community and activity center.

Providence Retirement Home, a Floyd County not-for-profit, has long been recognized for the exemplary care given to those in need of their services. At the time of the award, they provided care for 186 residents and adult day care participants and there is always a waiting list.

The community and activities center is a 12,000 square foot addition designed to accommodate functions for residents, staff and the community at large. The hall also includes a kitchen, serving area, storage, and much needed office space to free up additional rooms for residents. The facility will be named in honor of the Foundation for the gift.

Greenway Project

In March 2004, the Board of Directors of the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County awarded a grant for funding to begin the Greenway project in New Albany.

The grant will leverage matching state and federal funding to further design, develop, and construct the Greenway project for the City of New Albany.

The Scribner Place Project

In the fall of 2002 the Board of Directors of the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County made a commitment to fund the Scribner Place Project. In doing so, the Foundation intended to enhance the public health and welfare in the City of New Albany, Floyd County and South Central Indiana, by pledging and dedicating funds for a period of twenty years to assist the city and the YMCA in acquiring land and building a downtown complex.

The Foundation recognizes that completion of the possiproject will provide these benefits by creating jobs, investment and positive economic impact through South Central Indiana, and the availability of the YMCA programs for the youth of the New Albany, Floyd county and South Central Indiana.

The Division Street School Project

On December 1st, 2003, the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County awarded a $200,000 grant to the Friends of Division Street School.  The funds will be used to restore the school as a learning laboratory and a Floyd County African-American museum dedicated to the historical perspective represented by the Division Street School as one of the oldest examples of segregated schoolhouses still remaining in Indiana.

From 1885 until 1946, a two-room schoolhouse served the educational needs of African-American students in New Albany's east end.  In 1946 the school closed and the children were transferred.  The school was then used as a maintenance shop by the school corporation until it was vacated in 1999.  Friends of Division Street School, Inc. was organized in 1998 to protect and preserve the school's history for generations to come.

Now, in combination with other funds raised by the Friends of Division Street School, Inc., Foundation funding of this project will provide the ability to restore a turn of the century schoolhouse and create a museum that will enable the general public and schoolchildren to be educated about the history of Division Street School.