In October, La Casa De Amistad will celebrate its 50th anniversary of serving South Bend’s Latino community. This week, the nonprofit got a big present — a $1 million grant from the Lilly Endowment.
La Casa’s executive director Juan Constantino said in a release the grant is the largest in the organization’s history. Over the next three years, the money will go toward hiring more staff, expanding bilingual youth programs and building a playground.
"We are thrilled to receive this transformational gift from Lilly Endowment to support the youth and families at La Casa de Amistad," Constantino said in the release. "This gift is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated staff and volunteers. It will amplify our impact on the future of our youth, families, and community."
La Casa moved into its new building on South Michigan Street in late 2021 after years on South Meade Street. The move allowed La Casa to expand its youth programing from 35 children to over 100.
