Foellinger Foundation

10/13/2026

As a charter member-director of the Fort Wayne Park Foundation, Helene Foellinger played a critical role in supporting the development of community spaces where people could gather, connect, and thrive.

Helene's involvement with the Fort Wayne Park Foundation reflected a broader commitment to civic life and her community's well-being. In 1958, Helene and her mother, Esther, established Foellinger Foundation to carry forward their family’s tradition of civic involvement and active concern for the people of Allen County. Today, that commitment continues to guide the Foundation and its work to strengthen Allen County and improve the quality of life for its residents, in keeping with the family’s donor intent.

10/12/2026

President and CEO Sarah Strimmenos recently joined WANE TV’s "Positively Fort Wayne" to talk about the Allen County Public Library Summer Learning Program and Team Read initiative, supported through a Foellinger Foundation Signature Grant.

Positively Fort Wayne | Learn about a program at the Allen County Public Library that sends teens into the community to connect with younger children through books, games and activities. https://www.wane.com/news/positively-fort-wayne/acpls-team-read-is-positively-fort-wayne/

10/12/2026

🔆 Spotlight on Opportunity: Fort Wayne Cinema Center
Focus: 50 Years of Bringing Unique Experiences to Allen County
The Story: “Every time we open our doors, we bring a special or unique opportunity to the people of Allen County. Nothing epitomizes what we do better than the Hobnobben Film Festival. Each year, the festival brings artists and patrons together through more than 150 films from around the world, local filmmakers, workshops, and post-film conversations about meaningful topics. We’re also proud of what we’ve created through our new outdoor screening series. After decades of work, the support of Foellinger Foundation and the East Central Neighborhood Association helped us bring our parking lot to life as a space where the community can gather. For that reason, it is only fitting that our September 25 outdoor screening of "Back to the Future" doubled as our 50th Anniversary Celebration, creating a space to celebrate and propel us into the next 50 years. In those next 50, we intend to continue to be a partner, a provider, a gathering space, a place to have hard conversations, a place to laugh, a place to engage, and more." – Arthur Herbig, Executive Director

Thank you, Cinema Center, for 50 years of creating opportunities for Allen County residents to gather, connect, and experience the power of community!

10/09/2026

A community can be defined by the spaces where people come together and where strangers become neighbors. These gathering places give us opportunities to learn, move, explore, and connect—with one another, with our community, and with the world around us.

Foellinger Foundation’s Community Interests Grantees help create and sustain many of these spaces and experiences throughout our region. Four grantees— Fort Wayne Children's Choir Fort Wayne Zoo, Little River Wetlands Project, and Science Central—serve as gathering grounds in their own unique ways. These organizations show how shared experiences, from singing and exploring to discovering and learning, can bring people closer and make Allen County a more connected community.

Meet four Foellinger Foundation Community Interests Grantees creating gathering spaces where Allen County residents can learn, explore, and connect.

10/08/2026

Introducing The Veranda—a new meeting space available to Allen County nonprofit organizations. Located on our building's main level, this enclosed outdoor meeting space offers a comfortable setting to gather, connect, and enjoy the outdoors. A covered pergola with an adjustable roof protects from the elements, while countertop and lounge seating offer flexible options for meetings and conversations. The name The Veranda pays tribute to Esther Foellinger’s love of nature and flowers.

10/06/2026

Our October e-newsletter will land in inboxes later this week! Sign up to stay updated on grant deadlines and announcements, workshops, Foundation news, and more.

✉️ Sign up here: https://ow.ly/jYO050ZSeez

10/05/2026

President and CEO Sarah Strimmenos and Chief Program Officer Amanda Jamison attended the Ball Brothers Foundation 100th Anniversary Celebration, where they joined fellow community leaders in celebrating a century of impact.

Milestones like this remind us what’s possible when people and organizations come together with a shared commitment to strengthening the places they call home.

Congratulations to Ball Brothers Foundation on 100 years of giving back and investing in communities!

10/02/2026

President and CEO Sarah Strimmenos spoke at the 37th Annual Conference on Youth, Families, and Communities, hosted by Great KIDS Make Great COMMUNITIES.

The conference brought together organizations and leaders who serve youth and families for a day focused on connection, collaboration, and learning. Through insights from national and local speakers, attendees explored tools and strengths-based practices to help them better support children, families, and their communities.

For 37 years, Foellinger Foundation has been proud to support Great KIDS and its work to create stronger futures for children and families. We’re grateful for the organization’s continued leadership and the many ways it brings people together to strengthen our community.

09/29/2026

Don't forget to register for our Youth Development Grants Q&A Workshop on October 6. This one-hour event will answer any questions you have about the grant application process. We encourage executive directors and nonprofit staff members applying for Youth Development Grants to attend this informative workshop.

Grant applications are due on November 2, 2026!
Register here:
https://www.foellinger.org/events/youth-development-grants-qa-workshop-10-6-26

09/28/2026

We recently held a flu shot drive at our facility for our staff and some of our community partners and peer funders. A special thank you to our grantee partner Super Shot Inc for administering flu shots and helping to make the event possible!

Thank you to everyone who attended. We’re grateful for opportunities like this to come together, support one another, and help keep the people who strengthen our community healthy and well this season.