City of Fort Wayne announces grants for 22 nonprofit programs

What’s happening?: On Tuesday, Mayor Sharon Tucker announced that 22 nonprofits will receive funding from the City of Fort Wayne’s federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant. 

This roughly $380,000 will assist with low- and moderate-income residents with shelter, basic needs, employment skills and youth development across the city. 

The competitive application process is managed by Fort Wayne’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services. A volunteer committee scores the applications, and the criteria for scoring are based on the goals of the federal funds, which are developed, in part, with input from residents.

What they’re saying: “It takes all of us working together, the private, non-profit and government sectors, to create a thriving community that offers everyone opportunities to succeed. The funding we’re announcing today helps local non-profit agencies provide critical services to our most vulnerable residents.” – Mayor Sharon Tucker

Who’s receiving the grants, and how are they using the funding?: 

• Blue Jacket, Inc. – Transitional Employee Support
  • Provides job training and employee wages at the agency’s social enterprise businesses.
• Brightpoint – Coordinated Entry
  • Supports the mandated social service system that helps area agencies coordinate services for people in need of housing.
• Brightpoint – Covering Kids & Families          
  • Helps families enroll in public health insurance like Medicaid and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
• Brightpoint – Rapid Re-Housing
  • Helps families maintain or obtain stable housing.
• Catholic Charities – Journey Home
  • Provides one-on-one case management services for individuals as they transition from emergency shelter to longer-term housing.
• Center for Nonviolence – Project SAFE
  • Provides low- to moderate-income survivors of domestic violence with education resources, and support.
• Early Childhood Alliance – Childcare Support
  • Supports childcare for low- to moderate-income children in the Beacon Learning Program.
• Euell A. Wilson Center – Work Ready Youth
  • Supports low-income teens in obtaining and maintaining employment, including job placement, workshops, personalized career and life coaching.
• Forgotten Stones – Housing Support
  • Helps residents who struggle with homelessness manage their finances, pay their bills on time, and maintain their housing.
• Fort Wayne Housing Authority Housing Opportunities Program – Rapid Re-Housing
  • Helps families maintain or obtain stable housing.
• Fort Wayne Urban League - Youth Empowerment Services
  • Offers students a safe and welcoming space, one-on-one tutoring and peer support.
• Just Neighbors – Shelter Operations
  • Supports essential services at Just Neighbors Shelter, the only local emergency shelter that serves families experiencing homelessness.
• The League – Benefit Enrollment Center
  • Assists people with disabilities in applying for benefits such as SNAP (food stamps)
• Mustard Seed Furniture Bank – Beds4Kids
  • Provides low-income children a new twin mattress, bed frame, pillow, sheet set and blanket.
• St. Joseph Missions – Life Skills Coach
  • Helps residents build practical life skills needed to move toward independent living.
• St. Joseph Missions – Shelter Operations
  • Supports the only local emergency shelter that specifically serves unaccompanied women experiencing homelessness.
• TeenWorks – Employment Training
  • Provides paid internships, life skills training, and career/college exploration to underserved teens.
• The Literacy Alliance – Project Graduate
  • Supports free High School Equivalency (HSE) classroom instruction to adults working to obtain their high school diploma.
• Vincent Village – Car Care
  • Provides Vincent Village residents transportation to work, medical appointments and school. 
• Wellspring – Youth Programming
  • Supports the free after-school program and summer day camp for low-income youth.
• YWCA Northeast Indiana – Emergency Financial Assistance
  • Assists individuals and families living in the shelter by providing payments to third-party vendors to cover short-term, emergency expenses such as rent and utilities.
• YWCA Northeast Indiana – Shelter Operations
  • Funding to support the domestic violence and addiction recovery shelters.