The Gathering Grounds of Allen County
A community can be defined by the spaces where people come together and where strangers become neighbors. These gathering places give us opportunities to learn, move, explore, and connect—with one another, with our community, and with the world around us.
Foellinger Foundation’s Community Interests Grantees help create and sustain many of these spaces and experiences throughout our region. Four grantees— Fort Wayne Children’s Choir, Fort Wayne Zoo, Little River Wetlands, and Science Central—serve as gathering grounds in their own unique ways. These organizations show how shared experiences, from singing and exploring to discovering and learning, can bring people closer and make Allen County a more connected community.
Fort Wayne Children’s Choir
The Fort Wayne Children’s Choir brings children from diverse backgrounds together through music and performance, with a mission to build music literacy while fostering a sense of belonging, passion and joy. With nearly 250 singers ages 0–18 from 85 schools, the Choir unites local youth to achieve a common goal—artistic and educational excellence.
That spirit of connection extends beyond the Choir’s traditional ensembles. Through First Steps in Music, children ages 0–5—with help from their caregivers—sing, move, and play simple instruments. Classes are offered in community settings, including Allen County Public Library locations, bringing these shared musical experiences directly into places where families already gather.
“The goal of First Steps in Music is to enable all participants to reach their full potential in singing, vocabulary, and movement skills, with an emphasis on developing sensitivity to the expressive qualities in music,” shared Executive Artistic Director Jonathan Busarow.
“Our partnership with the Allen County Public Library increases the reach we have in early childhood education and increases our access and impact to children who may not otherwise participate in arts education. By working alongside schools, nonprofits, businesses, and community leaders, we are able to maximize resources, avoid duplication of services, and create experiences that strengthen the entire community rather than a single organization.”
Fort Wayne Zoo
Fort Wayne Zoo’s mission is to connect kids and animals, strengthen families, and inspire people to care. As a destination for families, friends, and people of all ages, the Zoo brings the community together through a sense of wonder. Its exhibits, educational programs, and experiences invite visitors to slow down, explore, and discover something new.
That shared experience of learning and discovery is part of what makes Fort Wayne Zoo a gathering ground for Allen County. “One of the things I love most about the Zoo is that it brings generations together,” shared Executive Director Rick Schuiteman. “It is common to meet grandparents who visited as children and are now introducing the Zoo to their grandchildren, creating a tradition that connects families across decades.”
“The Fort Wayne Zoo is more than a Zoo,” Rick added. “It is a community asset that reflects the values of Allen County and serves as a place where people can connect, learn, and make lasting memories together.”
Little River Wetlands Project
Little River Wetlands Project protects and restores wetlands in the historic Little River watershed while providing educational opportunities that encourage people to become good stewards of wetlands and other natural ecosystems. With more than 1,300 acres of wetlands protected across preserves including Eagle Marsh, the organization gives Allen County residents places to experience nature close to home.
The wetlands are gathering grounds in the truest sense—places where individuals of all ages and backgrounds can walk, explore, volunteer, learn, and experience the outdoors—together. Through free programs and events, Little River Wetlands Project helps Allen County residents build a deeper connection to the natural resources that surround them.
“Nature is a great common ground. It gives people a reason to come together who might not otherwise cross paths,” shared Executive Director Cammy Sutter. “We see a lot of intergenerational learning through our programs, with people of all ages learning and exploring together. Our hope is that by helping people understand and experience wetlands, they’ll want to help protect them.”
Science Central
Science Central provides interactive science education for individuals of all ages. Through exhibits, events, and programs ranging from STEM camps and coding clubs to early-childhood programming, Science Central gives children and adults opportunities to learn by doing—and to discover the answers together.
That emphasis on hands-on discovery makes Science Central a natural gathering ground for curiosity. Families can explore an exhibit side by side, ask questions, experiment, and share in the excitement of figuring something out.
“Science gives people a common starting point. You do not have to arrive with a certain level of knowledge or experience. You simply have to be willing to ask questions and explore,” said Executive Director Mandee Mikulski. “We are working to fully embrace the word Central in our name by serving not only as a destination for science learning, but also as a hub for community connection.”
Foellinger Foundation is proud to support organizations that create opportunities for people to connect, explore, grow, and feel a sense of belonging. Thank you to our Community Interests Grantees for creating places and experiences that help bring Allen County residents together.