Across northern Indiana, students are building robots, volunteers are turning rescued food into nourishing meals, and neighbors are caring for wetlands and trails that connect people with the outdoors.

These efforts begin with local knowledge, trusted relationships, and a shared commitment to helping communities thrive. Microsoft is honored to support the organizations leading this work and help them extend its benefits to more people across the region.

Opening doors through hands-on learning

Young students across northern Indiana are learning by building, testing, and solving problems together. Local educators and volunteers are creating welcoming places where students can explore technology, strengthen their confidence, and imagine what they might do next.

At the Granger Exploration and Robotics Studio (GEARS), students aged 7 to 18 come together with expert volunteers to build custom robots. Younger students work with LEGO bricks to solve real-world problems, while older teams design, build, and program robots to compete in robotics championships. With support from Microsoft and other donors, GEARS has built its facility into an enriching hub for youth robotics complete with learning labs, meeting rooms, tools and materials, and technology equipment. It is a place where curiosity becomes practical experience and students learn what they can accomplish together.

The P-H-M Education Foundation brings the same spirit of discovery to its Summer Academy. Middle and high school students gain hands-on experience with coding, data literacy, and AI. The program also supports about 22 Future Farmers of America students through the Microsoft FarmBeats for Students program. Participants use digital sensors, data analysis, and AI to explore sustainable agriculture. Through Microsoft Datacenter Academy and Elevate curriculum, students build foundational and advanced technical skills aligned with in-demand careers in technology.

Building pathways to local careers

Career pathways are strongest when people can build practical skills close to home. At Ivy Tech Community College’s Valparaiso campus, the Microsoft Datacenter Academy offers scholarship funding, hands-on lab experience, and applied training for skilled trade careers in the datacenter industry. The collaboration gives Indiana residents another way to prepare for emerging opportunities while learning in their own community.

“AI infrastructure is driving demand for skilled trades nationwide,” says Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith. “We’re committed to helping fill these jobs with people in the communities where we operate. “The first phase of Microsoft’s new datacenter campus is expected to create more than 600 permanent jobs, creating new pathways for skilled workers across the region. Through the academy, Ivy Tech is helping local learners build the skills and experience to pursue opportunities created by a changing economy.

Caring for the places people share

Northern Indiana’s wetlands, waterways, and trails are more than natural resources; they are places where people walk, gather, volunteers, and connect with the landscape around them.

The Shirley Heinze Land Trust engages community volunteers to help restore natural lands and waters across more than 4,175 acres in northwestern Indiana. Through the Ridgeway Wetlands and Clear Lake project, the Trust is working with the City of La Porte, LEAP, and Microsoft to restore a valued local space and make it easier for people to enjoy.

The work includes restoring Clear Lake and the surrounding wetlands to create the Clear Loop Greenway, a trail that will connect the Preserve with downtown La Porte. The project brings conservation and community access together, helping protect the area’s natural heritage while creating new ways for people to experience it. Read more about how the Trust is protecting northwestern Indiana’s natural heritage.

In Granger, Friends of Granger Paths is advancing another community-led vision. The community volunteer organization is working to connect Granger with the Anderson Trail County Park via a 21-mile system of multi-use paths. Microsoft is helping fund the design and construction of a pathway linking Granger to the newly built Anderson Trail County Park entrance, expanding access to recreational spaces. The work reflects a priority identified by people who know the community and have spent years building support for safer, more connected routes.

Turning rescued food into nourishing meals

Strong nonprofit organizations play a vital role in supporting community well-being. Cultivate Food Rescue nourishes communities across northern Indiana by recovering surplus food and transforming it into nutritious meals for people throughout the region. Last year, Cultivate rescued approximately 6.5 million pounds of food. “We try to focus on fresh items with high nutritional value like produce and protein-rich foods like local meats,” says Director of Mission Advancement Fay Flournoy.

About 10,000 volunteers contribute their time to help prepare and package meals each year. With funding from Microsoft, Cultivate has been able to scale its food recovery, meal preparation, and distribution efforts, helping ensure that rescued food moves efficiently from local partners to community organizations such as food pantries, shelters, and schools, where it has the greatest impact. Read more about how Cultivate Food Rescue is nourishing communities across northern Indiana.

Building stronger communities together

Each organization featured here understands its community and brings people together around a practical need. Educators spark curiosity. Volunteers share their time and skills. Conservationists care for wetlands and trails. Food rescue teams connect nourishing meals with neighbors.

This is what growing together looks like. Microsoft is grateful to support these locally led efforts and the people that make them happen. The real value of these investments is not the funding itself, but what communities make possible with them.