During this time of social distancing, the St. Joe Foundation sought to keep the community connected to essential services through technology. The Foundation awarded multiple COVID-19 Emergency Response Grants to local non-profits to procure hardware and software, allowing their services to continue remotely. The Foundation created an online resource page with updated hours and services for quality, free and low-cost healthcare services in Allen County. St. Joe staff also trained, assisted, and hosted meetings and webinars through video conferencing with, and for, many community partners.
St. Joe Foundation's Multimedia Coordinator Mark Burkholder has supported the Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne South Bend (DFWSB) in filming the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception's livestream Masses during the "shelter in place" beginning in mid-March through the end of May. Between 1,500 and 6,000 participants viewed these Catholic services.
The St. Joe Foundation has cooperated with DFWSB in the past, mutually benefiting through sharing video equipment and staff expertise. Nate Proulx of the Diocese has assisted Mark in filming the Foundation's Prenatal & Infant Care (PIC) Luncheons. The recordings of these luncheons assure the messages and materials presented can be available to all of the PIC professionals who are unable to attend the luncheons and to the general public.