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Inaugural Health First Allen County grant awards announced for 2024

For immediate release

FORT WAYNE (Dec. 15, 2023) – Promoting and protecting public health will include enhanced programs and priorities in 2024, as renewed support for that important work from state and local leaders allows the Allen County Department of Health to expand the many ways it serves the community.

Health First Allen County (HFAC) was launched this year, after intensive study of the state’s public health delivery system. Indiana legislators and Allen County officials approved much-needed funding for local health departments to make improvements, including implementing nearly two dozen Core Public Health Services.

HFAC includes a first-of-its-kind grant program to assist in developing a robust and diverse platform for delivery of some of those services, and the Department of Health is pleased to invest in public health with the help of valued and essential community partners.

Today, we announce $2,070,510.01 in grant funding to:

Organization Name

Awarded Amount

Core Public Health Service Area

A Mother's Hope Inc.

$60,000

Maternal & Child Health

Alive Community Outreach

$50,000

Student Health

Amani Family Services

$120,000

Trauma & Injury Prevention & Education

Associated Churches of Fort Wayne & Allen County

$60,000

Maternal & Child Health

Blessings in a Backpack

$20,706

Student Health

Bridge of Grace Ministries

$50,000

Maternal & Child Health

Children's Autism Center Inc.

$50,000

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

Community Transportation Network Inc.

$75,000

Access and Linkage/Referrals to Clinical Care

CONNECT Allen County

$75,000

Access and Linkage/Referrals to Clinical Care

Euell A. Wilson Center

$80,000

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

GiGi's Playhouse Fort Wayne

$30,000

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

Healthier Moms and Babies Inc.

$110,000

Maternal & Child Health

HealthVisions Midwest of Fort Wayne

$89,250

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

League for the Blind & Disabled Inc.

$30,000

Access and Linkage/Referrals to Clinical Care

Lutheran Social Services Inc.

$50,000

Maternal & Child Health

Matthew 25 Inc.

$50,000

Access and Linkage/Referrals to Clinical Care

McMillen Health

$150,000

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

Neighborhood Health Clinic

$30,000

Student Health

Northeast Indiana Positive Resource Connection

$99,978

Access and Linkage/Referrals to Clinical Care

Parkview Hospital Inc.

$109,076.01

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

RespectTeam

$20,000

Student Health

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Indiana Inc.

$46,500

Access and Linkage/Referrals to Clinical Care

Schools Care Inc (dba SCHOOL CARE TEAM)

$100,000

Student Health

St. Joseph Community Health Foundation

$30,000

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

Super Shot Inc.

$200,000

Child & Adult Immunizations

Three Rivers Ambulance Authority

$75,000

Trauma & Injury Prevention & Education

Wellspring Interfaith Social Services Inc.

$35,000

Chronic Disease Prevention & Reduction

YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne

$25,000

Fatality Review & Prevention Programs

YWCA Northeast Indiana

$150,000

Access and Linkage/Referrals to Clinical Care

“These are exciting times, and we’re excited to kick off a new year with an inaugural round of grants for 2024,” Department of Health Administrator Mindy Waldron said. “These partners carefully outlined ways they will help us serve the residents of Allen County, and we thank them. We’re thrilled to work with organizations so committed to public health.”

The Department of Health also will continue to provide essential programs and services in areas such as immunizations and communicable disease testing and prevention, food protection including inspections of restaurants and other consumer protection programs, vector and pollution control and abatement, and keeping and providing vital records such as birth and death records.

“The Department of Health strives to keep our community healthy in so many ways, and these added partnerships will only improve those efforts,” Allen County Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Gutwein said. “This is a real opportunity to move the needle toward improving health in Allen County, and the enthusiastic response of organizations eager to help is encouraging.”

Information about Health First Allen County, including the list of grant awardees, can be found at https://allencountyhealth.com/health-first-allen-county.

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