Englishton Park Summer Camp Receives $130,600 to Sustain Youth Programs and Build Organizational Capacity

Enhance its operating funds, while growing its fundraising capacity

Lexington, Ind. – Indiana Youth Institute (IYI) has awarded Englishton Park Summer Camp a grant totaling $130,600. The funding will help Englishton Park Summer Camp strengthen programs serving young people in central and southeastern Indiana, and build the organizational capacity needed to deepen its impact over the next several years.

IYI made the grants in connection with Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana (SYPI), an initiative Lilly Endowment Inc. launched in 2023. The initiative seeks to help youth-serving organizations working throughout the State of Indiana improve their abilities to promote the academic, physical, and social well-being of young people, ages five through 18.

With this support, Englishton Park Summer Camp will enhance its operating funds, while growing its fundraising capacity. In addition, Englishton Park will complete its next tri-annual impact study, which evaluates the success of the Englishton Park program. The next impact study will be completed in summer 2027 and will analyze the program and the impact on campers in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

The grant is expected to help the Summer Camp program meet its historic five-part purpose to:

· Improve academic skills.

· Change attitudes toward learning.

· Have the children experience success in school-type activities.

· Modify behavior interfering with learning.

· Train future educators, counselors, and psychologists (the summer camp staff) in valuable methods which they can successfully utilize when working with children who display special academic, emotional, and/or behavioral needs.

“We are grateful for this investment in Englishton Park’s Summer Camp, and in the young people we serve,” said Larry Truax, Executive Director of Englishton Park, Inc. “This grant will allow us to strengthen the systems, programs, and partnerships that help youth who attend our special Summer Camp thrive in school.”

Englishton Park Summer Camp is one of 168 youth-serving organizations awarded SYPI grants in 2026, which total more than $40 million. A full list of grant recipients is available at iyi.org.

About Englishton Park Summer Camp

The Englishton Park Summer Camp is a 10-day residential, overnight, summer camp program for at-risk girls and boys, aged 8-12 in June and July each summer. The children, ages 8-12, who come to Englishton Park may present a learning disability, an emotional disability, or a diagnosis of ADHD, anxiety, and/or mild depression. Many of the children have experienced adverse childhood events and trauma. Children are referred by classroom teachers, school counselors, school administrators, private mental health professionals, and agencies like DCS. Children who present IEPs are accommodated. Children are placed in small groups of seven to nine children. The staff ratio is 1:3 (staff to children). The staff members utilize cognitive behavior modification strategies such as positive verbal and physical praise, a daily reward system, modeling, and frequent positive behavior support. Our approach is focused on removing obstacles which hinder grade-level appropriate achievement. Learn more at the Englishton Park Summer Camp website at englishtonpark.com

About Indiana Youth Institute

Indiana Youth Institute’s mission is to improve the lives of all Indiana children by strengthening and connecting the people, organizations, and communities that are focused on kids and youth. IYI is Indiana’s premier source for high-quality data on child well-being and data-informed action to address challenges Hoosier children face. It leads the FIVE by 50 vision as a connector and convenor to ensure that every child will have a network of five caring, supportive adults in their life by the year 2050. Visit iyi.org to learn more.

About Lilly Endowment Inc.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private foundation created in 1937 by J.K.Lilly Sr. and sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion. Although the Endowment maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana, it funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. To learn more about the Lilly Endowment, Inc. visit lillyendowment.org.