WindSwell Foundation

08/18/2026

Join our team!

WindSwell Foundation is hiring a Communications & Events Coordinator.

We’re looking for a creative, detail-oriented professional to help tell WindSwell’s story and bring inclusive, accessible events to life. This role will manage social media and digital communications, create accessible marketing materials, and coordinate community events including the Disabilities Expo.

If you have experience in communications, marketing or event planning and are passionate about disability inclusion, we’d love to hear from you.

Learn more: https://tr.ee/I69hQq

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to Patti Hays, CEO, at [email protected].

Image description: Photo of the WindSwell Foundation mascot, Dart, a lime green plastic dog, with some WindSwell Foundation event and branding materials displayed on a desk.

08/07/2026

This week we joined Fort Wayne Urban League and Alliance Health for the opening of their new clinic. This partnership will fill a gap for children and families in providing access to early identification of developmental delays. Early detection leads to timely intervention which ensures better outcomes for the child’s future.

We are proud to support this collaboration and look forward to witnessing the benefits this will have on our community.

Image description: Photo of six women representing the involved organizations standing outdoors in front of a brick building, smiling while holding a long green ribbon during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

08/04/2026

Congratulations to Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club on their grand opening. We had a blast on Saturday for the ribbon cutting, seeing everything in action. Even Hilda had some fun! Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls provides a new, accessible activity to our community. Get out there and try something new!

Learn more at: fortwaynelawnbowls.com

Image descriptions:

Image 1: Photo of a person cutting a red ribbon during the grand opening of the Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club. A large green banner behind them reads "Fort Wayne Lawn Bowls Club" with the slogan "Let's Roll!" and includes references to the adjacent croquet club.

Image 2: Photo of Hilda, a yellow Labrador retriever, sitting on a sidewalk at the edge of a lawn bowling green, looking toward the camera with a relaxed, happy expression. Several people are playing lawn bowls in the background, with bowls scattered across the neatly trimmed green.

Image 3: Photo of a wheelchair user rolling a lawn bowl down the green during a game. The black bowl is traveling toward other bowls farther down the lane while several players watch and continue play in the background.

07/24/2026

This week Mandy attended the National ADA Symposium in Phoenix and even ran into our friend Tina Acosta from Turnstone! She came back fired up with new knowledge and an enthusiasm to make Northeast Indiana even more inclusive for people with disabilities. We can’t wait to utilize what she’s learned.

Image description: Photo of Mandy Drakeford, left, and Tina Acosta, right, standing together and smiling at the National ADA Symposium. Behind them, a large orange screen displays the National ADA Symposium logo. Both are wearing conference name badges.

07/22/2026

It’s our favorite time of year, our annual Fort Wayne TinCaps game! We’re here with about 1,500 of our friends with disabilities, caregivers, and family members. While it’s cooler than planned, we have cooling towels and fans to give out. Stop by and see us if you’re here.

We would love to thank the TinCaps team for always going above and beyond to accommodate our group and being an inclusive, welcoming environment for all. A special thanks goes out to City of Fort Wayne Government for freeing up some meters to make parking easier for our large groups of disability service providers.

It’s a beautiful day. Go TinCaps!

Image description: Photo of a WindSwell branded handheld fan on top of a lime green cooling towel that says ‘Think differently about disabilities.’

07/20/2026

Today the Department of Justice released a notice announcing it will no longer rely on Olmstead guidance when enforcing Title II of the ADA (this is the section applying to state and local governments). This guidance has long been used to explain and support the rights of people with disabilities to receive services and supports in integrated community settings. The DOJ has plans to re-evaluate the guidance.

This action doesn’t overturn the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision or change text to the ADA, but represents a shift in the federal government’s approach to enforcement.

WindSwell Foundation remains committed to the idea that inclusive and integrated communities benefit everyone.

You can read the full notice at:

The Department of Justice (the Department) is issuing this document to clarify that the guidance issued by the Department on June 22, 2011, and last updated February 28, 2020, titled "Statement of the Department of Justice on Enforcement of the Integration Mandate of Title II of the Americans...

07/16/2026

During this Disability Pride Month, it’s a great time to remember our history. In 2024 PBS Fort Wayne premiered The Forgotten, a documentary on the former State Developmental Institution that was right here in Fort Wayne. This serves as a reminder of where we came from and how, when we knew better, we did better! We can’t go back; we must continue to embrace community integration.

To watch the documentary: https://tr.ee/AGkefx

Image Description: Graphic showing the title card for a PBS Fort Wayne documentary. Large brown text reads, "The Forgotten," with the subtitle, "A History of the State Developmental Institutions in Fort Wayne." The background features a sepia-toned historic photograph of the original Fort Wayne State Developmental Center campus, showing a large institutional building with surrounding grounds and many people gathered outside. The PBS Fort Wayne logo appears in the lower left corner above the text, "An Exclusive Documentary Production From PBS Fort Wayne."

07/08/2026

The Sheets Family Park in Angola officially opened at the end of May and we are still thinking about it! From start to finish, this park was designed with disability in mind. From the fully accessible playground complete with a zero-entry splashpad and communication boards in English and Spanish, to the family restrooms with an adult-sized changing table, they really put in the effort to make this a park for everyone. Even the pickleball courts have varied height counters for spectators in wheelchairs.

Be sure to check it out this summer!

Image descriptions:

Image 1: Photo of Sheets Family Park showing a colorful mural wall in the foreground and an inclusive playground in the background. Children and adults are using the playground, which includes accessible ramps, climbing structures, swings, and play equipment. A wide sidewalk and open grassy area lead to the playground.

Image 2: Photo of an accessible viewing area beside blue pickleball courts. A lowered counter and seating are built into the fence, providing space for wheelchair users and others to comfortably watch the games.

Image 3: Photo of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) board installed at the playground. The communication board includes symbols, words, letters, and numbers that allow children and adults to communicate using pictures, spelling, and simple phrases while playing.

07/02/2026

Our office will be closed tomorrow, Friday July 3 in observance of Independence Day. We will resume regular hours on Monday, July 6. We hope everyone has a great, safe holiday weekend.

Image description: Photo of the front of the WindSwell Foundation building on a sunny day with a blue sky and scattered clouds. The WindSwell Foundation logo and name are mounted on the dark gray exterior wall, with landscaping and a flagpole displaying a U.S. flag in front of the building. A banner in the upper left corner reads, “Closed July 3.”

06/30/2026

Serving three terms on the board, two as Board Chair, Whitney Bandemer exemplified not only what it means to be a great leader, but also a disability advocate. She guided our organization through strategic planning and our rebranding, ensuring we stayed true to our mission. She actively got to know our grantee organizations through site visits, learning first-hand the needs of those served and how our grantees support those needs. Taking what she’s learned in this role into her professional and personal life, she’s always advocating for disability inclusion. For this reason, at her final board meeting, she was honored with the Dart Pin.

As a reminder, the Dart Pin recognizes those who create lasting change in Northeast Indiana by championing advocacy, inclusion, and disability rights.

Be sure to check out July’s newsletter as Whitney will reflect on her time on the WindSwell board. We thank Whitney for her leadership and dedication to the WindSwell Foundation mission.

Image description: Photo of WindSwell Foundation Board Chair Whitney Bandemer smiling while wearing a gray plaid dress and a bright lime green lapel pin shaped like Dart, the Foundation's dog mascot.