[Fort Wayne, IN] ─ In celebration of Pay It Forward Day on April 28, self-advocates from 11 area service providers presented $5,000 in donations, with support from AWS Foundation, to local nonprofits that are creating a more inclusive community for people with disabilities.
Self-advocates are individuals with disabilities who use their experiences to promote inclusion, accessibility, and positive change in their communities. Selected nonprofits were nominated by the self-advocates themselves—organizations they volunteer with, receive services from, or who make a positive impact in Northeast Indiana. The following agency’s self-advocates selected 3 organizations to support, which included:
- Bi-County Services
- 4-H of Wells County Backpack Program
- The Closet
- Yehoshua, Inc.
- Cardinal Services, Inc. of Indiana
- Fellowship Missions
- Kosciusko Senior Services
- Live Well Kosciusko
- Carey Services
- City of Gas City
- Grant County Special Olympics
- Marion-Grant County Humane Society
- Easterseals Northeast Indiana
- Animal Care and Control
- First Church of God
- Haven Hills
- L.I.F.E. Adult Day Academy
- Jesters
- Kitchen Sink Theater
- Volunteer Center
- League for the Blind & Disabled
- Blessings in a Backpack
- Boys & Girls Club
- GiGi’s Playhouse
- Pathfinder Services
- New Life Ministries
- United with Love of Huntington County
- Three Rivers Visiting Dogs
- The Arc of LaGrange County
- Ben’s Pretzels
- Council on Aging – LaGrange Co.
- Glory Gardens Greenhouse
- The Arc Noble County Foundations
- Albion Volunteer Fire Department
- American Legion Riders Albion Post 246
- Life & Family Services
- The Arc of Wabash County, Inc
- Wabash Rotary Club
- Lighthouse Mission of Wabash County
- First United Methodist Church – Hot Dog Ministry
- Turnstone
- CASS Housing
- Community Transportation Network (CTN)
- Life Adult Day Academy
Pay It Forward Day is a worldwide celebration of kindness that takes place every year on April 28.
“It’s important for our community to empower people with disabilities to give back,” said Patti Hays, CEO of AWS Foundation. “When a person’s daily activities depend on support from others, the opportunity for them to give may be limited. Pay It Forward Day offers self-advocates the chance to make an impact and to donate to those organizations who have given to them.”