A Heritage Fund pilot program to make people love where they live is shutting down after its three-year run.

Engage Columbus started with the idea of weaving people new to the community into the fabric of Columbus. Program manager Lara Hodson explains that the program started in March of 2015 with the mission to make people feel welcome here.

She said that the program will officially shut down on Feb. 16th. She said that the hope would be to bring Engage Columbus back to continue the programs and events that worked, possibly with other local groups as organizers.

Hodson said that more than 3,000 people have been helped by the program, connecting them with more than 140 local organizations and resources.

She said that several Engage Program projects have been succesful including a Discover Columbus program that just wrapped up Saturday with a tour of the Bartholomew County Courthouse with Judge Kelly Benjamin.

Many who participated in Engage Columbus programs came with their spouse to Columbus but couldn’t work themselves because of the lack of a work visa.

The final event for Engage Columbus will be a farewell Tea Party at 11:30 a.m.Wednesday, Feb. 14th, at the Bartholomew County Public LIbrary on 5th Street.