Outfitters Board of Directors Vice President Jen Harris, Executive Director Carrie Bale and Board Chairman John Lord pose for a photo at a luncheon in Muncie last week during which it was announced Outfitters would receive $10,000 in grants from Heart of Indiana United Way.
Submitted
PENDLETON — Outfitters Inc. — the Pendleton-based non-profit that provides clothing to children in Madison County — will receive $10,000 in funding from Heart of Indiana United Way after being selected as a two-year grantee in its latest funding cycle.
Outfitters will receive $5,000 per year for the next two years, which will enhance the organization’s clothing distribution efforts, Outfitters Executive Director Carrie Bale said in a press release.
“We will be able to partner with, create and stock a closet of gently used clothing in Northern Madison County,” Bale said.
The grant cycle is competitive.
Heart of Indiana United Way’s region includes Delaware, Henry, Fayette, Madison and Randolph counties.
“We are immensely grateful for this opportunity to partner with Heart of Indiana United Way, which will enhance our capabilities to support families and children across Madison County,” Outfitters Board Chairman John Lord said in the release.
Outfitters was started as a mission from Pendleton Christian Church in 2000 to provide back-to-school clothing for low-income children in the South Madison Community Schools district.
In 2005 Outfitters became a nonprofit agency and has grown to now serve all of Madison County. Outfitters provides sneaker vouchers, new socks and new underwear during the back-to-school season as well as one week of gently used clothing for every child in the household under the age of 18.
Families register online to come and shop at the Outfitters store, 880 S. Pendleton Ave.
In 2023, 1,800 children were provided clothing throughout the year.
For more about Outfitters and its mission, visit outfittersclothes.org/.
Heart of Indiana United Way was established in July 2021 with the merger of United Way of Madison County (which also served Fayette County) and United Way of Delaware, Henry & Randolph Counties.
The agency aims to improve quality of life in the five-county area by engaging people and organizations to advance education, financial stability and access to quality healthcare.
