Exodus Receives Grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
January 13, 2023
Lilly Endowment Inc. has made a $1.2 million grant to Exodus Refugee Immigration to support capacity-building efforts during the next three years.
The grant is one of 28 grants totaling $41 million that are designed to help human services organizations and community centers in central Indiana enhance their ability to meet the needs of the individuals and families who they serve.
Exodus will use the grant to increase its capacity to provide vital services to refugees and other immigrants of humanitarian concern. This grant will allow Exodus to expand some of its most in-demand programs, focus on increasing volunteer opportunities and community engagement, and provide emergency assistance to its most vulnerable clients.
Exodus is dedicated to the protection of human rights by serving the resettlement needs of refugees and other displaced people fleeing persecution, injustice, and war by welcoming them to Indiana. As conflicts escalate in countries like the Afghanistan, Burma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Ukraine, Venezuela, and countless others, Exodus will continue to see an increased demand for its services. This grant will allow Exodus to expand its ability to provide legal assistance to refugees, provide services to asylum seekers, increase its work with female refugees, increase the community support it receives from volunteers, and provide direct assistance to refugees struggling to make ends meet in a time where the cost of living has dramatically increased.
“Refugees make our city more diverse, strengthen our economy, and bring unique art, food, and culture to our community,” said Exodus CEO Cole Varga. “This grant will help Exodus better meet the increased demand for our services that we have seen in the last two years so that we can continue to make Indianapolis a welcoming city for all.”
“Indianapolis has a robust network of organizations dedicated to helping people overcome challenges and begin to build satisfying and self-sufficient lives,” said Ronni Kloth, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for community development. “These agencies help Indianapolis be a more compassionate and caring city, and we hope these grants help strengthen their ability to meet the demand for their critical services.”
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J. K. Lilly and his 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 its founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion, and it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
Contact: Cassandra Sanborn, csanborn@exodusrefugee.org
