Community welcomeness improves overall, minorities see lower hospitality

Bartholomew County is an increasingly welcoming community, according to a survey by Heritage Fund, but it still lags in some areas.

Heritage Fund: The Community Foundation of Bartholomew County says this is the third survey of its type since the Welcoming Community Initiative was started in 2004.

More than 1,700 people took part in the survey last year and overall found increasing welcomeness. But the community was seen as less welcoming for those of lower incomes, minorities and the LGBTQIA community. The survey found that all minority racial and ethnic groups ranked lower than the average, however the Hispanic population had the highest ratings for a minority group.

Heritage Fund is identifying five areas for improvement, including inclusivity, community engagement, entertainment, community liveability and access to information.

Heritage Fund officials say that over the next few months, survey results and themes will be presented to community groups and stakeholders. Anyone interested in learning more about the survey can contact Heritage Fund at 812-376-7772.