Mayor Tucker announces grants to 22 non-profit programs

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – On Tuesday, Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker announced that 22 local non-profit programs will receive funding from the City of Fort Wayne’s federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) dollars.

“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,” said Mayor Tucker. “The funding we’re announcing today helps local non-profit agencies provide critical services to our most vulnerable residents.”

Approximately $380,000 will help low- and moderate-income residents with shelter, basic needs, employment skills, and youth development.

The City released the following:

The announcement was made at the YWCA Northeast Indiana, 1313 W. Washington Center Rd, which operates a domestic violence shelter and a residential addiction recovery program. CDBG and ESG funds will support shelter operations for both programs.

This year, the following non-profits will receive grants:

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 under-served 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.

The City receives CDBG and ESG dollars annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Many cities have stopped funding non-profit services because of federal cuts to CDBG allocations over the past decade. Mayor Tucker, however, continues to commit to these services.

The City’s Office of Housing and Neighborhood Services uses a competitive application process to award the grants. A volunteer committee helps score the applications and makes recommendations on funding. Criteria are based on goals for the use of federal funds that are developed in part with input from residents.