Establishing the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne was more than an act of kindness for Rudy Mahara, it was heritage. “My motivation goes back to my parents, who were both leaders in the community. They struggled to make ends meet, yet they understood the importance of charity,” Rudy reflected.
Following in his parents’ footsteps, Rudy raised $225,000 and recruited a board of directors to open the first Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne in the late ‘80s. “At the time, the community was experiencing a high volume of crime among youth, in particular urban youth. Rudy recognized that this population was underserved and needed guidance and a place that would value them and help them recognize and pursuit their full potential,” commented Joe Jordan President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
Today, 26 years later, Fort Wayne is home to four Boys & Girls Clubs, serving 2,500 kids daily and with an annual budget of $1.4 million. Rudy currently serves on the Capital Campaign Committee with the goal of raising funds for a multi-million-dollar Teen Center.