"Awareness is the first step toward change."

We hope you all are enjoying the last bit of our midwest summer! Here at YWCA Northeast Indiana, the transition to fall is a very important time of year, with awareness months directly related to the services that we offer! This month's newsletter not only raises awareness about the need for our services, but it also provides opportunities to get involved, take action, and create necessary change in our community!

Also in this month’s newsletter, you will find:

• Information about our Recovery Services
• Highlights from our “Aha!" campaign featuring local celebrities sharing moments that have helped them feel more empowered
• Details surrounding upcoming events: Chalk it Up, Circle, Flowers on the River, Triumph Studio Charity Boxing Class, and Summit City Climbing Gym's Fundraiser
• Special highlights including staff and event sponsors!
• A variety of ways for you to get involved and support the work we are doing right here in northeast Indiana

You make the difference, not only in our organization, but in our community. We are beyond grateful for all of your support and look forward to all we are going to accomplish together!

Recovery Services

Our addiction recovery program is an intensive, residential treatment program in a sub-acute medical facility tailored to treat adult women living with substance use disorder. Certified by the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and the Commission for Accreditation of Residential Facilities (CARF), we provide a high level of support and structured wrap-around services for residents. The program provides 24-hour living support and is structured with professionally trained personnel. Our diverse treatment options include multiple levels of customized programming, including weekly group sessions, personalized individual sessions, daily in-house Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and connection to a variety of community resources. Women living at YWCA have the opportunity to learn valuable skills, mend relationships, and begin setting personal and financial goals for their lives based on integrity, dignity, and self-respect.

Our education team offers a free Addiction & Recovery 101 adult training session, which aims to educate and empower community members who may be impacted by this chronic illness. Visit our website to learn more or inquire directly using the link below.

Statistics

• 35 women and 8 children received recovery services from YWCA in the first 6 month of this year
• 80% of clients who completed the Wellbeing and Hopefulness Survey more than once increased or maintained feelings of hopefulness, purposefulness, and wellbeing from their initial survey
• 77% of clients that completed phase 1 improved or maintained anxiety and/or depression symptoms
• 27 women successfully completed the program in 2023

Success Story

A woman joined our program in February 2023 and successfully completed the program in seven months. While in the program, she found employment through a local company, and was quickly moved to a supervisor role after being with the company for only a month and a half. She also found a sponsor and was able to start visiting with her mom and daughter again. She moved back home with her mom and her daughter to help on the farm and work towards rebuilding relationships with both her daughter and her mother. She remains in the outpatient program to this day.

Learn more about our recovery services by visiting our website.

"Aha!" Empowerment Campaign

YWCA Northeast Indiana is BIG on empowerment. It is who we are and what we stand for. Our 2024 "Aha!" campaign features local celebrities sharing moments that have helped them feel more empowered.

“I have had many ‘Aha!’ moments in my life. Some were huge epiphanies, while others paled in comparison. However, the most important and profound event that empowered me happened when I was in a not-so-happy place. At the time, I was dealing with major losses in my life. The pain seemed insurmountable until a very special person told me to read the Book of James. It inspired me to keep going and showed me that trials and tribulations are blessings in disguise that shape our faith. From there, I realized that the things we endure are not challenges but are gifts for our spirit. This was my ‘Aha!’ moment! Now, I smile at the opportunities that life's challenges offer, and I have learned that true empowerment comes from empowering others.”

-Erick T. Baker (Director of Community Outreach, Erin’s House for Grieving Children)

"Strong women often handle unexpected situations, and they are not defined by these circumstances but learn and grow through them. The combination of positivity and determination can drive women to achieve success in both their personal and professional lives.

-Heather Bontempo (Community Engagement Manager, 3Rivers)

"A previous co-worker often said that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Throughout my life, both personal and professional relationships have made me realize how different and yet how alike we all are. We all want to feel the care and concern of others, yet our perception may be vastly different, based on our background. My 'Aha!' statement is to always assume goodwill and to remember that we each come from different places, with different experiences."

-Denise Mills (Sr. Managing Director, Business Development, Creative Financial Staffing)

“Much of my life has been spent fighting anorexia and bulimia. During those times, I was labeled by my peers as the 'anorexic girl' and no one lent me their ear or extended a helping hand. Because of my experience, and the example shown to me by the caring staff at Selah House, I learned that listening to others and extending compassion is incredibly powerful in that person’s journey. Whether they are struggling with an eating disorder, or just having a bad week at work, we all can be that overflowing well of support to another person.”

-Emily McCorkle (Engagement Coordinator, YWCA Northeast Indiana)

Find more "Aha!" moments by visiting our website. 

We are kicking off Domestic Violence Awareness Month a little early this year with our annual Chalk it Up event! We are excited to be participating in the 2024 Art This Way Art Crawl: Alley Bash on Friday, September 20th. Stop by between 6-10pm as we turn local sidewalks into a giant chalk billboards featuring drawings, facts, and quotes that bring awareness to the issue of domestic violence.

To find information about hosting your own Chalk it Up event at your school, church, place of employment, local park, etc., visit our website.

Please join us at our 28th annual Circle luncheon benefiting survivors of domestic violence.

Local survivors will bravely share their stories, while we raise critical funds to provide others with the tools they need to break the barriers they face. 

Your support has never been more important. In the first six months of this year, YWCA has sheltered 322 adults and children fleeing dangerous situations.

Our services are free. Our services are confidential. Our services are lifesaving.

Learn more about our Circle event by visiting our website.

Join us as we honor those whose lives have been affected by domestic violence. This FREE event will take place on Tuesday, October 8th from 6-7pm at the Wells Street Bridge at Promenade Park. There will be a reading of the proclamation, music, and a survivor story. We will drop flowers in the river and share a moment of silence and unity in honor of everyone whose lives have been affected by domestic violence.

Learn more about how to get involved in Domestic Violence Awareness Month by visiting our website.

Triumph Studio Charity Boxing Class

Triumph Studio is hosting a charity boxing class on Saturday October 12th at 11am. The boxing class is 55-minutes, where participants do 5 rounds of boxing on water bags, and 5 rounds of strength training on the “floor side” with dumbbells. Proceeds benefit YWCA's domestic violence shelter, Bonnie's House. Secure your spot in the class for just $25!

As part of their grand opening, Summit City Climbing Co. is hosting a fundraiser for YWCA’s Addiction Recovery Program! For just $17 (shoes can be rented for an additional $6), you can purchase a day pass and enjoy the gym from 1-9pm on Thursday, October 24th, all while supporting a great cause! YWCA staff will be present at Summit City Climbing Co. to answer any questions and provide resources to participants.

Learn more about this fundraiser, our addiction recovery program, and what YWCA staff and the Summit City Climbing Co. owner have to say about this event by visiting our website. You can also invite your friends and help promote the event by sharing it on Facebook!

What is Persimmon Pride? Persimmon is the orange color of our YWCA brand. Internally, #PersimmonPride is more than a hashtag or mantra. It is a belief in the impact the YWCA team is having in our community. It's more than a saying. It is who we are and what we believe in.

“I choose to work at YWCA Northeast Indiana because I love the company's mission and values, and I believe in the work I do.”

-Jessica (Client Care Technician)

“Since working at YWCA Northeast Indiana, I have a better understanding about what our recovery and domestic violence programs stand for. Trainings help a lot and the staff is family to me, they’re there if I need them.”

-Alvina (Client Care Technician)

“I choose to work at YWCA because I love helping others and watching them become a better version of themselves after thinking their world had caved in.”

-Shawnda (Client Care Technician)

“I choose to work at YWCA because I believe in making a tangible difference in people's lives. It is incredibly humbling to be part of a mission that empowers survivors, helps them reclaim their lives, and works towards ending the cycle of violence.”

-Stefani (Therapist)

The passion from our staff, in addition to the unending support from our community, is what makes our work possible. Thank you to our staff and the northeast Indiana community for your support!

Circle Corporate Sponsors

We are so grateful to all the companies who are supporting our domestic violence services by sponsoring our annual Circle event! These sponsorships provide domestic violence survivors with the tools they need to break down the barriers they face. We are proud to recognize our top level Dignity ($10,000) and Justice ($5,000) sponsors below.

Dignity Sponsors

“Indiana Michigan Power is proud to support YWCA's mission-driven work of uniting our community and contributing to the creation of positive change for all. We know their passion for service will have a lasting impact and we are honored to be a small part of that journey through volunteering and supporting YWCA-focused initiatives.”

Justice Sponsors

Learn more about our annual Circle event, find information about sponsoring, and access our registration page by visiting our website.

Wear Purple on Fridays in October

Learn more about getting involved this Domestic Violence Awareness Month by visiting our website.

Donate Items for Halloween

Every Halloween, we throw a party for our clients and their children so they can safely enjoy the holiday! We currently have 50 kids staying with us and we want to give them the best experience with fun costumes and delicious candy!

All donations must be new, not used. If you are interested in donating, please contact Emily at emccorkle@ywcanein.org.

Fort4Fitness Charity Part

Capital Campaign

There is value in the past. Our history at YWCA Northeast Indiana is full of experiences, experiences that have helped develop us into the life-saving agency we are today. However, we were not able to serve the growing demand for our services in the space at our Decatur Road location. And, while there is beauty in the patina, our old keys won’t open new doors. Thanks to generous supporters like yourself, we are now operating out of our Washington Center Road location, The Hefner Center!

However, we aren’t done yet! If you are interested in helping raise the funds necessary to push us over the finish line, please visit our website. This final phase of the capital campaign will provide the key to a safer, stronger, and more educated community.

We are ecstatic about the opportunities this move will provide. Not only does the location have many benefits, the extra space in the building is a game changer! Extra rooms allow for more clients to utilize our services, and the additional space will accommodate partnerships with local organizations.



Thank you for supporting our capital campaign efforts. You are truly making a difference!  

Goldstein Family Scholarship Program

Donate

With our move to The Hefner Center, we are excited to have a larger kitchen, which will help our nutrition team better serve our clients. This larger kitchen comes will additional needs. Click here to view our kitchen supply wish list, and check out our website for other in-kind donation opportunities.

If you would like to financially support YWCA Northeast Indiana, you can access our donation page by following the link below: