MICHIGAN CITY — An organization that has spent the last three decades improving the lives of some of Michigan City’s most vulnerable residents is now reaching out to the community to help it keep serving the community.
The Sand Castle Shelter for Homeless Families at 1005 W. 8th St. in Michigan City has been assisting displaced families, comprised primarily of single women with children, for the past 31 years.
These women and children have no place else to go, and often have lost everything before arriving at the shelter.
As a residential emergency shelter, Sand Castle’s primary job is to get the families back on their feet, help them find jobs, secure available Social Security or other government benefits they quality for, and, most importantly, help them secure permanent housing, according to Jim Musial, executive director of Citizens Concerned for the Homeless.
However, the Sand Castle program does much more than that, he said.
Collaborating with sister program Grace Learning Center and other community partners, Sand Castle case managers develop action plans unique to each family’s circumstances.
The plans identify the barriers that led each family to homelessness to begin with, Musial said.
“We are not satisfied with just helping our families find jobs and housing, we want to help them acquire the tools and skill sets to eliminate such barriers and return the families to sustainable self-sufficiency. They secure the jobs and housing, but also have the ability to keep them.”
This process involves taking classes offered at Grace Learning Center or working with outside agencies that specialize in particular issues, according to Tammy Rosebaum, CCH’s operations director, and program director at Sand Castle.
“The systems we have in place have been highly effective. In the last 12 months, 77 percent of our participant families leaving Sand Castle have successfully graduated to housing.”
But that success does not come without costs.
During the summer of 2023, CCH completed a $200,000 exterior renovation project at Sand Castle Shelter, which included a new roof, complete tuckpointing, new concrete driveway and patio, and improved exterior lighting.
It also included landscaping reconfiguration of the shelter’s back yard, expanding available green space by 25 percent for the children to play and the parents to enjoy.
“The 110-year-old building was showing its age, but the exterior has been restored to its original glory,” Musial said.
Now, CCH and Sand Castle are planning to renovate the interior of the building during the spring of 2024. The estimated cost will exceed $250,000.
To help get it done, CCH has announced the launch of a capital campaign to raise funds necessary to support the completion of the project.
“The improvements will include all new plumbing, electrical upgrades, new HVAC units, the complete gutting of the shelter’s four bathrooms and kitchen, to be replaced with new heavy-duty appliances and fixtures to stand the test of time,” Musial said.
“All seven resident bedrooms will be completely renovated, with new beds for each family. We are hoping to recruit individuals or organizations to adopt a room, select the color scheme and provide window dressings.”
One major upgrade, long overdue according to Musial, will be the stripping and refinishing of all original wood flooring and trim on the main floor and second level.
“Major improvements to the lower level will complete the project,” Musial said.
To date, CCH has received grant commitments from the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (a challenge/matching grant), the 1st Source Foundation, PNC Foundation, John W. Anderson Foundation, Unity Foundation of La Porte County and American Rescue Plan Act funds awarded by Michigan City.
Other grants are pending, but CCH still has a way to go, Rosebaum said.
“To reach our goal, we need the support of the community. The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte challenge grant will match individual, corporate and church donations dollar for dollar, so your donation of $50 will be doubled to $100 by Healthcare Foundation,” she said.
“Your donations directly impact and help the families and children we serve.”
CCH is asking for your support to give their families and children the best possible environment as they go through this difficult period, Musial said.
