The Fort Wayne Chapter of The Links, Incorporated will hold a Black Family Wellness Expo on March 21, 2026.
News release from The Links:
Local Black Family Wellness Expo will be part of National Day of Impact
Fort Wayne, Indiana (March 5, 2026) – The Fort Wayne (IN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated will hold a Black Family Wellness Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at the Renaissance Pointe YMCA, 2323 Bowser Ave., Fort Wayne.
The free event – open to the public – is an effort to help reduce health and economic disparities, which will in turn improve and save lives.
March 21st is a National Impact Day of Service for The Links, Incorporated, an organization of more than 17,000 women in in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom.
The expo here and in dozens of other cities will collectively reach thousands of people. This is the fourth year nationally for this impact initiative and the third annual Black Family Wellness Expo to be held in Fort Wayne. The expo will cover a diverse range of wellness matters from access to immunizations, courtesy of SuperShot, to financial literacy and voter awareness.
The Health First Allen County annual report based on 2024 data offers a glimpse of areas where local residents can become more proactive about wellness:
- More than 40% of Allen County residents are obese. That is lower than the statewide percentage but being overweight increases the risk for conditions such as high blood pressure and heart attacks. According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure is more prevalent among African Americans.
- Just 60% of children under three years of age 3 have completed recommended vaccines.
- The infant mortality rate for the county is 6.9 per 1,000 live births, slightly higher than the 6.7 for the state.
The March 21st Wellness Expo will provide easy access to information and resources to help area residents – especially Black families – live longer, more fulfilling lives!
The expo will include drawings for exciting giveaways, including grocery store gift cards, and a YMCA membership.
We are especially excited to announce that we will have a display of creativity by youth who are competing in a Unity Through Art competition for grades K-12. Working through local schools, we are encouraging student submissions of creative expressions in various ways including artwork, poetry, prose, dance, music, drama work.
Last year, our expo had nearly 20 area organizations participating, providing invaluable information and demonstrations. We expect healthy participation this year, as well, based on early response. As of Feb. 26, confirmed participants include:
- A&J Optical Boutique, which will provide free eye screening
- Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana
- Chi Eta Phi Nursing Sorority, which provides blood pressure checks
- Healthier Moms & Babies
- Matthew 25
- Mother Earth Aesthetics
- Northeast Indiana Positive Resource Connection
- Old National Bank with a “Kids Corner” that will include beginner money skills lessons
- State Farm Insurance
- SuperShot, providing immunizations
- The Kidney Association
- The YMCA
“The Black Family Wellness Expo is about bringing vital health resources directly to our community in a way that is empowering, accessible, and uplifting,” said Angie Wortham, President of the Fort Wayne (IN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. “We are excited to partner with a diverse group of vendors and health professionals who are committed to helping families live healthier, stronger lives. This event is not only informative – it’s a celebration of community and wellness for all.”
About The Links, Incorporated
The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946 that now has some 300 chapters in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.Members of The Links, Incorporated contribute more than 1 million documented hours of community service annually – strengthening their communities and enhancing the nation.
The Fort Wayne (IN) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated received its charter March 24, 1979. Local initiatives have focused on legislative impact through voter registration drives and candidate
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