The program was started in February 2022, when Annie Noble, the Director of the VCSC Coordinated Health Program, was brought on to begin bringing in health initiatives. The beginning initiatives covered sugary drink education, eating disorder education, and applying for grant opportunities to begin making real changes in our schools. The program now has 4 employees and an array of programs.

VPCHC's project helps them further their mission and their vision to improve access to comprehensive quality health care and enhance the overall well-being of the communities they serve through the development of a new clinic located in West Terre Haute, Indiana. The facility is a total total of 4,835 square feet that would provide the following amenities: Seven new exam rooms, three additional behavioral health offices, a new lab and vaccine area, a pharmacy, a nurse's station, a staff break room and waiting room.

Funds from United Way, state government, and federal government helped fund local use of the e-Intervention from CHESS Health, an online referral and patient tracking platform, that created a healthier substance use disorder treatment and recovery eco-system by providing a closed-loop referral system linking the Wabash Valley together into one singular resource network with an emphasis on substance use disorder. An individual's resistance to treatment is a major impediment. This platform sends referrals to services such as therapy, healthcare providers, and more, to those in need of aid across the Wabash Valley, while providing real-time tracking and analytics.

Vigo County and the City of Terre Haute recently amended their smoking ordinances to ban electronic nicotine devices in all indoor establishments where tobacco products were already banned.

Community Crossings is a partnership between INDOT and Hoosier communities, both urban and rural, to invest in infrastructure projects that catalyze economic development, create jobs, and strengthen local transportation networks. The City of Terre Haute and Vigo County have used these dollars to pave road projects.

Mental Health America West Central Indiana held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Mullen Flats and Lotus Center Project in August 2023. This $14.3 million project will bring 42 living units and emergency housing for homeless persons in Terre Haute. The three-story building's first floor will offer a 52-bed emergency center called the Lotus Center.

Indiana is investing $350 million toward improving broadband access and adoption in Indiana. The Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program is designed to provide funds for the deployment of broadband infrastructure to provide eligible broadband service to unserved end users, which include households, businesses, and community anchor institutions, such as schools and health clinics, across Indiana. During round 3 in 2021, funding was awarded to provide broadband to 57 homes in Vigo County, with a total investment of $1,400,529.

West Terre Haute opened its water filtration plant in July 2020. Commonwealth Engineers worked with the Town to secure a $1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development agency and an additional $3.8 million in USDA low-interest loans.

The City has plans to reconstruct a new 96 million gallons a day lift station to replace the existing MLS originally constructed in the 1960s. A $89 million bid for the lift station was approved in September. This project is still a few years from being completed, but very important and included in the Community Plan.

Indiana is investing $350 million toward improving broadband access and adoption in Indiana. The Next Level Connections Broadband Grant Program is designed to provide funds for the deployment of broadband infrastructure to provide eligible broadband service to unserved end users, which include households, businesses, and community anchor institutions, such as schools and health clinics, across Indiana. During round 2 in 2020, funding was awarded to provide broadband to 18 addresses in Vigo County, with a total investment of $921,499.

United Way's Strong Neighborhoods Council has officially launched the Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors Program! The program matches residents with small fix-it projects to volunteers with the skills and time to repair them.Homeowners can submit their repair requests via the user-friendly Wabash Valley Neighbors Helping Neighbors website, wvnhn.org. Generally, the repair projects should be easily completed by individuals or groups and not require special tools or advanced skills. The United Way created a new program coordinator position to form partnerships with local neighborhood organizations thanks to CenterPoint Energy grant funds.

The Homes for the Future Program is a pilot initiative for homebuilders and developers to incentivize them to build new, age-friendly homes in West Central Indiana. Thrive has been granted 1.8 million dollars from the Wabash River Regional Development Authority to invest in long-term sustainable housing for West Central Indiana. After a request for funding proposal process, chosen home builders/developers could receive up to $245,000 of the building cost to cover eligible infrastructure expenditures upon the completion of each home built. This program emphasizes a focus on developers and homebuilders creating homes at market rate to meet the needs of an ever-growing workforce and population in West Central Indiana. Builders have begun to receive funds from this program.

Thrive West Central completed a housing analysis of the region's needs and opportunities in 2022. This housing analysis is built upon the Community Plan's recommendations. Vigo County  (through Thrive) then contracted a local housing analysis where specific strategies and action items are beginning to be put into motion. Thrive is now acting as the region's "Housing Optimizer and Convener", which did not exist in 2019.

The City of Terre Haute, the Terre Haute Parks and Recreation Board, and Friends of Rea Park, Inc., have agreed to partner to improve the facilities and programs at historic Rea Park. Architectural drawings and cost estimates for a restored Rea Park clubhouse have been developed by local architectural firm Sanders and Associates and have been approved by the Terre Haute Parks and Recreation Board and the Terre Haute City Council.

The Swope Art Museum needed improved physical access like electrified doors and a modern elevator to replace the current four-passenger elevator. An updated fire stair tower would grant full use of the third floor that overlooks much of downtown Terre Haute. Conveniently located within a short walking distance to the coming Terre Haute Convention Center, our vision of offering a multi-use facility with restrooms and a catering kitchen would complement downtown's hospitality industry.

THCM realized that it is one of the few Children's Museums that do not have an outside space. Required to utilize other outdoor spaces like the City and County parks to provide programs because they could not have people inside the museum, the THCM dreamed of a space physically connected to the museum in downtown Terre Haute.The THCM would close down 8th Street Avenue to Ohio Boulevard and develop an outdoor green space for Terre Haute Children Museum guests and the public to enjoy. This space would include a play area for kids complete with climbing walls and other playground equipment as well as permanent seating where families can sit and enjoy the outdoors. The feasibility study is currently underway.

Turn to the River is a multi-year project of Art Spaces, Inc., to reconnect downtown Terre Haute with the Wabash River through public art and design. Turn to the River is a strong model of collaboration and placemaking that engages the community, links to economic development and other river-related improvement projects, inspires new ideas, and offers a comprehensive vision for the historical downtown area. Beyond just READI funds, Art Spaces was also awarded additional funding from the Vigo County CIB for Phase II and Phase III of the project. Phase II is an event space to support food trucks, festivals, farmers markets, and other events. Phase III is a reflection area on the south side of Terre Haute City Hall with updated pathways, landscaping, and seating. Phase IV, the final phase, is to include an overlook of the Wabash River.

Ruble Park, located just west of Ivy Tech Community College in Terre Haute, is the newest addition to the Vigo County parks systems and features more than 800 acres of natural trails. It opened in 2022. Ivy Tech Community College serves as the trailhead and main entrance to Ruble Park. A new shelter and bathroom facility has been added to the west corner of Ivy Tech's main campus located at 8000 S. Education Drive.

The Crossroads Trails app was created in 2021 to help residents and visitors navigate West Central Indiana's vast network of trails and outdoor amenities. With easy-to-use mapping features and amenity layers, this app is the perfect tool for trail users of all experience levels. Innovative features on the app include: parks, current trails, planned trails, trailheads, water access, and restrooms. Thrive plans to work with users to add information such as trail-friendly businesses and other amenities along with trail types.

The City of Terre Haute completed $637,000 in renovations to Brittlebank Park in early 2023. The upgrades include six new pickleball courts, a new basketball court, new playground equipment, new restrooms, and a new parking lot. To complete the project, the city received a DNR Grant for $265,000 that required a 50/50 match. Brittlebank Park is a great asset to our community and these upgrades will help bring more traffic to the area.

As part of the results from the feasibility study for the Vigo County Sports and Aquatics Complex (mentioned in the Tourism section above), an aquatics center finished as the top priority. From the study, taken by local community members, came the recommendation to update and enhance the experience at the current Deming Park Pool.The new aquatic center would house a bathhouse, updated lap/dive pool, rental cabanas, aqua zip, climbing wall, concessions for the park and pool, leisure pool with zero depth entry, lazy river, and body flumes with runouts. The aquatic center is estimated to cost between $6.9 to $7.7 million. Leaders are now looking to secure funding for this project.

Spurred by the See You In Terre Community Plan, a group of partners including RiverSCAPE, Vigo County, City of Terre Haute, and Thrive West Central have begun the development of a Riverfront Master Plan. This long-term vision for the river looks to transform the river into a quality of life and tourism asset. This plan will hopefully have projects prepared for READI 3.0 and beyond.

Wabash Valley Goodwill received legislative approval to start a Goodwill Excel Center in Terre Haute and is projected to open by Fall 2024. The Goodwill Excel Center is a unique, tuition-free adult charter high school that awards industry-recognized certifications and high school diplomas. This is the first of its kind in West Central Indiana.

Working collaboratively, Chances and Services for Youth, the Terre Haute Children's Museum, Catholic Charities Terre Haute, Clinton Recreational Center, and the West Vigo Community Center will enrich youth programming in the Wabash Valley with the support of a 2023 from Lilly Endowment Inc.Through its initiative, Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana, Lilly Endowment awarded a $1 million grant to Chances and Services for Youth (CASY) to fund the collaboration among the organizations.

West Central Indiana was designated as the state's seventh 21st Century Talent Region in July 2020. This designation is awarded to communities that are working collaboratively to attract, develop, and connect talent. In addition, the designation provides access to resources that are important for every business and community entity throughout the region to access.

The Rose-Hulman Ventures Movement (RHVM) project will relocate RHV to Rose-Hulman's main campus. RHV is currently located six miles away, limiting immediate access to campus resources like faculty. By bringing Rose-Hulman Ventures to the heart of campus activity, RHV's ability to expand offerings, services, and business creation for the region will increase dramatically.

ISU and Vigo County School Corporation leaders are committed to a co-design and funding model for an Early Childhood Research Center in the Chestnut Building on ISU's main campus to increase childcare capacity.

Ivy Tech Community College - Terre Haute's new Diversity Center and a Career and Employer Connection Center develop a location that creates a sense of belonging for all, a critical aspect of retaining talent in the West Central Indiana region. Workforce development is a critical need in West Central Indiana. Ivy Tech Community College - Terre Haute builds upon existing K-12 collaboration to develop and increase apprenticeship opportunities for high school students and graduates.

This video was developed to serve as a recruitment tool for area businesses. The conversation about the need for this project was spurred by conversations with major local employers. The video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times and shared a few thousand times on social media. Businesses are in the process of customizing the video for their use and needs.

As a result of the Tourism Task Force, the Terre Haute Children's Museum became the lead entity for the 2024 eclipse that will bring tens of thousands of visitors to Terre Haute. This is Terre Haute's opportunity to shine on a national stage. The Children's Museum received a $200,000 grant from the Simons Foundation to create an eclipse ambassador program so that our community puts our best foot forward.

The Vigo County Capital Improvement Board has conducted a feasibility study to determine the readiness and feasibility of an indoor and outdoor sports complex, as well as an aquatics feature in Vigo County. Consultants have suggested the following based on community input, economic data, and tourism statistics. The CIB invests in improved access to recreational aquatics at a reasonable cost. Because of the updated infrastructure, it is recommended that the CIB, in partnership with the City of Terre Haute, make upgrades to the Deming Park Pool. The CIB invests in a community recreation fieldhouse that is multi-functional and provides an increase in multi-generational recreation. The CIB invests in an outdoor sports complex that is multi-functional and provides an increase in local recreation opportunities.The goal is to have all of these projects completed by 2029.

This program is set to begin this winter to best coincide with the downtime for the leisure industry. It was identified through conversations with businesses that employees in these industries are missing soft skills and in-depth knowledge of Terre Haute's assets and history. Our frontline service workers are many times the first point of contact that a visitor has within our community. Thus, employees must be armed with skills to create a positive interaction and be able to provide expert recommendations about what to do and see in Terre Haute.

The Tourism Task Force is now working with the City, County, and INDOT on what can be done along the interstate and what funding can be used. This is beginning to move forward but is still a couple of years from being complete.

The SMWC Equine Event Center will establish the West Central region as Indiana's leader in equine events on local, state, and national platforms.

The Courtyard + Residence Inn will sit along Wabash Avenue right down the street from the Terre Haute Convention Center. The addition of these hotels will add a total of 204 guestrooms, 114 Courtyard guest rooms, and 90 Residence Inn guest rooms, to downtown.

The Terre Haute Casino took the advocacy efforts of many key partners in Terre Haute. It will open in Spring of 2024.

To encourage buy-in from businesses and prepare businesses for the increase in tourism our community will experience, the Open for Tourism grant program was created to fund visual projects that make businesses more appealing to visitors. There have been over 10 businesses funded since its inception in 2020, including a walk-up window for Federal Coffee, fun updates to The Truckstop, and more.

The Terre Haute Convention Center opened in May 2022. The state-of-the-art facility features over 12,000 feet of ballroom space and has already brought thousands of visitors to Terre Haute.