AWS FOUNDATION DONATES SOUTH CENTRAL CAMPUS TO BLUE JACKET, INC.

April 2, 2014, FORT WAYNE, INDIANA

The AWS Foundation generously donated 1 ¼ acre campus, 19,000 sq. ft. building, and gardens to Blue Jacket, Inc., a Fort Wayne-based non-profit serving the hard to employ. Blue Jacket has been leasing the building for the past two years, but the donation and ownership transaction were just finalized last week, making this the largest donation to the non-profit in the company’s 8 years in business.

This campus sits on the west side of South Calhoun Street near Downtown Fort Wayne and functions as a beacon of hope and as an aesthetic anchor for many Fort Wayne citizens.
Blue Jacket’s Executive Director, Tony Hudson stated, “We are thankful for this gift that affirms our mission and makes the best possible use of this community asset at 2826 South Calhoun.” 

Blue Jacket Board of Directors declares to the Fort Wayne community that Blue Jacket is here to stay.  “In 2011, we endeavored away from funding sources that did not match our mission of serving the hardest-of-the-hardest to employ populations, and this space helps us strategically partner with local agencies to carry out our mission and continue to transform families,” says David Gutting, Blue Jacket, Inc. Board President, “Becoming the owners of this campus on South Calhoun symbolizes much more than an expansion of services, but that we are here to stay for a long time.”

For many years, Anthony Wayne Services (AWS) corporate offices were located at the campus and included an 8,000 square foot expansion in the back of the office building to host Post Masters and other workshop activities for AWS clients.  In 2006, AWS relocated its corporate offices to Bluffton Road near the airport, AWS Foundation later rented the building to the St. Joseph Community Foundation which hosted many refugee-serving organizations.  Both entities developed an urban garden on the south side of the campus that contains 36 raised beds.

“We are delighted that such an important community resource has a permanent home now from which to serve its constituents and the surrounding neighborhoods.  This facility is ideally suited to Blue Jacket to continue to carry out its mission,” says Lynne Gilmore, Executive Director of AWS Foundation.  The Blue Jacket Clothing Company launched in March 2013 to sell business professional clothing to the general public with the goal of employing only Blue Jacket graduates while providing free professional clothes to students that attend its professional training.

Interesting Facts:

1. Since 1972, this campus has continually served underprivileged Fort Wayne citizens, starting with people with disabilities, then refugees with cultural and communication barriers, and now disadvantaged job seekers, including ex-offenders.
2. In March 2002, Anthony Wayne Services employees provided professional counsel to the founder of Blue Jacket on the curriculum of its pre-employment, soft skill training now called the Career Academy.  Meetings occurred in the very space that Blue Jacket now resides. 
3. In March 2012, Blue Jacket moved into the campus.
4. In March 2013, the Blue Jacket Clothing Company cut the ribbon on niche business professional thrift store. 
5. In March 2014, AWS Foundation officially donates the campus to Blue Jacket, Inc.

Blue Jacket, Inc., an innovative, Fort Wayne-based nonprofit was created to provide the tools and opportunities to adult ex-offenders and other disadvantaged candidates for employment to become productive members of society.  It moved into the campus in March 2012 to expand classroom, computer room, and clothing bank space.  The 11,000 square feet of office space also provides Blue Jacket with an opportunity to augment its job training and placement services by renting space to private partners and will soon host satellite offices for nonprofit partners that are experts in counseling, case management, adult education and other services that Blue Jacket clients desire.

AWS Foundation’s mission is to help children and adults with enduring intellectual and physical disabilities live as independently as possible, be included in society and function at their highest potential.