In partnership

Ready to start your own business?

An employer identification number (EIN) helps you register a business entity, obtain a business loan, open a business checking account, and much more. Rosalina Perez, WEOC WBC Program Manager for the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, will walk through Form SS-4 - the application needed to retrieve an EIN. There will be two sessions: 2-3 p.m. and 3-4 p.m. Seating is limited!

This is an opportunity to learn more about the journey to entrepreneurship. The public is invited to connect directly with community and banking resources, and join us from 5 to 6 p.m., as Rosalina and a lineup of speakers share the next steps to success!

This free community event is a part of the Welcoming Week Celebration hosted by Welcoming Fort Wayne. Thank you to our partners at NIIC and the Allen County Public Library!

Register for the sessions today - seating is limited:

• 2 to 3 p.m.: Register HERE For 2 to 3 p.m. EIN Learning Session

• 3 to 4 p.m. Register HERE 3 to 4 p.m. EIN Learning Session

Amani Family Services, Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., and Downtown Fort Wayne are partnering to explore ways to remove barriers that limit the contributions and advancement of all immigrants in our community. We want to share about this critical community work and seek your input.

We received a Gateways for Growth Challenge (G4G) grant that provides a competitive opportunity for localities to receive research support and technical assistance from the American Immigration Council and Welcoming America to improve immigrant inclusion in their communities. Fort Wayne is one of nine cities across the nation selected to participate in the 2023 G4G cohort to gather critical data needed to create a more welcoming, engaging, and equitable community.

This work will involve a community survey, focus groups, and work by key leaders to develop a 3–5-year Strategic Immigrant Integration and Inclusion Plan.

Please join us and other invested community partners to learn more about this year-long initiative and how you can support a new community survey and the creation of a transformational community strategic plan.

A light breakfast will be served.

Download invitation

Amani Family Services will host its annual World Refugee Day celebration at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 20 at the Small Pavilion in Foster Park.

World Refugee Day is an international day to honor refugees for their courage and resiliency as they enter new communities. Since 2018, Amani Family Services has hosted a potluck celebration at Foster Park to recognize the unique multicultural community in Fort Wayne. This year, Stephanie Crandall, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the city of Fort Wayne, will read a Mayoral Proclamation commemorating Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day on behalf of Mayor Tom Henry.

The event will also feature a cultural performance from the Amaneceres de Mexico dance group, a Zumba demonstration and a personal story from a local refugee. Supporters can participate in our celebration by bringing a potluck dish to the event.

In addition to activities, Amani will invite event participants ages 18 and older to respond to the Gateways for Growth community survey. Amani has partnered with Downtown Fort Wayne and Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. for the Gateways for Growth (G4G) challenge, a year-long initiative addressing the concerns surrounding accessibility and equity. The survey can be completed online through SurveyMonkey.

This 12-hour initiative hosted by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 20. The money raised during the day will help Amani strengthen our multicultural community. Here’s how you can help:

• Click here to follow Amani Family Services on Facebook for all updates.

• Share your story of support with friends and followers. Be sure to include a link to our donation page.

• Donate! You can donate to Amani Family Services from 7 a.m. April 20 until 7 p.m. on the Give Greater Website.

Your support means the world to us and to the local families we serve.

Presented By

Doors open at 8:30 a.m., Program starts at 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 16

Ivy Tech - Coliseum Campus, 3800 N Anthony Blvd, Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Registration is now open for the 2022 Welcoming Fort Wayne Awards honoring outstanding immigrants and refugees and those who work to create a welcoming community.

The event takes place at 9 a.m. on Friday, September 16 at Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne, Room 1640. Registration is free and a light breakfast will be served.

There are three categories:

• Lifetime Achiever: Honors an experienced leader who has devoted a significant portion of their career and volunteer work to the immigrant and refugee community. Their service has deeply impacted multiculturalism in Allen County for more than a decade.

•  Emerging Leader: Honors a newcomer to the multicultural community who has demonstrated exceptional resilience and commitment to improving the community and lives of immigrant/refugee families through their burgeoning career or volunteer work.

• Welcoming Organization: Recognizes a for-profit or nonprofit organization that has made a lasting effort to be inclusive and welcoming through engagements with the refugee and immigrant refugee community. In addition to its external efforts, the organization demonstrates multicultural representation at various levels of leadership and has taken initiative in hiring immigrants and refugees in Allen County, Indiana.

Thank you to our Sponsors

Champion Sponsors

Advocate Sponsors

Welcomer Sponsor

One Lucky Guitar

In Partnership

Doors open at 6 p.m., Film at 7 p.m. with post-film discussion

Cinema Center, 437 E Berry St # 1, Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Watch a selection of independent films that explore stories of immigrants and children of immigrants. A panel conversation with filmmakers, Amani Family Services, and local representatives will follow the short films.

The Knell

On his first day at an Oklahoman university, a student from Ghana with hopes of achieving the American Dream encounters a beautiful yet mysterious campus tour guide who sends him down a deadly path to an American nightmare.

Join us in celebrating the international appeal of soccer! Gather friends to play or be a cheerful spectator. Stay with us after the tournament for a cultural potluck!

In Partnership

Calling All Players!

In lieu of a registration fee, we ask each player to bring cultural dishes to share in our potluck. Help us celebrate Fort Wayne's multicultural soccer community!

Time & Location:

6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept,

• Check-in starts at 5:30 p.m. and play will begin as teams are formed.

Fort Wayne Sport Club

3102 Ardmore Ave, Fort Wayne, IN 46802

Requirements:

• Men & Women of all skill levels are welcomed

• Must be 18 years old or older

• Must Accept FWSC Waiver and Release Form - Please print and bring the waiver with you on Tuesday, Sept. 13. Click here to download.

• Must register by September 5 at amanifamilyservices.org/2022-fwsc-soccer

Format:

• Open game - teams will be determined by the number of players.

• Clubhouse and bar open after the games for a cultural potluck

​Cost:

• In lieu of a registration cost, we ask individuals to contribute to our cultural potluck by bringing dishes that represent the cultures and traditions of your tea

Submit Your Registration by September 5

In partnership

A newcomer to Fort Wayne, artist Hilarie Couture wanted to learn more about the cultures and nationalities that typically are grouped into the "Other" category.

What she discovered inspired "Unity with Variety," a series of portraits depicting our neighbors, friends, and community leaders with unique stories to share.

In celebration of Welcoming Week, Hilarie will be revealing a few of the portraits from "Unity with Variety" before the show opens in October and will take part in a conversation with some of the individuals who inspired her work. This event is FREE - please register to reserve your seat.

Activities are made possible in part by Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., and the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts.

In Partnership

Noon to 5 p.m.

Creative Women of the World. 125 W Wayne St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802

We believe Fort Wayne is where YOU belong! Welcoming Week Fort Wayne, an initiative of Amani Family Services, highlights our city's unique multicultural community through arts, food, education, and more. Explore our Welcoming Week events and learn how you can dine around the world without a passport (and earn a prize!) Help us kick off a fun-filled week with cultural entertainment and face painting at Creative Women of the World.

Learn more about Be A Tourist in Your Own Hometown.

In Partnership

11:00 AM to 2 PM Saturday, September 10 Renaissance Pointe YMCA,

2323 Bowser Ave., Fort Wayne IN 46803

The Welcome Fair gathers vendors, employers, and community organizations together to provide a wealth of resources to immigrants, refugees, and all community supporters.

Join us for Zumba, community resources and fun!

Welcome Fair Vendors:

• CONNECT

• IUFW

• Fort4Fitness

• SCAN

• YWCA

• Shepherds Hand

• Professors and Pathways (PFW)

• FWCS

• Philharmonic

• Parkview

• Bowen Center

• Human Library

• Allen County Library

• YMCA

• Anthem

• Master Spas

• Little River Wetlands

• Neighborhood Health Clinic

• Center for Non-Violence

• American Red Cross

• Alliance Health

• FW Sexual Assault Treatment

• Hispanic Leadership Coalition

• FWCS HR Team

• Waterford

• Metro

• Healthvisions

• Great Heights ABA

• Big Brothers and Big Sisters

• League of Women Voters

• Worthy Estates

• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Burmese Education Center

• DAC

• SCMC Real estate

Download Welcome Fair Flyers:

• English

• Burmese

• Spanish

June 20 is World Refugee Day! Join us at the Small Pavilion at Foster Park for a family-friendly event featuring cultural dances, art projects, music, food, and stories from local refugees. Be a part of our community celebration by brining a potluck dish with you!

Amani will also celebrate 16 years of service at this year’s event! Join us for a celebration of our multicultural community and Amani’s Sweet 16!

Activity Updates!

This year’s event features:

• A planting activity by our friends at Little River Wetlands Project

• A potluck full of multicultural favorites,

• A heart-pumping round of Zumba, and

• Stories from our community of immigrants and refugees.

Help us share the news!

Download a flyer:

World Refugee Day - English Flyer

World Refugee Day - Burmese Flyer

World Refugee Day - Spanish Flyer

This 12-hour initiative hosted by the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne takes place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on April 21. The money raised during the day will help Amani move forward with three additional support groups to empower women, Afghan refugees, and individuals impacted by the war in Ukraine.

Here’s how you can help:

• Click here to follow Amani Family Services on Facebook for all updates.

• Share your story of support with friends and followers. Be sure to include a link to our donation page.

• Donate! You can donate to Amani Family Services from 7 a.m. April 21 until 7 p.m. on the Give Greater Website.

Your support means the world to us and to the local families we serve.

2021 One Beat Lip Sync Battle

OCTOBER 28TH, 2021

6:00 PM

THE CLYDE THEATRE

1808 BLUFFTON ROAD

FORT WAYNE, IN 46809

Amani Family Services is raising funds to help us continue our services and reach more families in our community. On October 28, 2021 we are hosting our 5th “One Beat - A Lip Sync Battle” fundraising event, where we raise money by selling votes, tickets, and auction items. Join us for Fort Wayne’s most fun event of the year!

Join us for music, local vendor samplings, an open bar, and live auction. Take part in the fun by voting for your favorite band, while lending your support to local immigrants and refugees!

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, or the event itself, please contact Amani, via email at Events@amanifamilyservices.org, or phone (260) 484-1414, ext.501. We greatly appreciate your support and hope to see you there!

Click below to reserve your tickets. Tickets are going fast!

EVENT VIDEO: here

Celebrate the achievements of exceptional immigrants and refugees, native community individuals, organizations, and companies that have demonstrated a strong commitment to multiculturalism, and others who have shown dedication to creating a welcoming Fort Wayne community.

The 2021 event will be the third for the Diversity Awards, which started in 2018, continued in 2019, and were paused in 2020 due to the pandemic. This year the event will take place on

Friday, October 22, 2021, at Ivy Tech Coliseum Campus (Room 1640), 3800 N. Anthony Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46805

Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the program begins at 9 a.m.

Registrations for the Diversity Awards are now closed – we have reached the capacity for our room at Ivy Tech.

The 2021 Diversity Awards is hosted by Welcoming Fort Wayne, a chapter of Welcoming America and an initiative of Amani Family Services.

The Title Sponsor for the event is the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation and the Presenting Sponsor is Ivy Tech Community College – Fort Wayne/Warsaw. Supporting sponsors include Greater Fort Wayne Inc. and Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County.

Committee members representing the following partner organizations are helping to organize the awards: St. Joseph Community Health Foundation, YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne, Wellspring, Purdue Fort Wayne, Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, Parkview Health, the Multicultural Council of Greater Fort Wayne, Language Services Network, Friends of the Third World, Fort Wayne Community Schools, East Allen County Schools, the City of Fort Wayne, and Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County.