LATEST NEWS

April 1, 2025 | Volume 3, Issue 3

Accelerating Change, Uplifting Immigrant Women

On March 6, we gathered in a room filled with incredible women leaders—changemakers, advocates, and trailblazers—who are driving impact in our community. Amani's Annual International Women’s Day Luncheon was a powerful reminder that when we come together, we can Accelerate Action and create meaningful change.

Each year, this event grows in significance as we reaffirm our commitment to uplifting and empowering immigrant and refugee women. This is especially critical for our Victim Care Program, which continues to be at the heart of Amani's original mission. Through this program, our advocates provide vital support to women seeking safety.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating and uplifting immigrant women. Your presence, passion, and support make all the difference! A special thank you to our keynote speaker Dr. Svitlana Ramer, Honorary Consul of Ukraine to Indiana, for sharing your inspiring story and showing us how each of us can make a positive impact.

To learn more about the Victim Care Program and how you can support its life-changing work, visit amanifamilyservices.org/victim-care

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Amani Receives Women in the Workforce Recognition for 2nd Year in a Row

Amani Family Services is proud to receive a Women in the Workplace recognition from the Women's Fund of Greater Fort Wayne! For the 2nd year in a row, we earned a Bronze recognition for ensuring equitable practice in Leadership, Retention, and Recruitment. Thank you to the Women's Fund for their dedication to making our region a better, safer, and more inclusive place.

Learn more about the 2024 honorees here

Blackhawk Middle Schoolers Embody Amani Mission with "Pebbles of Positivity" Project

Black Hawk Middle Schoolers are fostering a spirit of belonging! Through a service-learning project, a group of 8th graders from Fort Wayne Community Schools learned about Amani’s mission and services, presented the project to administrators for approval, fundraised during spirit week to purchase materials, and gathered their classmates in the school cafeteria to paint calming images and motivational messages on over 250 rocks.

The students delivered these rocks to Amani during a field trip on March 27, 2025. The rocks will be "planted" in our new green space, where they can be enjoyed by everyone who visits our office.

What inspired you to join the team here?

I have always loved working for non-profit organizations because of their mission-driven purposes. Amani’s mission spoke to me right away because every person has the right to safety, personal growth, and a sense of belonging. I love working for an organization that fosters those rights.

What brought you to Fort Wayne, IN

I grew up on a farm in Hudson, Indiana, about 45 minutes north of here. After college, I lived in Indianapolis for several years, then moved to Fort Wayne over 25 years ago to be closer to family.

What should community members know about Amani?

Amani is full of heart! Each employee believes and supports the mission, which is obvious day in and day out. Our clients are our number one priority!

Theresa joined Amani as our new CFO in January 2025. Outside of work, Theresa enjoys spending time with her son and two cats, reading historical fiction and nonfiction, and creating dioramas with her sister to display her Barbie collection.

Welcoming Fort Wayne Spotlight:

Latino Leadership Pipeline Empowers Latino Leaders for a Stronger Communtiy

Local Latino leaders are responding to a growing need for diverse representation in the social sector ecosystem by launching the Latino Leadership Pipeline, a new program that helps prepare Latinos for leadership roles on nonprofit boards. On March 15, over 30 Hispanic and Latino professionals participated in a full-day training where they gained essential knowledge on nonprofit board operations, finding the right board opportunities, and developing the skills to serve effectively. The initiative is created in collaboration with the Hispanic Leadership Coalition of Northeast Indiana, the Greater Fort Wayne Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and Latinos Count and is supported by a grant from the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation. LLP leaders say this inaugural workshop is only the beginning of more development and engagement opportunities for Latino professionals.

Learn more about Welcoming Fort Wayne

We partner with immigrant and refugee families and the community to promote safety, encourage personal growth, and foster a spirit of belonging.