Andrew served as the Executive Director of Mad Anthonys Children’s Hope House from 2013-2019, and in 2019 he assumed the role of CEO at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Fort Wayne.

Gail Doran, Board Chair of Super Shot, was recognized as the 2022 David A. Bobilya Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership Award recipient at an award ceremony on September 28, 2022. Congratulations, Gail!

The University of Saint Francis (USF) Jesters program uses multi-disciplinary performing arts to enhance quality of life for people with mild to severe intellectual/developmental disabilities. Individuals participate in arts education activities to help them develop self-expression, self-esteem, socialization, and other life skills.

Over the last 14 years, Amanda Shepard has played a pivotal role in advancing the Fort Wayne Museum of Art. Joining the Museum in 2008 as the Assistant for Adult Education, her leadership continued to grow—to Director of Adult and University Programs, then to Deputy Director of Administration and Programs, and now to Vice President & COO.

Centered in successful communities, are successful families, whose structures vary greatly. By providing families with access to resources that help them move from dependence to independence, our nonprofit organizations help Allen County residents thrive.

Foellinger Foundation rallies around community partners, programs, and initiatives that enable Allen County residents to thrive. Our investments in community interests and development stem from well-informed research and best practices. Community development efforts have been part of philanthropy since the mid-1990’s, when the asset-based community development model was developed by John L. McKnight and John P. Kretzmann at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University.

In 2021, Great KIDS make Great COMMUNITIES celebrated the retirement of Allen County Superior Court Judge Charles Pratt, who led the program since its inception in 1999.

As part of our Five with Foellinger series, we’re proud to introduce new videos that highlight important leadership topics.

Nonprofit leaders and board members are encouraged to share these videos directly with board members or watch together during a meeting. Each video has a complementary PDF with follow-up prompts and exercises for reflection. Check back for more videos as they become available!

Nonprofits in Allen County uplift our residents, empowering them to move from dependence to independence. But what enables our citizens to succeed isn’t just their self-reliance. Individuals need to recognize their interdependence—understanding that as family, friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens, they are dependent upon one another’s successes, too. When individuals help others help themselves, our entire community thrives.

An organization in Fort Wayne that demonstrates this impact is the Euell A. Wilson Center. Founded in honor of Euell A. Wilson, a standout athlete at Bishop Dwenger High School who passed away at 19, the Center serves youth and families through education, engagement, and empowerment programs and services that nurture the whole person.

Foellinger Foundation announces a renovation to their building, which will include more collaborative meeting spaces that will be open to the nonprofit community in Allen County.

Philanthropy, simply put, is the desire to do good in a community. And philanthropy comes to life in myriad ways—volunteering and giving, at the individual level and at the organizational level.

Foellinger Foundation Board Chair Michael Moellering shares his reflections and insights.

Foellinger Foundation invites individuals to share their stories of its founder, Helene Foellinger, during an open call for video interviews on Friday, February 25 at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory.

Between the pandemic and the cold weather, our community’s most vulnerable populations have a greater accessibility challenge than usual. But out of that challenge, a creative partnership was formed.

When they brought their services and resources together, The League for the Blind and Disabled (The League), Community Harvest Food Bank, Community Transportation Network (CTN), and Wellspring Interfaith Social Services were able to serve more individuals during a crucial time of year. These organizations leveraged separate funding sources that, together, helped protect the health and promote independence of Allen County citizens.

Foellinger Foundation launches its Thrive Initiative with a nearly $900,000 initial investment in Southeast Fort Wayne nonprofits. It's purpose is to invest in community-identified neighborhoods by investing in nonprofits that provide resources such as education, housing, jobs, childcare, and more. The initial phase will focus on supporting the Southeast Fort Wayne community. 

Foellinger Foundation established the David A. Bobilya Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership Award to recognize the importance of individual board members in nonprofit organizations. Each year, this award is given to an Allen County nonprofit board member who exemplifies four focus areas: governance, leadership, financial sustainability, and program impact. The award recipient’s nominating organization receives a $25,000 operating grant.