The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation is investing an additional $612,565 in local nonprofits and grassroots organizations working with low-income and vulnerable residents.

The Board of Directors recently approved the latest round of grants, bringing the total number of grants awarded since January 1, 2024, to 45. 

Since the St. Joe Foundation was established in 1998, it has awarded more than $28 million through more than 1,900 grants to 287 organizations.

The St. Joe Foundation is sponsored by the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ. It invests in programming and operations that improve the health and well-being of vulnerable residents in four impact areas: Refugees & Immigrants, Food Insecurity & Nutrition, Prenatal & Infant Care, and Access to Health & Wellness.

“The high demand for nutritious food continues as residents make hard choices about stretching their paychecks to cover rent, utilities, childcare, prescriptions, and other essentials. Additionally, the need for culturally centered and affordable mental health services for vulnerable residents continues to grow,” says Meg Distler, St. Joe Foundation executive director. “Our staff, grants committee, and Board of Directors are grateful to be able to support our nonprofit partners as they work to address these and other critical issues.”

The majority of grants awarded since January 2024 are part of the spring grant cycle, which just concluded. Those grants and investments total $531,000. Another $81,565 was awarded to nonprofits and churches that will offer the Our HEALing Kitchen cooking and nutrition classes and HEAL Markets, as well as several smaller “mini-grants” to grassroots organizations.

Spring 2024 grants and community investments include: 

• Alive Community Outreach for the agency’s Victim Support program, which supports families affected by homicide.
• A Mother’s Hope for strategic planning.
• Catholic Charities for expansion of the immigration program providing legal services to area immigrants and refugees.
• Community Transportation Network to support the agency’s specialized medical transportation and grocery rides programs.
• Easterseals Arc of Northeast Indiana to support personalized online nutrition services designed to help individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities lead healthy lives.
• Family Medicine Center for glucose monitoring equipment and education.
• Healthier Moms & Babies for the agency’s strategic planning process to build a sustainability model.
• GiveHear for audiology services for low-income and underserved children.
• Homebound Meals for NOSH – Nutritional Options Supporting the Homebound.
• Hope Alive to provide free or low-cost mental health services for homeless women and low-income residents.
• Lutheran Agency for Missions to Burmese (LAMB) for medical advocacy, health promotion, and prenatal education for Burmese refugees.
• Matthew 25 Health and Care for medical interpretation services.
• McMillen Health for Mom and Me Days food and nutrition supplies.
• Mental Health America of Northeast Indiana for the agency’s Adult Guardianship program for court-assigned seniors and incapacitated adults.
• New Mercies Ministries to support a Family Coach who will work with families that offer safe, temporary homes for children whose parents are facing a crisis.
• Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry for purchases of nutritious foods such as lean proteins and fresh produce.
• Northeast Indiana Local Food Network for capacity building and strategic planning. 
• Northeast Indiana Positive Resource Connection for HIV and Hepatitis C testing and case management services for people living with HIV and Hepatitis C.
• Out of a Jam Inc. to support the Feeding Fort Wayne initiative, which rescues almost-expired foods and uses them to prepare healthy frozen meals for those who are food insecure.
• Redemption House Ministries to support health and wellness services at home, offering a court-ordered six-month program for women seeking to rebuild their lives.
• Society of St. Vincent DePaul for purchasing nutritious and culturally appropriate foods for the pantry program.
• The Literacy Alliance for the agency’s English Language Learners program.
• Wellspring Interfaith Social Services for the food pantry program and services of a Registered Dietitian.
• Young Mothers of America Inc. for programming that supports at-risk pregnant and new mothers. 
• YWCA Northeast Indiana for bilingual advocacy services for Burmese survivors of domestic violence.