Merit Foundation

Creating Comprehensive Community Empowerment

The Merit Foundation is conceived in a scientific evidence based approach of utilizing the notion of best practices to transform our county "From Worst to First". Only measurable ideas of true Merit are considered as we seek to consolidate the well-intended efforts in our county into a comprehensive and actionable plan to heal our unmet potential together. But science and numbers only tell a part of the story. These numbers represent people. They tell a harsh tale of our families in need. And Merit believes that family is first. Take Hamilton County's numbers on adult smoking for instance. If we could get a mere 179 of our citizens to quit smoking, we would be on par with the number one County in the state. Merit intends to broadcast this number, to help people feel empowered, and to actually provide a center where they can see their impact moving the numbers.

And we have stories of victory as well. From the Bailey's to the Ono's, Starke County has produced champions of industry and heroes of high recognition. As a nephew of one of Starke County's forgotten champion's Harold Weinberg, David Weinberg founded Merit on a responsibility to a charge Harold left with him; "If the day comes, when you see your community in decline, by all means don't just sit there. Get up and fight!". Merit intends to pick up the example left by families past and present and to recognize their efforts as we take our future back. We realize that the pen is in our hand. Like the great stories of Ben Hurr and The Wizard of Oz went on to impact the world even though they were written right here in Starke County, the next chapter we write together will be a story for the ages. A story all of our families can proudly share for generations to come.