General Info

The Federation was organized in 1921, primarily as a welfare and relief organization to coordinate work and communal fund raising for the entire Jewish community. In 1939, Fort Wayne employed its first executive director. In subsequent years the Federation developed into a multi-faceted organization serving young and old in the areas of social services, education and cultural programs, leadership development, community relations, and fund raising. The FWJF was one of the founding agencies of the Community Chest and remains a program funded member agency of the United Way of Allen County. The Federation is considered a community leader in the efforts to reduce and eliminate prejudice. Today, the Federation serves as the central coordinating, fund raising, budgeting, and social planning agency for the Fort Wayne Jewish community. The Federation is a volunteer organization assisted by a trained professional staff. It is affiliated with the United Jewish Communities, a national association of 180 Jewish Federations serving communities in the U.S. and Canada. Federation Campaign Raising funds to finance human services at home, in Israel, and around the world is a fundamental Federation purpose. The annual UJA/Federation Campaign raises money for the Jewish Agency for Israel, the American Joint Distribution Committee, beneficiaries including community relations organizations, overseas, cultural, religious, regional and national agencies, and the local Federation operation. For over a decade, the Federation has operated the Gan pre-school, quality early childhood program. Camp Joe Levine is our summer day camp program. The FWJF has been actively involved in refugee resettlement since its inception. Refugees from Europe, Southeast Asia and the former Soviet Union have been assisted in their efforts to come to America.