ECUEA Programs
ECUEA Sponsorship Program
In our mission to better serve the East Chicago community, and in line with our mission and vision, ECUEA has launched a new venture to assist East Chicago community improvement efforts by awarding sponsorship donations.
Sponsorship applicants must be East Chicago residents or organizations, with sponsorship donations being awarded in 2025 and 2026.
Get applications and details here…
Kennedy Manor Developments I & II – 3rd District of Calumet
In November, 2024, the City of East Chicago broke ground for the new Kennedy Manor Developments I and II in the 3rd District of Calumet. This project was developed for the City of East Chicago in a collaboration between ECUEA, the East Chicago Department of Redevelopment, and the East Chicago Housing Authority (ECHA).
Attractive, modern, single and duplex units are under construction or have already been completed by means of this $1.3 million development project. These new homes will provide safe, high-quality, and affordable East Chicago housing options. Existing East Chicago homeowners will benefit from increased real estate values and these improvements could spur new enhancements throughout the city.
Over the past two decades, the East Chicago Urban Enterprise Association has undertaken a variety of community revitalization initiatives focused in four areas:
- Physical Infrastructure
- Education
- Employment
- Community Building
- Business Support
PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS HISTORY
Over the past two decades; the East Chicago Urban Enterprise Association has undertaken a variety of community revitalization initiatives focused in four areas: physical infrastructure improvement, education, employment, and community building. Programs supporting physical infrastructure include demolition, brownfield redevelopment and City of East Chicago Infrastructure Assistance.
Recognizing the importance of education to economic success the ECUEA created the East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy. The East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy is a kindergarten through 8th grade public charter school which prepares students to be productive citizens in the global economy. The Academy is one of the ways the ECUEA supports education. Other initiatives have included traditional and non-traditional scholarships and Back-to-School Fairs.
To assist with the transition from school to career and to support those already in the labor force, the ECUEA provides incentives to Enterprise Zone businesses for creation of jobs and has connected employers and employees through job fairs and the City of East Chicago Summer Employment Program.
Finally, community building is essential to successful economic development and ECUEA programs such as down-payment assistance, residential home improvement, mortgage reduction, self-sufficiency training, Thanksgiving and Christmas give-ways deepen community connections and support the needs of those residents facing economic and financial challenges. Children’s Halloween Parties and Spring Flower give-ways have also kept ECUEA connected to the Enterprise Zone community.
ECUEA has funded and partnered with the following organizations to assist in making East Chicago a more viable community:
- Revitalization of New Addition
- Bessie Owens Center Advisory Board
- School City of East Chicago
- New Ebenezer Baptist Church
- Indiana Black Expo
- Partners in Contracting
- City of East Chicago
- East Chicago Police Department
- Zion Baptist Church
- Boys & Girls Club of Northwest Indiana
- Community Reinvestment Project
- Downtown Merchants Association
- Meals on Wheels
- Tri City Mental Health
- Cardinal Pride Basketball
- East Chicago Police Citizens Academy
- Leon Kendrick Youth Voices of East Chicago
- Top 20 Inc.
- Washington Elementary Volleyball
- East Chicago Housing Authority West Point STEM Camp
- East Chicago Little League
- East Chicago Department of Redevelopment
Please click/tap on photos to learn more.
