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You’re Invited: HLS Graduation Luncheon on Nov. 14

10/15/24

Please join us as we celebrate the Hoosier Leadership Series Class of 2024 at Ash & Oak in Avon on Thursday, November 14. This will be a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with like-minded believers, congratulate the graduating class, and learn more about the HLS program.

Click HERE to register.

We’re excited to have legendary conservative cartoonist Gary Varvel join us as our keynote speaker. Varvel was The Indianapolis Star cartoonist for 24 years. In 2015, he was inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame. He has won the National Headliners Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, the National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award for Best Editorial Cartoonist Division, plus dozens of state awards. Varvel wrote and illustrated The Good Shepherd children’s book plus he co-wrote and produced two Christian films: The Board (2009) and The War Within (2014). You can learn more about Gary Varvel by watching this interview

We’re also honored to have Indiana Comptroller Elise Nieshalla join us to speak about leadership in state government and standing up for conservative values in the public square.

The point of this event is threefold: 

  • First, to honor the Class of 2024 with a formal graduation and celebrate their accomplishments. We will also give special recognition to the Class of 2023.
  • Second, for alumni of the Hoosier Leadership Series to get to know one another and the current class. We are focused on growing and connecting our alumni network of over 400 graduates to best serve our communities and ensure HLS makes a lasting impact in our state.
  • Third, this event will serve as a fundraiser so we can continue to fund HLS, grow the program, and equip Hoosier leaders on behalf of the conservative Christian cause in Indiana.

We also hope this event provides an opportunity for those considering joining HLS in the future to get a closer look at what the program entails. We encourage you to invite anyone you know who might be interested in HLS to attend and learn more! 

Ash & Oak is the generous sponsor of this graduation event, and we’re excited to welcome you to their beautiful venue on November 14. The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. (doors open at 11:00 a.m.) and end at 1:00 p.m.The cost to attend is $25 per person.

Click HERE to register.

We would like to extend a special thanks to our Hoosier Leadership Series Class of 2024 sponsors, who have been central to helping the program run smoothly throughout the year: The Heritage Foundation, B23 Strategies, Vertical Immersive, Americans for Prosperity, Ash and Oak, and Samaritan Ministries.

We hope to see you there!

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Recap: HLS in D.C.!

Last month, participants in the Hoosier Leadership Series traveled to Washington, D.C. for two full days to meet with Indiana’s congressional delegation and learn about important legislative issues impacting our state and nation. The action-packed trip included opportunities for HLS members to interact with top state and national voices, and to hear from leading conservative organizations like Focus on the Family.

In addition to touring the U.S. Capitol, going on a prayer walk, and dining at the Capitol Hill Club, we had the incredible opportunity to hear from nine of Indiana’s congressional leaders, including Senator Mike Braun, Senator Todd Young, and Representative Jim Banks. We spent time viewing our founding documents at the National Archives and dug deeper into our nation’s Christian heritage at the Museum of the Bible.

This trip not only provides a wonderful time of fellowship with other HLS members, but it lays the groundwork for anyone wishing to become more engaged in Indiana politics by taking an inside look at the issues our elected officials are tackling nationally to best serve their constituents back home. 

The purpose of the Hoosier Leadership Series is to create a movement of high-caliber, committed leaders from across the professional spectrum who are grounded in a principled conservative philosophy and oriented toward thoughtful cultural engagement and service to the people of Indiana and beyond. 

We highly encourage you to sign up for next year’s HLS class, or if you cannot do so, please prayerfully consider donating or sponsoring a student! Your gift allows other Hoosiers to make a difference in their community and state.

We will use your generosity to equip, educate, and mobilize the next generation of Indiana leaders. 

We’d like to extend a special thanks to Adler Law Firm for sponsoring this D.C. trip. Please contact Adler Law Firm for all your legal needs. We’re also grateful to our other Hoosier Leadership Series sponsors: The Heritage Foundation, B23 Strategies, Vertical Immersive, Americans for Prosperity, Ash and Oak, and Samaritan Ministries.

Thank you for your continued support. Please keep IFI and Hoosier families in your prayers!

P.S. This election season, IFI is partnering with iVoterGuide so you can research candidates from a biblical worldview before you cast your vote in November. Click here to view a sample ballot and find out where candidates stand on important issues.

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Support Coach Dungy, receive a free book!

10/4/24

The Indiana Family Institute is excited to share a unique opportunity to support an organization making a positive impact on families across our state.

Family First is a national non-profit organization, and for 33 years they have been dedicated to empowering families. The iMOM and All Pro Dad programs reach people each day with practical, timely advice to help them love their families well. They do this online through resource-rich websites, AllProDad.com and iMOM.com, through impactful daily emails, and on the ground with All Pro Dad Experiences in NFL and NCAA stadiums. They also reach families through All Pro Dad chapters in over 1,400 schools across the U.S (including 152 chapters in Indiana).

Former Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy is the founder of All Pro Dad and continues to be a leading advocate for families. Family First is rallying support for Coach Dungy through the Family First License Plate. This license plate initiative not only helps sustain the growth of these important programs across our state, but also promotes the message of strong families. To continue participating in the Indiana BMV’s Specialty Plate Program, Family First must sell 500 plates before the end of the year.

For a limited time, Family First is offering two awesome incentives for Indiana Family Institute supporters who make the switch before November 1.

  • Reimbursement: The Indiana BMV charges $40 for specialty plates. For a limited time, Family First will reimburse you the full $40!
  • Bonus Gift: You will also receive a personalized, autographed copy of Coach Tony Dungy’s book!

Here are the steps to make it happen:

Make the switch online at MyBMV.com, at a BMV branch, or at a BMV customer service location.

Email proof of purchase to Patrick@FamilyFirst.net along with a mailing address for your reimbursement and book. It’s that simple!

We hope you will join us in supporting Coach Dungy and this important initiative!


P.S. This election season, IFI is partnering with iVoterGuide so you can research candidates from a biblical worldview before you cast your vote in November. Click here to view a sample ballot and find out where candidates stand on important issues.

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Just Released: IFI’s 2024 Legislative Scorecard

9/30/24

Each year, IFI creates a “Legislative Scorecard” to review the performance of state lawmakers during the previous legislative session. It has proven to be an insightful tool for voters seeking transparency and honesty from their representatives. We’re pleased to finally share our 2024 Legislative Scorecard with you ahead of the November election so you can cast an informed vote.

The 2024 Legislative Scorecard graded lawmakers based on whether their votes aligned with IFI’s core values on several critical bills. Three of those bills are described below:

SB 17: Age Verification for Adult Websites – PASSED

This much-needed bill prohibits minors from accessing adult-oriented websites containing harmful materials such as explicit sexual content. SB 17, which has been signed into law by the governor, requires adult-oriented websites to verify the age of users through a mobile credential or third-party verification service. If a minor does access an explicit adult website, their parents or guardians may sue the website’s operator, which could lead to an injunction against the site.

SB 202: Protecting First Amendment Rights in Universities – PASSED

SB 202 establishes protections for the First Amendment rights of faculty, staff, and students in Indiana universities. Under this bill, faculty members who do not foster “a culture of free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity” may be subject to disciplinary action by their institution’s board of trustees, preventing professors from forcing political or ideological agendas onto their students. It also establishes protections for faculty and staff members by ensuring they are not required to make a pledge that supports the institution’s belief system or agenda. We are thrilled that this bill was signed into law by the governor and took effect on July 1st before the school year began.

HB 1137: Religious Release Time Instruction for Public Schools – PASSED

HB 1137 requires principals at public schools to allow students to attend religious classes during the school day, provided the classes are off school property, privately funded, and parent permitted. This concept is protected by a 1952 US Supreme Court ruling but was never brought to fruition in Indiana law. We believe HB 1137 will revolutionize Indiana schools and positively impact countless lives. This bill has been signed into law by the governor.

You can read more about the other bills legislators were graded on in our 2024 Legislative Agenda.

We are able to develop these helpful resources due in large part to your faithful giving. We are incredibly grateful for your support. Please consider taking a “leap of faith” this leap year and double your giving from 2023 so we can continue our important work in the Statehouse and communities around Indiana.

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Thanks for joining us!

9/25/24

Thank you to everyone who attended our annual Fall Dinner last Monday. It was a wonderful time of fellowship, learning, and honoring our faithful legislators. 

We welcomed over 500 guests and a large group of legislators and state officials at the dinner, as well as lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Micah Beckwith and Pastor Tony Smith, who was awarded the Daniel Award for his faithful presence at the statehouse. 

This year we had the honor of hearing from Riley Gaines as our keynote speaker. She did an excellent job and we appreciated her insight into women’s sports in Indiana and what IFI can do to continue supporting female athletes in our state and around the nation. 

“Having been immersed in the political sphere these past two years, it becomes easy to pick out groups that are effective, and groups that take money but get nothing done,” Riley shared. “I can tell you IFI is not one of those groups. This is a group that has boots on the ground. They are in the capitol, they are testifying on bills, they are drafting legislation. They are finding the candidates who are qualified, who will be successful, who will represent you in the way you deserve to be represented. I can’t stress enough the importance of supporting IFI.” 

We also heard from gubernatorial candidate Senator Mike Braun via a pre-recorded video, in which he committed to working with IFI to strengthen parental rights in Indiana if elected in November. Click here to watch the video.

It’s not too late to support IFI’s goals for next year. Our work to protect your religious liberty and family values is not possible without generous contributions from our faithful members. Click here to donate.

We’d like to extend a special thanks to our Hoosier Leadership Series sponsors and sponsors of this year’s Fall Dinner: The Heritage Foundation, B23 Strategies, Vertical Immersive, Americans for Prosperity, Adler Law Firm, Ash and Oak, and Samaritan Ministries.

Thank you to everyone who attended the dinner and made it such a great success!

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