ECUEA Programs

Over the past two decades, the East Chicago Urban Enterprise Association has undertaken a variety of community revitalization initiatives focused in four areas:

  1. Physical Infrastructure
  2. Education
  3. Employment
  4. Community Building
  5. 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

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