Press Release: Catholic Charities’ Cabrini Center to Become University of Francis Retreat Center

Catholic Charities’ Cabrini Center to Become University of Francis Retreat Center 

March 13, 2023 (Fort Wayne, Ind.) – Used as temporary housing for Afghan refugees in 2021-2022, the Diocesan-owned Catholic Charities’ Cabrini Center will be formally turned over to the University of Saint Francis to become a retreat center. 

After the fall of the Afghan government in August 2021, Afghans with a fear of Taliban persecution were brought to U.S. safe-haven military bases. There, individuals received health screenings and security clearances before being sent to a local resettlement agency. 

As the only federal resettlement agency in northern Indiana, Catholic Charities received the first Afghan client in October of 2021. By November, Catholic Charities had 75 resettlement clients. Due to the citywide housing shortage, Catholic Charities responded to the need by opening the Cabrini Center. Previously a retirement home, Catholic Charities transformed the space to provide short-term housing for Afghans until permanent housing could be found. 

“We opened the Cabrini Center during an international refugee crisis,” said Dan Florin, CEO of Catholic Charities. “In all, we resettled 138 Afghans. A source of warmth and community, many of these individuals called Cabrini Center home for a time. Now that we are past the crisis and everyone is in permanent housing, we no longer need the space. We are so grateful for the volunteers who lent a hand or hammer, and the many donors of items and funds. It was because of their dedication to helping those in need that so many felt welcome in Fort Wayne.” 

The building, located at 5610 Noll Avenue in Fort Wayne, will be turned over to the University of Saint Francis on March 14, 2023. With 30+ private rooms, a chapel and a cafeteria, the space will be used to create a retreat center for USF students.

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About Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend:

Catholic Charities is a private 501 (c) 3 incorporated in the state of Indiana to act as the coordinating and administrative agency for the charitable activities assigned to it by the Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend; to plan for, initiate, direct, support and coordinate Catholic social-services programs for the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical welfare of persons in need; to seek and determine the causes of social problems in order to better promote preventative social-action programs; to participate in community planning and organization, and work cooperatively with other individuals and groups in the field of social work. The service area for Catholic Charities includes the 14 counties of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, encompassing 2,236 square miles, with a population of 1,247,850. Currently, Catholic Charities has offices in Fort Wayne (Allen County), Auburn (DeKalb County), and South Bend (St. Joseph County), Indiana. In Fiscal Year 2021-2022, CCFWSB served almost 20,000 individuals at a fiscally responsible rate of 88 cents of every dollar dedicated to client services. The agency’s mission is to serve all those in need as Christ calls us to do.