The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation is investing another $473,963 in local organizations dedicated to supporting low-income and vulnerable residents in Allen County.

“With recent cutbacks in governmental grants and subsidies, many local families are facing tough decisions on how to cover essentials like rent, food, and childcare. It is especially difficult for immigrant families,” according to Meg Distler, St. Joe Foundation Executive Director.

The St. Joe Foundation’s vision is that the most vulnerable and low-income among us in Allen County will be treated with compassion and have dignified access to resources that nourish and enable a healthy, hope-filled life. Therefore, the Board of Directors recently responded by approving 25 more grants to help local families. These include:

• A Hope Center: $4,000 for the purchase of cribs and mattresses to provide safe sleep for clients, and an additional safe sleep training doll.
• A Mother’s Hope: $7,500 for expansion planning of their shelter for pregnant women.
• Alive Community Outreach: $10,000 for the Alive Survivor Support Program, aiding families affected by homicides and violence.
• Amani Family Services: $40,000 for services including victim care, case management, counseling, and legal assistance for immigrants and refugees.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne: $10,000 for food and nutrition services in after-school and summer programs.
• Bridge of Grace Compassionate Ministry Center: $5,000 for operations serving southeast Fort Wayne.
• Carriage House: $20,000 for rehabilitation and mental health support for individuals with serious mental illness.
• Catholic Charities: $4,500 for the World Refugee Day event on June 20, 2025, to build connections between refugees and local residents by celebrating cultural diversity and fostering inclusivity.
• Circles of Allen County: $3,500 to provide over 3,000 meals in the next 12 months.
• Clinica Madre de Dios: $7,000 for health screenings at the South Side Farmers Market, including weight, blood pressure, glucose, and A1C.
• Community Transportation Network: $45,000 for grocery rides and specialized medical transportation.
• GiveHear: $35,000 for hearing healthcare programs for low-income children and adults.
• Hispanic Leadership Coalition of Northeast Indiana: $4,163 for the Latino Leadership Pipeline training on March 15, 2025, to create an applicant pool of competent, qualified Latinos with the skills and knowledge needed to be considered for board membership.
• Hope Alive: $20,000 for affordable mental health services for low-income, high-risk individuals.
• Iris Family Support Center (formerly SCAN): $5,000 for the Allen County Family Resource Center.
• Ivy Tech Foundation: $5,000 for Ivy Tech Fort Wayne Fresh Produce for the Student Food Pantry and Sharing Shelves.
• Just Neighbors Interfaith Homeless Network: $4,000 for equipment and supplies needed for pregnant women, new fathers, and infants.
• Little Thinkers School of Early Learning: $3,400 for nutritious meals, snacks, and weekend food backpacks, and parent engagement through nutrition education and food access. 
• Lutheran Agency for Missions to Burmese: $10,000 for prenatal care and education for Burmese families.
• Matthew 25 Health and Care: $19,000 for medically trained interpretation services for low-income, uninsured individuals.
• Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana: $15,000 for the Adult Guardianship Program for court-assigned seniors and incapacitated adults.
• Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry: $35,000 for the Balanced Nutritional Food Program, enhancing access to lean proteins and fresh produce.
• Northeast Indiana Positive Resource Connection: $20,000 for HIV, STI, and Hepatitis C testing and case management.
• Out of a Jam: $15,000 for the Feeding Fort Wayne food rescue program.
• Redemption House Ministries: $12,500 for health and wellness programs and nutritious food for residents.
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul: $20,000 for the Food & Nutrition Program to address food insecurity.
• The Language Access Lab: $5,000 for language access through advocacy and interpreter training.
• The Literacy Alliance: $25,000 for Project Connect, a free English language learning program for adults.
• The Lighthouse: $3,400 for shelf-stable protein items and nutrition education, including $400 for a nutritionist.
• The Rose Home: $3,500 for general operating expenses to provide housing and assistance to women in recovery from drug/alcohol addiction.
• Thirteen Step House: $2,500 for the residential recovery program for men ready to recover from alcohol and substance abuse addiction.
• Wellspring Interfaith Social Services: $35,000 for food and nutritional services.
• YWCA Northeast Indiana: $20,000 for bilingual domestic violence services for Burmese survivors and interpretation for non-English-speaking survivors.

Since its establishment in 1998, the St. Joe Foundation has continued the legacy of the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ by ensuring the most vulnerable are served, awarding over $29 million through more than 1,990 grants to 293 organizations. These grant investments focus on four impact areas: Refugees & Immigrants, Nutrition & Food Insecurity, Prenatal & Infant Care, and Access to Quality, Affordable Healthcare.