Mission & History
WHO WE ARE
Serving Central Indiana families on the path to self-sufficiency
For 50 years, Heartland has supported individuals and families in their pursuit of a better life by equipping low-income residents with tools and opportunities to become self-sufficient. Today, that work is carried out through two independent organizations: Heartland Community Action Program and Heartland Families, Inc.
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Our mission is to work in partnership with Central Indiana communities to eliminate the causes and conditions of poverty by removing barriers, promoting independence, and creating pathways to lasting self-sufficiency.
Heartland Community Action Program:
A state-designated Community Action Program helping low-income households through home weatherization and community services.
Heartland Families, Inc.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating Heartland Scholar House, supporting single mothers as they pursue education and career training.
History
Heartland Community Action Program
Heartland Community Action Program, originally established as JobSource, is one of 22 Community Action Programs in Indiana. For 50 years, it has served Madison and Grant Counties with anti-poverty programs that build self-sufficiency. Its early programs focused on workforce development, which inspired the original name, JobSource.
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In 2026, JobSource became Heartland Community Action Program, a name that better reflects its evolving work. The mission remains the same, with a growing focus on targeted interventions that address the root causes of poverty.
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A New Era
In 2019, Doug Eckerty was appointed Executive Director of the Community Action Program, then known as JobSource, to lead a new era of transformation and sustainability. His strategic plan focused on two goals: supporting effective local partners and filling gaps in services with innovative programming.
Heartland Families, Inc. and Heartland Scholar House
Heartland Families, Inc. was formed in 2011 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
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In 2019, Doug Eckerty began a nationwide search for a model that could create lasting, multi-generational change for Indiana families in poverty. He found it in Louisville, Kentucky: the Family Scholar House model, which combines supportive housing, education, and comprehensive wraparound services for single-parent families. Initially skeptical, he kept researching and consulting trusted advisors, and became convinced the program's impact was real and transformative.
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In 2020, Heartland Families, Inc. began the affiliation process with Family Scholar House. In 2021, it became the Indiana affiliate and launched Heartland Scholar House. Within six months, housing was secured for the first campus in Anderson, Indiana. Briana Price was appointed Executive Director of Heartland Families, Inc., which operates Heartland Scholar House, to bring the program to life locally.
In 2022, Heartland Scholar House welcomed its first residential scholar. The program has since earned regional recognition and expanded to Marion and Muncie in 2024. Today, Heartland Scholar House offers families a path out of poverty through education, housing, and community support.
Programs
Find Help
A program of Heartland Community Action Program
FindHelp connects individuals and families in Madison County to local resources and services. Heartland Community Action Program helped bring the platform to the community and created training that helps partner organizations use it effectively, which strengthens access to support and collaboration among service providers.
Notable Accomplishments
STAR Tutoring
In 2020, Heartland Community Action Program received $8 million from the Indiana Department of Education to address pandemic learning loss. STAR Tutoring partnered with schools in Madison and Grant Counties to provide high-dosage tutoring and social-emotional support to students who were struggling. The program ran for five years, ending in June 2025, and had a measurable impact on student achievement.
Family & Education Gap Assistance Program (FEGAP)
Using CSBG CARES Act funding in 2020 and 2021, FEGAP connected 427 low-income households with internet access and computers so children could attend school remotely during COVID-19. The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) recognized the effort as a leading, innovative pandemic response. After the CARES Act funding ended, Heartland Community Action Program continued serving the community through a partnership with FindHelp. That partnership created a public search site for Madison County residents and an internal platform that helps partner agencies collaborate and streamline referrals.