Comprehensive Trail System Promotes Local Connectivity, Active Living
 
Align Southern Indiana, in collaboration with the Our Southern Indiana Regional Development Authority, is proud to announce the completion of the Regional Trails Master Plan. The plan, which aims to create a comprehensive trail system connecting six counties – Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Jefferson, Scott, and Washington – was funded through the state’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI), as well as grant initiatives coordinated by Align Southern Indiana.
 
The regional trail system will connect 22 communities within the six counties to popular destinations, including cultural and historical sites, local, regional and state parks, and neighboring regions. Objectives include an emphasis on regional connections, greater safety for guests, and ultimately, promoting more active, healthy living throughout the region.
 
“This plan represents a collaborative effort to improve the quality of life for Southern Indiana residents,” said Dr. Rita Shourds, President and CEO of Align Southern Indiana. “By connecting our communities, we’re fostering opportunities for outdoor recreation, economic development, and healthier lifestyles. I am proud of the work our team has done to bring this vision to life, and we look forward to seeing the trails take shape in the years ahead.”
 
The Regional Trails Master Plan is the result of a seven-month planning process designed to increase regional connectivity, safety, and awareness through a network of trails that link communities to key destinations, including cultural and historical sites, parks, and neighboring regions. The plan outlines future projects that can be implemented over time as funding becomes available, with an overall goal of promoting active, healthy living throughout the region.
 
The planning process included significant community engagement, with open houses held in each county, as well as an online survey that garnered over 870 responses. The input gathered from residents helped shape the plan’s recommendations, with key priorities and projects identified for each county. Align Southern Indiana’s Trails Team, along with representatives from each county, worked closely with consultants to ensure the plan reflects the unique needs and goals of the region.
 
About Align SI:
Align Southern Indiana was founded in 2017 to actively facilitate a shared regional process that aligns resources, addresses needs, and produces sustainable solutions resulting in Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington counties in Southern Indiana achieving its potential as a best place to live, work, and play. Foundational areas of focus include economic and talent development, education, regional leadership, quality of life, and quality of place. For more information about Align SI, visit our website at www.alignsi.com.

Grant Ensures More Children Have Skills to Succeed in Kindergarten and Beyond

Align Southern Indiana announced today that it is one of 68 communities and organizations joining the Early Years Initiative through a $486,000 grant to help meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers and surround Hoosier families with the resources to make the most of the crucial years of learning from birth to age three.

This is the second round of grants in the Early Years Initiative, which began in 2023 and is made possible by $60 million in grants from Lilly Endowment Inc. The goal of the initiative is to ensure Indiana’s infants and toddlers develop the foundational knowledge and skills needed to support their future learning and development. In total, the initiative has awarded 154 grants to 133 organizations.

Through its grant, Align Southern Indiana will continue to expand their work in early childhood education by increasing the support of early childhood providers and to parents of young children. Free professional development for providers, support items for the implementation of Creative Curriculum and the introduction of Language ENvironmental Analysis (LENA) will be implemented as a result of this grant.

“When Align began, our Governing Board wisely committed to having every child ready for kindergarten, realizing this was the key to lowering poverty, creating quality of place, and increasing economic development. This is our second Early Learning Indiana grant to assist in implementing programs to support that goal. Early Learning Indiana realizes the importance of building young brains through evidenced based programs. The fact we will be the first LENA regional community below Monroe county, speaks volumes in their trust of the work we are doing.”

The Early Years Initiative places special emphasis on serving families in low-income households, within communities of color and where very young children are multi-language learners. Align Southern Indiana is committed to reaching out to and making a meaningful impact on the lives of Southern Indiana families. 

“Research is clear that a child’s brain develops most between birth and age three, and that the neural pathways formed in these earliest years of life form the basis for all future learning and development,” said Maureen Weber, president & CEO of Early Learning Indiana. “That’s why the work of the Early Years Initiative is so critical. We must ensure supportive environments and responsive interactions between infants and toddlers and their caregivers to set the trajectory for their overall development and lifelong learning.”

For more information about Align Southern Indiana and to stay up to date on its Early Years Initiative progress, visit www.AlignSI.com.

About Align Southern Indiana:

Align Southern Indiana was founded in 2017 to actively facilitate a shared regional process that aligns resources, addresses needs, and produces sustainable solutions resulting in Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington counties in Southern Indiana achieving its potential as a best place to live, work, and play. Foundational areas of focus include economic and talent development, education, regional leadership, quality of life, and quality of place. For more information about Align SI, visit our website at www.alignsi.com.

About Early Learning Indiana


Early Learning Indiana is an expert and trusted voice on early childhood education that works statewide to provide leadership, advocacy and early childhood education services that continually improve the early learning landscape in Indiana. Early Learning Indiana operates 12 nationally accredited, high-quality Day Early Learning centers, a network of premier community-based centers used to advance the science of early learning, train the next generation of teachers and leaders, and instill knowledge and skills in the children we serve. Through regional and statewide programs, the organization works to ensure young children are empowered with essential skills to thrive in kindergarten and beyond. Learn more at EarlyLearningIN.org.   

About Lilly Endowment Inc. 


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. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its founders’ hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. 

Need lunch at the office? Don't have time to stop at the grocery store? Feeling too tired to cook? Food delivery apps make ordering from a nearby restaurant easy. However, the cost may be higher than you think – especially for small, local restaurants and their delivery drivers.

These tips can help you understand how delivery apps work and what you can do to support your favorite local restaurants when ordering out.

How to support local businesses when ordering out
Understand how takeout apps impact restaurants. Third-party delivery apps may seem simple – you order food, the restaurant makes it, the third-party app delivers, and you pay the fees for an additional service. But the process isn't that straightforward. You don't see the high commissions restaurants pay to use these services. Some delivery apps charge restaurants 15 to 30% or even more. While revenue may grow for local restaurants through these apps, their profit margin will likely shrink. It's not a sustainable business model for most mom-and-pop eateries. In addition, some companies behind these services have been called out for deceptive sign-up tactics and questionable marketing practices that cut into restaurants' profits even more.

Think about delivery drivers. Delivery drivers need to be treated fairly in this arrangement, too. These gig economy apps generally offer drivers a minimum payout for each delivery they take on. Plus, they get your tip, right? Maybe, but maybe not. In the early days, many delivery apps used tips to make up the workers' base pay, meaning they went to line the company's pockets instead of your driver's. Public outcry on social media caused most companies to change that practice, but not all yielded. To ensure your driver gets their tip, research how your app handles tipping or set aside some cash instead.



Watch your budget. If you plan your expenses with a budget, you have a specific amount allocated for food and eating out. Keep in mind that using delivery apps could cut into that budget significantly. The New York Times reports that buying a meal through a delivery app can be up to 91% more expensive than simply going to the restaurant or picking up your order.

Look for better delivery alternatives. Delivery apps are one of many ways to get food from your favorite restaurant delivered to your doorstep. Many restaurants still employ delivery drivers. In this case, ordering directly from the restaurant will save you money and give that local business much-needed support. You can also search for delivery apps with more sustainable systems in place. Some new apps ask you (and the restaurant) to pay a flat fee, enabling restaurants to keep 100% of their profits on each order. Always check BBB.org for ratings before ordering from any new business.

Support local restaurants when you can. Often, local restaurants feel pressured to use third-party delivery apps and up their prices to cover the additional expense. Supporting local restaurants by ordering directly from their website and picking up your food can make a huge difference for a small business. In the long run, it can help them keep their prices down, which saves you money too.

For more information
You can also find good advice about delivery apps here: https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/18171-bbb-tip-choosing-a-food-delivery-service.