SAFETY NET SERVICES
SAFETY NET SERVICES
SAFETY NET SERVICES
Supporting families and individuals experiencing an emergency or crisis by investing in partners and programs that provide critical food, clothing, shelter, emergency and crisis intervention services when needed.
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SAFETY NET SERVICES
Supporting families and individuals experiencing an emergency or crisis by investing in partners and programs that provide critical food, clothing, shelter, emergency and crisis intervention services when needed.
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PROGRAM INFORMATION
RESCUE INC. (HOPE MINISTRIES)
DESCRIPTION: Hope’s Community Kitchen is St. Joseph County’s most important resource for meeting the emergency food needs of people in crisis. While numerous food pantries and soup kitchens throughout the community address emergency food needs, Hope’s Community Kitchen is the only facility that serves lunch and dinner every day of the year, at no cost, to anyone who comes.
LOGAN COMMUNITY RESOURCES INC.
DESCRIPTION: LOGAN will assess the clients, and their need of protection or help, often immediately removing the client from the situation. LOGAN is charged by the County Prosecutor’s Office to care for all individuals with a disability, regardless of which organization may be addressing their needs. We serve the most vulnerable population, often unable to understand their rights, easily manipulated, exploited, robbed, beaten, or abused, and lacking basic needs of housing, food and medical care. In addition, we serve as representative payee, and provide legal assistance and healthcare representation.
CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS
DESCRIPTION: The Dining Services program is a full-service meal program for the entire campus of the Center for the Homeless, including residents of the Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center, temporary overnight shelter program (Weather Amnesty) participants, as well as children in our Early Childhood Intervention Center (ECIC). The Dining program is open 365 days per year, and serves three meals a day.
UNITED HEALTH SERVICES
DESCRIPTION: The Diabetes Resource Center’s Emergency Medication Program assists medically under-served people with their medication and disease self-management to control their diabetes. The program is addressing the financial crisis that many people with diabetes and the related complications face while trying to manage their medication & health costs. We use case management, direct financial assistance and education in order to reduce a crisis situation.
AIDS MINISTRIES
DESCRIPTION: The DEFA program assists the clients with a one time emergency assistance of $200 towards medical or homeless prevention assistance. In order the client to get assistance they must present documentation verifying a need.
YWCA NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA
DESCRIPTION: The YWCA’s Domestic Violence Shelter serves the St. Joseph County community as an emergency refuge and shelter for victims and their children who are leaving situations of domestic violence/sexual assault for a safe place.
CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS
DESCRIPTION: Beyond meeting basic needs such as food, clothing, transportation (bus passes) and shelter, our Emergency Services residential program represents a comprehensive housing and services program, where residents (referred to as “guests” in our culture) are assigned a coach who has received generalist training on a variety of topics relevant to our guests’ needs – from basic information on community resources and benefits/entitlement programs to more intensive topics such as trauma informed care, mental health first aid, and suicide intervention skills. Together the guest and coach work collaboratively to create a self-sufficiency plan (SSP) in which the goals of the guest are outlined and tailored to the ability of each guest. Guests are provided access and linkage to whatever is necessary in order to achieve individual and family self-sufficiency – functioning as the “gateway” to other poverty relief services in the community as well as connecting them to programs and services available under our roof.
RIVERBEND CANCER SERVICES
DESCRIPTION: Cancer care providers refer their patients to RiverBend knowing that many of their needs will be met at The Wellness House. A patient might need medications or transportation assistance, many need a supplement to help them with nutrition, and another might come to RiverBend’s beautiful salon for a new wig or prosthesis to help rebuild self-esteem. Still others may take advantage of complimentary therapies. Others may come with spouse or entire family, hoping to get financial counseling, mental health counseling or support from others who have experienced the same cancers.
ST. MARGARET’S HOUSE
DESCRIPTION: We meet immediate needs by offering nutritious meals on a daily basis. This is all completed in a community of dedicated volunteers and staff. In 2018, we provided over 23,000 meals. The food program was begun at St. Margaret’s House in 1990 by volunteers. Volunteers continue to plan, cook and serve the meals at St. Margaret’s House. In 1996, St. Margaret’s House served 8,821 meals.
AIDS MINISTRIES
DESCRIPTION: To access the program, the client must be active in our Care Coordination or Housing Program. The client is then able to access this program twice a month receiving up to 3 days worth of food or a case of supplements at each visit
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
DESCRIPTION: The Food Pantry is open year round every week on Wednesdays with both morning and evening hours to accommodate clients working various shifts. Service is provided on a first come, first served walk-in basis. Visitors must be residents of St. Joseph County and meet the income eligibility requirement of 185% or less of the federal poverty level for their household size. Clients are able to visit the pantry once every four weeks
CULTIVATE CULINARY
DESCRIPTION: Food rescue is not a new concept, but Cultivate has brought a new twist to the idea. While many food rescue programs involve having a volunteer drive the donated food from the food supplier directly to the recipient, our model consolidates the supply and matches the recovered food to the needs of each of the agencies that we service. In this way, our food rescue program is more of a food logistics operation.
LA CASA DE AMISTAD
DESCRIPTION: Serving a low-income neighborhood in the 46619 zip code where many new immigrants are struggling to meet their family needs or retired Polish senior citizens that aren’t making enough on Social Security to purchase the items they need. While the program offers emergency food assistance to those in need, most clients who use our food pantry have other needs. We connect them with local agencies that could be of service to our clients and have them come and staff a table during our open pantry hours. Part of helping a family is not just meeting the need at hand, but also working with them to understand other ways they may need assistance.
YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU
DESCRIPTION: Youth Service Bureau’s Safe Station provides an integrated system of care for runaway, homeless, and youth at risk of separation from family outside of the traditional law enforcement, child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice systems. Safe Station is a safe, off the street shelter with 24-hour staffing and access providing room and board, screenings and assessments, crisis intervention, case management; individual, group, and family counseling as well as service linkages and aftercare. Programming also includes drug abuse education and prevention services as part of an overall strategy of harm reduction and to increase safety among runaway and homeless youth.
HISTORY: Local food system stakeholders met in December 2021 to discuss the formation of a food council that merged together three existing food-related groups in St. Joseph County.
MISSION: To convene community partners to build a secure food system that is sustainable, community-focused and dignifying.
VISION: ALL St. Joseph County residents have access to healthy and quality food.
PURPOSE: To improve the health and wellbeing of St. Joseph County residents through awareness, availability of healthy and quality foods, along with organizing community partners to help our local food system thrive.
VALUES: Culturally appropriate, dignifying, equitable, community-focused, sustainable solutions
STRATEGIES: Networking/peer-to-peer, upstream strategies, advocacy, leadership/convening role
GLOSSARY: Food Insecurity- a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. www.feedingamerica.org
Health Equity- is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. www.cdc.gov
Sustainable Food System- is a food system that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised. www.fao.org
Upstream- refers to the macro factors that comprise social-structural influences on health and health systems, government policies, and the social, physical, economic and environmental factors that determine health. www.rand.org
FOUNDING MEMBERS: Jim Baxter, Jim Conklin, Dominque Edwards, Beckie Lies, Marijo Martinec, Robin Vida, Danielle Wood, Sue Zumbrun
YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU
DESCRIPTION: Youth Service Bureau’s (YSB) Street Outreach Program (SOP) connects homeless and at-risk youth with resources to meet their basic needs, including food, clothing, and referrals for medical needs and shelter. The foundation of outreach services is for YSB staff to establish and build trusting relationships with at-risk and homeless youth. We accomplish this by having a physical presence during evening hours in the same places on a consistent basis. Outreach is conducted in areas where youth congregate. Community centers, University Park Mall, the bus station, various neighborhoods, parks, and the schools are a few of the outreach locations. Repeat contacts are critical as this is how the workers build trust with youth. The type of trauma often experienced by these youth is profound, and it can take multiple interactions to gain the trust of those in need of help.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
DESCRIPTION: The SVDP Sweet Dreams Ministry assists families by providing beds to children without a bed of their own. Children ages 3-17 are served by this program. The basic criteria for receiving a bed is simply that the child does not have their own bed in which to sleep, and the family does not have the financial needs to provide a bed for that child. Currently, SVDP provides 80 beds to children in need each year, 40 in the spring and 40 in the fall.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
RESCUE INC. (HOPE MINISTRIES)
DESCRIPTION: Hope’s Community Kitchen is St. Joseph County’s most important resource for meeting the emergency food needs of people in crisis. While numerous food pantries and soup kitchens throughout the community address emergency food needs, Hope’s Community Kitchen is the only facility that serves lunch and dinner every day of the year, at no cost, to anyone who comes.
LOGAN COMMUNITY RESOURCES INC.
DESCRIPTION: LOGAN will assess the clients, and their need of protection or help, often immediately removing the client from the situation. LOGAN is charged by the County Prosecutor’s Office to care for all individuals with a disability, regardless of which organization may be addressing their needs. We serve the most vulnerable population, often unable to understand their rights, easily manipulated, exploited, robbed, beaten, or abused, and lacking basic needs of housing, food and medical care. In addition, we serve as representative payee, and provide legal assistance and healthcare representation.
CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS
DESCRIPTION: The Dining Services program is a full-service meal program for the entire campus of the Center for the Homeless, including residents of the Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran’s Center, temporary overnight shelter program (Weather Amnesty) participants, as well as children in our Early Childhood Intervention Center (ECIC). The Dining program is open 365 days per year, and serves three meals a day.
UNITED HEALTH SERVICES
DESCRIPTION: The Diabetes Resource Center’s Emergency Medication Program assists medically under-served people with their medication and disease self-management to control their diabetes. The program is addressing the financial crisis that many people with diabetes and the related complications face while trying to manage their medication & health costs. We use case management, direct financial assistance and education in order to reduce a crisis situation.
AIDS MINISTRIES
DESCRIPTION: The DEFA program assists the clients with a one time emergency assistance of $200 towards medical or homeless prevention assistance. In order the client to get assistance they must present documentation verifying a need.
YWCA NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA
DESCRIPTION: The YWCA’s Domestic Violence Shelter serves the St. Joseph County community as an emergency refuge and shelter for victims and their children who are leaving situations of domestic violence/sexual assault for a safe place.
CENTER FOR THE HOMELESS
DESCRIPTION: Beyond meeting basic needs such as food, clothing, transportation (bus passes) and shelter, our Emergency Services residential program represents a comprehensive housing and services program, where residents (referred to as “guests” in our culture) are assigned a coach who has received generalist training on a variety of topics relevant to our guests’ needs – from basic information on community resources and benefits/entitlement programs to more intensive topics such as trauma informed care, mental health first aid, and suicide intervention skills. Together the guest and coach work collaboratively to create a self-sufficiency plan (SSP) in which the goals of the guest are outlined and tailored to the ability of each guest. Guests are provided access and linkage to whatever is necessary in order to achieve individual and family self-sufficiency – functioning as the “gateway” to other poverty relief services in the community as well as connecting them to programs and services available under our roof.
RIVERBEND CANCER SERVICES
DESCRIPTION: Cancer care providers refer their patients to RiverBend knowing that many of their needs will be met at The Wellness House. A patient might need medications or transportation assistance, many need a supplement to help them with nutrition, and another might come to RiverBend’s beautiful salon for a new wig or prosthesis to help rebuild self-esteem. Still others may take advantage of complimentary therapies. Others may come with spouse or entire family, hoping to get financial counseling, mental health counseling or support from others who have experienced the same cancers.
ST. MARGARET’S HOUSE
DESCRIPTION: We meet immediate needs by offering nutritious meals on a daily basis. This is all completed in a community of dedicated volunteers and staff. In 2018, we provided over 23,000 meals. The food program was begun at St. Margaret’s House in 1990 by volunteers. Volunteers continue to plan, cook and serve the meals at St. Margaret’s House. In 1996, St. Margaret’s House served 8,821 meals.
AIDS MINISTRIES
DESCRIPTION: To access the program, the client must be active in our Care Coordination or Housing Program. The client is then able to access this program twice a month receiving up to 3 days worth of food or a case of supplements at each visit
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
DESCRIPTION: The Food Pantry is open year round every week on Wednesdays with both morning and evening hours to accommodate clients working various shifts. Service is provided on a first come, first served walk-in basis. Visitors must be residents of St. Joseph County and meet the income eligibility requirement of 185% or less of the federal poverty level for their household size. Clients are able to visit the pantry once every four weeks
CULTIVATE CULINARY
DESCRIPTION: Food rescue is not a new concept, but Cultivate has brought a new twist to the idea. While many food rescue programs involve having a volunteer drive the donated food from the food supplier directly to the recipient, our model consolidates the supply and matches the recovered food to the needs of each of the agencies that we service. In this way, our food rescue program is more of a food logistics operation.
LA CASA DE AMISTAD
DESCRIPTION: Serving a low-income neighborhood in the 46619 zip code where many new immigrants are struggling to meet their family needs or retired Polish senior citizens that aren’t making enough on Social Security to purchase the items they need. While the program offers emergency food assistance to those in need, most clients who use our food pantry have other needs. We connect them with local agencies that could be of service to our clients and have them come and staff a table during our open pantry hours. Part of helping a family is not just meeting the need at hand, but also working with them to understand other ways they may need assistance.
YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU
DESCRIPTION: Youth Service Bureau’s Safe Station provides an integrated system of care for runaway, homeless, and youth at risk of separation from family outside of the traditional law enforcement, child welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice systems. Safe Station is a safe, off the street shelter with 24-hour staffing and access providing room and board, screenings and assessments, crisis intervention, case management; individual, group, and family counseling as well as service linkages and aftercare. Programming also includes drug abuse education and prevention services as part of an overall strategy of harm reduction and to increase safety among runaway and homeless youth.
HISTORY: Local food system stakeholders met in December 2021 to discuss the formation of a food council that merged together three existing food-related groups in St. Joseph County.
MISSION: To convene community partners to build a secure food system that is sustainable, community-focused and dignifying.
VISION: ALL St. Joseph County residents have access to healthy and quality food.
PURPOSE: To improve the health and wellbeing of St. Joseph County residents through awareness, availability of healthy and quality foods, along with organizing community partners to help our local food system thrive.
VALUES: Culturally appropriate, dignifying, equitable, community-focused, sustainable solutions
STRATEGIES: Networking/peer-to-peer, upstream strategies, advocacy, leadership/convening role
GLOSSARY: Food Insecurity- a lack of consistent access to enough food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. www.feedingamerica.org
Health Equity- is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. www.cdc.gov
Sustainable Food System- is a food system that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised. www.fao.org
Upstream- refers to the macro factors that comprise social-structural influences on health and health systems, government policies, and the social, physical, economic and environmental factors that determine health. www.rand.org
FOUNDING MEMBERS: Jim Baxter, Jim Conklin, Dominque Edwards, Beckie Lies, Marijo Martinec, Robin Vida, Danielle Wood, Sue Zumbrun
YOUTH SERVICE BUREAU
DESCRIPTION: Youth Service Bureau’s (YSB) Street Outreach Program (SOP) connects homeless and at-risk youth with resources to meet their basic needs, including food, clothing, and referrals for medical needs and shelter. The foundation of outreach services is for YSB staff to establish and build trusting relationships with at-risk and homeless youth. We accomplish this by having a physical presence during evening hours in the same places on a consistent basis. Outreach is conducted in areas where youth congregate. Community centers, University Park Mall, the bus station, various neighborhoods, parks, and the schools are a few of the outreach locations. Repeat contacts are critical as this is how the workers build trust with youth. The type of trauma often experienced by these youth is profound, and it can take multiple interactions to gain the trust of those in need of help.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY
DESCRIPTION: The SVDP Sweet Dreams Ministry assists families by providing beds to children without a bed of their own. Children ages 3-17 are served by this program. The basic criteria for receiving a bed is simply that the child does not have their own bed in which to sleep, and the family does not have the financial needs to provide a bed for that child. Currently, SVDP provides 80 beds to children in need each year, 40 in the spring and 40 in the fall.