Wellspring Interfaith Social Services Inc

Programs: Wellspring interfaith social services celebrated a record year in 2017 with the largest program service numbers to date in addition to an exceedingly successful program service year, wellspring's leadership completed a new strategic plan. The strategic plan encompasses five focus areas designed to give direction for the agency over the next three years. The focus areas include community, financial success, participants, history and faith and internal agency systems. Key features of the plan highlight efforts to increase financial diversity, continue evaluating programming against our mission and cultural creed, and establish stronger internal operations. The board of directors and staff members of wellspring are enthusiastic about moving into the future with this plan. Each of wellspring's direct service programs experienced unique successes throughout the year. The summer day camp program expanded in 2017 from five grade groupings to six and celebrated an increase of 5% in total attendance (471 youth aged 4-17) as well as a 5. 5% in daily average attendance (average of 293 children daily). Wellspring's summer program established two new partnerships in 2017 through collaborations with the salvation army and the purdue extension office 4-h program. These partnerships furthered the success of the program by allowing wellspring to reach more children from different areas of the city and offering stem (science technology engineering and math) education to our campers. The week following the summer day camp, 60 children and twelve staff members traveled to howe, indiana for a week long experience at camp lutherwald. Boys and girls enjoyed recreational activities, physical fitness, building leadership skills, developing relationships and challenging themselves in this beautiful outdoor setting. The after school program underwent some changes during the year that effectively set the program up for further success. At the conclusion of the 2016/2017 school year, wellspring discontinued an outreach site at a local elementary school. This decision allowed for increased programming on-site at the wellspring center, focused our staff energy and increased transportation options for our families during the 2017/2018 school year. The program increased transportation by nearly 50% and program attendance grew by upwards of 40% resulting in 50-60 children every evening at wellspring. In 2017, a total of 99 children attended the program.

the food bank and wellspring shoppe, free clothing bank, provided foundational services for thousands of individuals in 2017. A total of 24,939 items of clothing, shoes and household goods were distributed to 3,448 individuals through the wellspring shoppe in 2017. The program was available 160 days for a total of 640 hours of service time. The food bank provided 68,205 meals to a total of 2,458 men, women and children with 32% of those individuals visiting the program on a monthly basis. Wellspring's food bank continues to be open more days and more hours than any other food pantry in the city offering service six days each week (monday - saturday) with 13 hours of fully staffed time equaling 676 hours of service throughout the year.

even more exciting success was seen in wellspring's older adult program an ongoing collaboration with wellspring's group "the wellspringers" brought new faces into the older adult program in 2017. The older adult program (and wellspringers), which served 383 seniors and individuals with mental illness, developmental and physical disabilities in 2017, underwent a professional evaluation by bob pitman of the pitman institute on aging well. The program was measured against the nine standards for senior center accreditation by the national council on aging and the pitman institute's six dimensions of wellness. Wellspring will use the results of the evaluation in conjunction with our strategic plan to enhance the objectives and mission of the older adult program moving forward.

the parent club helps develop learning skills for parents and grandparents. Activiteis include intergerational and community service programs. Wellspring celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2018 and recognizes the volunteers, donors and community support it takes to keep the mission alive - people of faith working together to support and enrich the lives of fort wayne's central city residents.