Wellspring Interfaith Social Services Inc

PEOPLE OF FAITH SERVING THE SOCIAL, PHYSICAL AND EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF FORT WAYNE'S CENTRAL CITY AND BEYOND. THE AGENCY OPERATES A FOOD AND CLOTHING BANK, AND PROGRAMS FOR OLDER ADULTS AND YOUTH.

SUMMER DAY CAMP YOUTH SUMMER DAY CAMP IS A LONGSTANDING TRADITION AT WELLSPRING. CONDUCTED AT FOUR SITES IN 2021, 235 YOUTH FROM PRE-K TO HIGH SCHOOL BENEFITED FROM THIS SIX-WEEK SUMMER DAY CAMP. ACTIVITIES RANGED FROM FIELD TRIPS, TO WALKS, TO SCIENCE ACTIVITIES AND MORE. RELATIONSHIPS HAVE ALWAYS REMAINED AT THE CORE OF THIS PROGRAM. IN FACT, EIGHT STAFF MEMBERS WERE FORMER CAMPERS THEMSELVES LAST YEAR. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM RELATIONSHIPS ARE ALSO THE FOCUS OF THE AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM. A SMALL STAFF-TO-CHILD RATIO IS MAINTAINED SO THAT STAFF GET TO KNOW THE YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES WELL. CAREFULLY PLANNED ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS ARTS AND CRAFTS, EXERCISE, TUTORING AND SNACKS/MEALS MAKE THESE IMPORTANT AFTER-SCHOOL HOURS ACTION-PACKED. 50 ENROLLED YOUTH "THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN A LIFESAVER. KEEPS KIDS SAFE AND SUPERVISED VERSUS BEING HOME ALONE." 235 ENROLLED CAMPERS

OLDER ADULT PROGRAM: AFTER OVER A YEAR OF BEING SHUT DOWN, SENIORS WERE THRILLED TO BE BACK IN PERSON WITH A NEW ROOM SET-UP THAT ALLOWED FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING AND MASKS PROVIDED TO ALL. WELLSPRING WAS A SAFE PLACE FOR SENIORS TO ENJOY A MULTITUDE OF ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES AND A HEALTHY MEAL. WELLSPRING ALSO TOOK THE OLDER ADULT PROGRAM ON THE ROAD ONE DAY A WEEK TO THE NEW HAVEN COMMUNITY CENTER IN 2021 150 SENIORS WERE SERVED.

WELLSPRING'S FOOD BANK REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST ACCESSIBLE FOOD PANTRIES IN ALLEN COUNTY. CLIENTS NO LONGER NEED TO SHOW A FORM OF IDENTIFICATION, THEREFORE, THE FOOD BANK IS OPEN TO ANYONE EVERY 30 DAYS. OPEN FIVE DAYS A WEEK AND THE SECOND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH, 1,650 FAMILIES WERE SERVED IN 2021 TOTALING 5,364 CLIENTS THAT RECEIVED 50,000 POUNDS OF DISTRIBUTED FOOD. INCREASING GROCERY PRICES BROUGHT MANY NEW FAMILIES TO WELLSPRING LAST YEAR. WELLSPRING ON WHEELS (WOW) OUR MOBILE FOOD PANTRY, 'WOW', PARTNERED WITH CHURCHES, A TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE, A MOBILE HOME PARK, A PUBLIC LIBRARY, A NON- PROFIT AND AN APARTMENT COMPLEX IN 2021. EACH OF THESE SITES WERE LOCATED IN CAREFULLY SELECTED AREAS WITH FOOD DESERTS. IN FACT AN IMPRESSIVE 27 TONS OF PRODUCT - INCLUDING FOOD, HYGIENE ITEMS AND DIAPERS - WAS DISTRIBUTED TO 12,590 CLIENTS. WOW IS A MOBILE SUPERPOWER HELPING FOOD INSECURE NEIGHBORS ALL AROUND THE COUNTY AND IS OPEN TO ANYONE IN NEED. 17,954 FOOD INSECURE CLIENTS WERE SERVED 51 TONS OF FOOD WAS DISTRIBUTED 85,848 TOTAL NUMBER OF MEALS.

WELLSPRING SHOPPE: IT WAS GREAT TO BE BACK IN THE FULL SWING OF THINGS AT THE WELLSPRING SHOPPE. THIS DONATION-BASED CLOTHING BOUTIQUE RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CLOTHING AND APPAREL DONATIONS IN 2021, SO MUCH SO THE SHOPPE RECEIVED AN ORGANIZATIONAL FACELIFT. WELLSPRING ALSO TOOK THE SHOPPE ON THE ROAD FOR PART OF THE YEAR, PIGGYBACKING AT THE WOW DISTRIBUTION SITES. CLIENTS WERE THRILLED TO RECEIVE QUALITY CLOTHING ALONGSIDE FOOD, HYGIENE ITEMS, AND DIAPERS 22,660 ITEMS OF CLOTHING, RANGING FROM WORK ATTIRE TO WEDDING DRESSES, WERE DISTRIBUTED TO 4,595 GRATEFUL CLIENTS