The Foellinger family’s sense of responsibility was intertwined in their personal and professional lives. As a family, they upheld the belief that they had a responsibility not only to themselves, but to the community as a whole.

The founding of Foellinger Foundation was an act of accountability by Helene and Esther, too. It ensured their legacy—that should anything ever happen to them on their travels, or after they passed away, their dollars would be stewarded in the way they had always intended them to be. That children and families in Allen County would be uplifted, especially those with the greatest economic need and least opportunity. The board of directors would—and still do to this day—make decisions that are true to our donor’s intent.

Foellinger Foundation’s grantmaking reflects our founders’ interest in encouraging a community of self-reliant citizens, with a commitment to their values and principles: integrity, accountability, responsibility, and results.

The Foellinger family was community-minded and hard-working—always acting with the greater good in mind. They carried this commitment to integrity throughout their personal lives, but it also showed up in their professions and extracurricular activities.

United Front is a groundbreaking initiative that seeks to cultivate healing and unity through organizational and community transformation, giving us a shared language to promote our common interests.

The Allen County Public Library (ACPL) Summer Learning program is designed to serve as a bridge between school years, encouraging educational skills for all young people, thus preventing the “summer slide.”

Great KIDS empowers youth-serving adults by providing education and training on the application of positive youth development frameworks and strength-based practices to ensure that our community’s children have the opportunities and relationships they need to grow into productive and healthy adults.