FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — A Fort Wayne teenager is working to help people experiencing homelessness in the community through a grassroots initiative she founded.

According to our partners in news at 21Alive, Natalia Kleinrichert, a 17-year-old senior at Bishop Dwenger High School, collected donations outside Parkview Field during Sunday’s Fort Wayne TinCaps game.

Kleinrichert founded R.E.A.C.H. after experiencing medical challenges as a child. She says those experiences inspired her to find ways to help others facing difficult circumstances.

Last year, Kleinrichert raised $6,800 and distributed 100 blessing bags to people experiencing homelessness in the Fort Wayne area.

Donations collected Sunday included food, toiletries and other essential items.

Kleinrichert plans to deliver the donated items to M.I.S.F.I.T.S. Ministry, a nonprofit that works directly with Fort Wayne’s homeless community.

She says the continued response to R.E.A.C.H. shows there is an ongoing need for services and support for people experiencing homelessness.

More information about R.E.A.C.H., including how to donate, is available here.