Audiochuck's $1 Million Grant Fuels IYG, Championing LGBTQ+ Youth & Young Adults in Indiana

Unrestricted grant strengthens IYG's life-saving services and fuels statewide expansion amid increasing need

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Audiochuck, a state-of-the-art media company focused on turning world-class storytelling into real-world impact, today announced a transformational, unrestricted $1 million grant to IYG (formerly Indiana Youth Group). This investment enables IYG to sustain critical services, maintain core staffing, and expand safer, affirming spaces to meet rapidly rising demand across Indiana.

IYG is the state's preeminent service provider for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, offering a continuum of life-saving and life-shaping programs—basic needs support, safer spaces, therapy and behavioral health services, youth advocacy, life skills training, and statewide policy leadership. In 2024, IYG served over 1,300 young people. With Audiochuck's commitment, the organization anticipates serving more than 2,500 LGBTQ+ youth and young adults in 2026—a dramatic 92% surge in reach.

"I've seen firsthand, growing up in Indiana and now building a company here, the challenges our young people face and the incredible strength they carry," said Ashley Flowers, Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Audiochuck. "IYG is doing vital, boots-on-the-ground work for LGBTQ+ youth across our state, showing up with compassion and consistency when it matters most. This gift is our way of saying we believe in you, we're standing with you, and we're committed for the long haul. Indiana's kids deserve stability, hope, and a future they can look forward to, and we're proud to partner with IYG to help make that future real."

Audiochuck's $1 million grant allows IYG to maintain staffing (including therapists, support advocates, and program leaders) while ensuring operational continuity during a period of financial strain. It also accelerates the organization's "Safer Spaces" capital campaign, designed to expand programs into 10 additional cities, so no young person in Indiana lives more than one hour from affirming services. These investments come at a time when Indiana's LGBTQ+ community faces disproportionate barriers: high rates of homelessness, widespread denial of mental health care, and alarming suicide risk.

"This gift is a game-changer for IYG and the young people we serve," said Chris Paulsen, CEO of IYG. "The need for support has never been higher, and Audiochuck's confidence in our work gives us the stability to meet that need head-on. Thanks to their investment, LGBTQ+ youth and young adults across Indiana will continue to find safer spaces, caring adults, and the resources they need to navigate some of the toughest moments of their lives, and to know they're not alone."

The grant gives IYG the essential stability to meet soaring demand. This investment will directly deliver basic needs support for 1,000 individuals, provide trauma-informed counseling for 250, fund independence-building programs for 700, and sustain crucial statewide advocacy efforts to protect LGBTQ+ rights.

"This million-dollar investment in IYG will stand as our largest grant of 2025, reflecting our profound respect for their talented and tireless team and the critical importance of their mission," said Drew Black, Director of Philanthropy & Community Engagement at Audiochuck. "It affirms our belief that the health, well-being, and joy of LGBTQ+ youth are invaluable. Above all, we at Audiochuck want them to know that we stand firmly beside them—and that they have every reason to be proud of who they are."

Audiochuck's Transformational Gift represents more than financial support—it is a public affirmation of the dignity, value, and potential of LGBTQ+ young people throughout Indiana. Together, Audiochuck and IYG are investing in a future where every young person can feel safe, supported, and empowered to thrive.

About Audiochuck
Audiochuck is an independent, award-winning media company founded in 2017 by Ashley Flowers, a two-time New York Times bestselling author and creator of the chart-topping Crime Junkie podcast. Based in Indianapolis, Audiochuck has grown into a full-scale media company producing more than 20 weekly and seasonal true crime series that reach over 12 million monthly listeners worldwide.

Crime Junkie—the #1 true crime podcast globally—sits at the heart of Audiochuck's network, which has become one of the most trusted and influential brands in true crime media. The company's mission is to tell the right stories, in the right ways, for the right reasons—combining world-class storytelling and real-world impact. By blending investigative rigor, empathy, and storytelling excellence, the company uses its platform to educate, mobilize, and make a tangible difference.

SOURCE Audiochuck