Awards

IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 2010

About Jason Baker

Jason Baker is a former American football punter. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, and Carolina Panthers. Baker attended the University of Iowa, where he played college football and majored in business administration.

Baker founded Catie B. Charities in Ft. Wayne after seeing his family's difficulties in treating his sister Catie's brain tumor. Over the course of eight surgeries and supplemental treatment, their parents had no one to help them navigate through the various specialists and hospitals. Determined that families should have someone to assist them with the difficulties of the health system, Jason and Catie B. Charities have worked directly with the Indiana University School of Social Work and Riley Hospital for Children to establish a structure for training specialists and work with the families of hospitalized children. Out of this effort have come both the Catie B. Project for Family Centered Care and the Catie B. Fellowship. The Project at the School of Social Work aims to enhance interdisciplinary training opportunities to improve services. The Fellowship is a prestigious award to graduate students. Baker has also used the charity to create the Catie B. Circle of Care program at Parkview Health in Fort Wayne, his hometown. Funds raised by Baker and the Parkview Foundation cover the salaries of two social workers who provide services to families.