Dear Friends of Heart of the City Mission Foundation,

Do these questions sound familiar to you:

"What should we have for supper tonight?” 

"What do you have a taste for?”

"What sounds good to eat?” 

These simple questions – which most of us take for granted – are simply foreign to some of the inner-city families we at Heart of the City Mission Foundation serve through our Food Rescue and Food Distribution programs. Too often their question is, "Do we have anything to eat for supper tonight?"

Food insecurity is a pressing issue in Fort Wayne, where over 51,000 residents –14% of the population – are affected daily. Our families aren’t thinking about what they want to eat. They’re thinking: “Will I eat?" – and they’re thinking it yesterday and they’ll think about it tomorrow. They’re thinking about how they are going to feed their families.

At Heart of the City Mission Foundation, we HARVEST excess nutritious food like pasta, steak, chicken, vegetables and soup from area restaurants, providing an immediate impact in our community – rather than disposing of it. Our Food Rescue program provides a unique solution to the critical issue of hunger in our community.

Right now, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of an anonymous donor, we have been given a Matching Funds opportunity. Every dollar given will be matched – up to $10,000! This means your contribution will go twice as far to help us continue our vital programs for families experiencing homelessness, provide nourishing meals, and offer hope and resources to those in crisis.

Your contribution will support:

• Our 16th year of distributing nutritious food and health essentials to under-resourced households. Read more here.

• Our Earn-a-Bike program, which provides bicycles to those who are without transportation. This helps remove barriers for Heart of the City Mission Foundation has distributed over 200 bikes per year into the community. Securing transportation is vital to the economic health of struggling families, helping to remove barriers for finding and keeping employment and managing daily and weekly errands. Read more here.

• Our volunteers who not only support our programs, but also connect the people which Heart of the City serves with social services and caring community support. We recognize there are many needs which are outside the reach of our expertise. Partnering with others who are experts in their respective operational arenas allows for the best chance of meeting the client’s needs.

Through this 2025 matching gift program, your contribution will be doubled in value. A donation of $50 will be matched to total $100, and a $100 gift will be increased to $200. This opportunity allows us to further enhance our collective impact to inner-city, low-income children and adults.

As someone who cares about making a meaningful difference in our community, we invite you to join us in a special opportunity to continue to support Heart of the City Mission Foundation and break the cycle of poverty of inner-city families by making a difference one life at a time.

Please consider making your most generous gift today. Every dollar counts, and every dollar is matched. 

Click here to donate securely online, or mail your support to: 

Heart of the City Mission Foundation

1651Cass Street

Fort Wayne, IN 46808

Thank you for being a vital part of our mission. With your help, we can give hope, dignity, and a fresh start to those who need it most.

With gratitude, 

2025 Board of Directors

Timothy L. Stauffer, MBA, Pastor, Mission Church – Board Chair

Amanda Anderson, CPA, Houlihan, LLP Certified Public Accountants – Treasurer

Jim Brockmann, 4KenyasKids.org Board Member, Retired, former owner of A Party Apart 

Jaime Holle, Owner, 4EOS & Safe House Cyber Security

Luke Meyers, Project Manager, Shambaugh & Sons

Jason Russell, DC, Executive Director of Sports Medicine, Optimum Performance Sports

Laura Sievers, CFO, North Eastern Group – Outside Consultant

Jessica Stauffer, Owner, J3Designs

David Whitney, Broadridge Financial Solutions 

Joseph Zehr, Owner, North Eastern Group