EVANSVILLE — Young & Established wants to offer local kids a place to enjoy the outdoors , and with help from the public, the nonprofit is on its way to making that happen.
Y&E has found a cabin on a West Side lakeside property to purchase, and has the funding in place to do so, according to its project post on Patronicity . But what the organization needs is the funding to complete renovations that would make it suit the planned needs.
That's where the community and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority's CreatINg Places program comes in.
Y&E currently has a crowdfunding page through Patronicity with a goal of $50,000. If the goal is met, the State will match that total.
The project had raised almost $17,000 as of Friday morning. The campaign will end in September.
What is the aim of the project?
Y&E was created 10 years ago as a youth mentorship program. It is run by Courtney Johnson, who is also a current member of the Evansville City Council. The organization has expanded in the last 10 years to include a food pantry program, community garden imitative and more. According to the nonprofit, its mentees are 89% Black/African American, 3% Hispanic, and 8% white, and all are a part of low-income households.
The project description states kids who live in at-risk areas may not have safe places to play, and the neighborhoods can lack green space.
"Green space has been shown to reduce mental distress, anxiety, depression, and a sense of greater well-being as well as promote physical activity," Y&E's post states, "and young people especially should have access to such environments to support their overall health and development."
Money raised in the this project will focus on:
- Cleaning the landscaping and increasing accessibility to the water
- Preparing the campsite
- Renovating the existing building to be used for free community events and activities
- Purchasing camping and fishing equipment
- Updating existing decks
- Installing an outdoor kitchen
- Furnishing the cabin
- Treating the lake
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Young & Established crowdfunding to rehabilitate a West Side campsite for Evansville youth
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