FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Indiana University Health in Fort Wayne will be distributing $45,000 in grants to address what they call critical health issues in the Summit City.
The organization says the grants include $30,000 to Fort Wayne United’s TenPoint Coalition to help families impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; $10,000 to Easterseals Arc to pay for meals, meal distribution, masks, and other protective gear; and $5,000 to the Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana (DSANI) for face masks and educational booklets.
The money is coming from IU Health’s Community Impact Investment Fund.
“We have all been impacted in some way shape or form by the most recent seasons of difficulty and uncertainty,” said Iric Headley, executive director, and Joe Jordan, chairman, Fort Wayne UNITED. “But for some of our neighbors, friends, and family members who were impacted more than others, for them, what was once normal has been destroyed. We are extremely grateful for the support from IU Health, which enables us to enhance our community service by providing families with essential and non-perishable supplies, so they can focus on rebuilding.”
“We are very grateful to IU Health Fort Wayne for this generous donation to help us ensure that people with disabilities have the protective equipment that meets their needs,” said Donna K. Elbrecht, Easterseals Arc president and CEO. “People with disabilities are at higher risk amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to their underlying health issues, and those risks are heightened when they face challenges using typical face masks and other gear. Brian Bauer has always valued the health and wellness of people with disabilities, and this generous gift is another example of his care and commitment.”
“The health and well-being of the community we serve is always of utmost importance to us,” said Shelly Yoder, executive director, DSANI. “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about very unique challenges both to our organization and to those we serve. We are so grateful to IU Health Fort Wayne for walking alongside DSANI and its families to provide resources that will help our loved ones with Down syndrome, and their families, be better equipped to navigate the challenges faced during this time. We are proud to partner with IU Health and extend our most sincere thanks for their wonderful donation to DSANI.”
“IU Health Fort Wayne is happy to help these organizations meet the needs of the community during this pandemic, said Harold Berfiend, IU Health Fort Wayne’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer. “The hardships these three organizations have been able to help meet over the past several months is a tremendous thing and IU Health Fort Wayne is privileged to be able to support and help in that effort.”
