St. Joe Foundation Awards Grants

Wednesday, December 15, 2021 11:05 AM EDT
By Mary Roberts, Writer/Reporter
A Mother’s Hope in Fort Wayne is the recipient of $30,000 from the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation to pay for a portion of the counseling costs for A Mother’s Hope residents. (photo courtesy of A Mother’s Hope)

The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation has awarded more than $700,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations. The foundation says the funding will support programming and operations that improve the health and well-being of residents.

The foundation invests in four impact areas: refugees & immigrants, food insecurity & nutrition, prenatal & infant care and access to health & wellness.

“We are pleased to partner with local non-profit agencies that address the health and wellness needs of low-income residents and put a priority on treating all people with dignity and respect,” says Meg Distler, St. Joe Foundation executive director. “We are proud that since 1998, the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ, through the St. Joe Foundation, has invested more than $23.8 million in Allen County services to 257 local agencies to support vulnerable and marginalized residents.”

Grant recipients include:

  • A Hope Center: $30,000 to provide free pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infection testing.
  • A Mother’s Hope: $30,000 to pay for a portion of the counseling costs for A Mother’s Hope residents.
  • Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County: $15,000 for A Baby’s Closet program to provide essential baby items to low-income families.
  • Bridge of Grace Compassionate Ministry Center: $15,000 for programs that aim to improve spiritual, physical, and emotional health in Southeast Fort Wayne neighborhoods.
  • Brightpoint/Language Services Network: $15,000 to support and expand the capacity of the Language Services Network.
  • Center for Nonviolence Inc.: $20,000 for the Access to Healthcare for Refugee, Immigrant & Minority Populations Program.
  • Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana Inc.: $25,000 to provide nutritious food to food-insecure families.
  • Early Childhood Alliance: $26,000 for the Learning Around Town-Community Ambassador Program.
  • Healthier Moms and Babies: $20,000 for operating support to help prevent infant mortality and improve the outcomes of local pregnancies.
  • Heart of the City Mission Foundation: $15,000 for the Food Rescue program, which addresses food insecurity among at-risk populations by rescuing food from area restaurants and distributing it throughout central Fort Wayne.
  • Lutheran Social Services of Indiana: $20,000 to enhance the health and wellness of teen parents and their children through the Education Creates Hope and Opportunity Program.
  • Matthew 25 Health and Care: $140,000 to support the Medical and Dental directors’ positions.
  • McMillen Health: $27,500 for the next phase of development of the Healthy Tomorrow app, which supports pregnant and new mothers with substance abuse disorder.
  • Miss Virginia’s Food Pantry: $15,350 to support the purchase of food items for the Balanced & Nutritional Food Program.
  • Redemption House Ministries: $20,000 to assist in hiring a director of wellness nurse to oversee the health and wellness programs for residents of Redemption House.
  • Super Shot Inc.: $75,000 to support Super Shot Community Immunization Clinics.
  • The Lighthouse: $5,000 to support residential mental health services related to substance use disorder.
  • Women’s Care Center: $55,000 to help grow the number of visits for programs of prenatal care.
  • YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne: $35,000 for the Youth Advocacy initiative of the Status Offender Court Alternative Program.
  • Young Life: $20,000 For general operating support to assist pregnant and parenting teens.
  • YWCA Northeast Indiana: $31,200 for Therapeutic Addictions Recovery Services.

The foundation says an additional $28,000 was awarded to 13 nonprofits to offer the Our HEALing Kitchen classes. The foundation has awarded more than $1.2 million during 2021.

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