#94: La Casa de Amistad

Community centers are often just that, the very center of their diverse and widespread communities. La Casa de Amistad here in South Bend is no exception, serving, in their words, as a community center for "the Latino/Hispanic community within Michiana." In this role, they provide a wide variety of services to, also in their own words, "edify Hispanic youth and adults in development of leadership skills, increase knowledge and appreciation of their own culture, and develop stronger self-esteem, encouraging fuller participation as community members."

La Casa groups their services into three broad categories: Education/Literacy, Healthy Living, and Social Services. Within these categories they offer ESL classes, GED preparation, citizenship classes, nutrition classes and a food pantry, immigration services, and many, many others. Just glancing at their online calendar for today, they had 11 different classes and programs that were offered. La Casa is another prominent member of South Bend's non-profit community and like many of the others, relies on volunteers and donations.

To donate to La Casa de Amistad go here.  To read about their volunteer opportunities visit their website here.

#93: South Bend Heritage Foundation

Do you remember that first time that you felt like doing an hour or two of weekly volunteering was like picking away at a concrete wall with a fork?  No matter how much food you helped prepare at the homeless shelter, how much time you spent cleaning up garbage in a park, or how much money you collected for the local food bank, it didn't contribute to the prevention or destruction of those social ills.  Sure, it's good work, and it is absolutely necessary, but the root of the problem persists despite your hours and hours of work.


I've definitely felt that frustration, and it's because of that experience that I truly respect and admire organizations like the South Bend Heritage Foundation.  For 36 years, they have been  working to end the social problems that are harming and even destroying our South Bend neighborhoods.  SBHF first focused on historic preservation on the West Side, but eventually shifted their focus to the rehabilitation of homes in low income areas.  For example, they have created and maintained 275 affordable rental-housing units since 1992.  In addition to making these homes afforable, SBHF offers technical assistance to home buyers through their Lending Enterprise through Neighborhood Development program (LEND).  SBHF also operates a loan fund that has helped over 35 home owners restore their residence.  These are just a couple examples of their work.  Between all of their residential and commercial projects, cultural and youth programing, and the development of couple neighborhood centers throughout South Bend, SBHF has invested over $35 million in our city.


Here you can view their 2009 annual report.  Make sure to read the section entitled "Neighborhoods of Choice" beginning on page 4.  It explains the philosophy and real life practice of the SBHF beautifully. 


This  multi-faceted operation aids residents in improving and stabilizing their neighborhoods.  SBHF and other organizations like it target the elements that perpetuate poverty in South Bend.  Their work is not just about serving the needs of today; it's about preventing the needs of tomorrow.  

For information about how you can best aid SBHF in their mission, contact them at (574) 289-1066.  Donations can be mailed to:  South Bend Heritage Foundation, Attention: Judy Kukla, 803 Lincoln Way West, South Bend IN 46616.  Additional contact info here.

#92: Hope Ministries

We've loved featuring some of the great non-profits and charity organizations in the area so much (and there are so many!) that we've decided to keep it going until the New Year. Again, if you have any suggestions for organizations that you would like to see featured, please email us at 365thingssouthbend@gmail.com or leave a comment here. We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday in (or out of) South Bend!


Hope Ministries states that they are dedicated to helping individuals "examine their current realities, envision their future possibilities, and enable action to achieve their desired futures" in a faith-based way. To accomplish this mission they offer a wide litany of services to the greater South Bend community.

At the center of these services is a free meal program which offers a lunch and a dinner meal every day of the year for anyone who needs it. This culminates in Hope serving around 8,000 meals per month, a truly astonishing number. Other services include transitional housing for families, couples, and single men and women as well as early-childhood development programs, adult education, substance-abuse recovery programs, and employment preparation. Hope's services are based on their holistic philosophy and belief in structure and stability for their residents and guests.

Hope Ministries has been providing this enormous array of services in the community since 1954 and relies on donations, volunteers, and community and church partnerships to continue to do so. If you would like to donate to Hope, they have provided information here. If you would like to volunteer at Hope on a current project or ongoing program, you can find the volunteer application form here. A list of items that the organization currently needs is listed below.  The services provided by Hope are essential, and supporting their work, supports our larger community.

Items Needed
Toilet paper
Paper towels
Deodorant
Trash bags
Shaving razors
Pain relievers
Gift-cards to Wal-Mart
Home cleaning products

You can bring these items to Hope's Family Life Center at 432 South Lafayette.

#91: Boys and Girls Club

I believe that all children need--and deserve--a space in which they can freely play, imagine, run around, investigate, and grow up on their own schedule.  Some children's circumstances don't allow such luxuries, but the Boys and Girls Club of St. Joseph County has the admirable goal "to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens."

This organization, which offers daily, professional, affordable child care at nine area locations, serves more than 2,000 kids each year, 75 percent of whom live in families with incomes of less than $30,000.  Programming focuses on character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, and sports and recreation.  In other words, they offer more than TV and video games.

While this club has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a garage in 1974, its growth means it has greater needs.  The club at Liberty Elementary School has an almost $70,000 budget shortfall and is in danger of closing.  This deficit can seem insurmountable but stories like Justin Sergio's that was recently highlighted in the South Bend Tribune remind us that yes, we can make a difference.

Think about what you have but don't need, and then pay it forward.

Got old children's/sports stuff lying around? Click here to view the "Wish List" of the different area clubs. [I now know where I'm taking those extra five sets of cards I accumulated over time...]
Got an extra hour?  Click here to learn more about giving your time in mentoring or tutoring a child.
Got an unexpected holiday bonus? Click here to share the wealth.

#90: The Literacy Council of St. Joseph County

“More than 1 in 5 adults in St. Joseph County read below a fourth grade level.” Staggering statistics like this illustrate the need for an organization like The Literacy Council of St. Joseph County. While admittedly a small non-profit, the Council does the work of an organization three times its size. And amid the large (and wonderful) non-profit community in the county, an organization like the Council can get overshadowed.

For many of us the ability to read is an undervalued common skill while for many others, the ability to read is the one missing essential skill. The Council focuses on two major areas, adult literacy and early-childhood literacy. Research has demonstrated, and it stands to common sense, that an early introduction to reading and the development of literacy skills will provide many benefits later in life while older instruction gives the adult the possibility to now complete basic tasks for a job and more fully enter into society. To accomplish these two goals, the Council offers one-on-one adult tutoring and small-group GED instruction, gives away free books to newborns and their parents, and holds Success Under 6 workshops for both parents and their children.

The Council is completely funded by donations and staffed by volunteers. They are always looking for tutors and welcome any type of contribution. For me personally, I can’t imagine any better way to give back to the South Bend/greater St. Joe County community than helping an organization that helps others learn how to read.

Donate here.

Learn more about the organization and literacy in the community here.

#89: The Food Bank of Northern Indiana

This 17 year old South Bend organization re-opened its beautifully remodeled food pantry on the West Side today.  The ribbon cutting ceremony at the Food Bank of Northern Indiana honored the Notre Dame professor whose estate funded the renovation - which was finished just in time to serve the hungry for the holidays.  Philip L. Quinn PhD taught philosophy at Notre Dame and other universities for more than 20 years. He passed away in 2004, and the donation of his estate has allowed the Food Bank to give a newer and friendly look to their central location.  

The Food Bank of Northern Indiana is a very impressive operation.  The renovated location holds one of the affiliated pantries, the Community Food Pantry of St. Joseph County, but the Food Bank distributes food to 185 member agencies in Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall, Starke, and St. Joseph Counties.  They aid more than 2,800 households each month, which adds up to more than 4 million pounds of food each year - all of which is provided to patrons at no cost.  Another interesting aspect of the food pantry on the West Side of South Bend is that they are 100% client choice, meaning patrons can select the goods that they prefer or have the greatest needs for, instead of restricting the number of soup cans, cereal boxes, or toiletries per person.

Today was its first day back in operation, and there were more than 100 people in line outside of the food pantry well before it re-opened its doors.  This reminded me how absolutely necessary it is to give what you can during the holidays.  Lines like this outside of charitable organizations, food pantries, and homeless shelters are unfortunately not uncommon - no matter what season it is.  I encourage you to use this Christmas season to renew your charitable commitment to our South Bend community by giving your time or money.  In order to help you find an organization that fits your interest or availability, we will feature a local organization or establishment that is known for its good work in the area each day until Christmas. Our list will obviously not be comprehensive so please email us at 365thingssouthbend@gmail.com if you would like to suggest an organization or charity for us to write about.

Here are the details for donating time or money to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana:

Donate $ here

When: The Volunteer Center is open Monday-Friday from 9 am - 4 pm
Location: 702 S. Chapin Street, South Bend
Getting there: On TRANSPO bus route 14 (Sample/Mayflower) with a stop at the Food Bank


For more info, contact the Volunteer Department at 574-232-9986 Ext. 28 or info@feedindiana.org

#88: The Bergamot & The Mark's "Believe in Magic"

Jimi Hendrix asked us, "Are you experienced?" and in that question, our perception of what musical performance should be like is challenged.

From the ashes of his burning guitar, some musicians do continue to question the standard of "band on stage, audience in front; play a set, take a break, come back for the encore".  They continue the blend the line between a concert, a show, an event, an experience.

One of these groups is The Bergamot, a local duo who just returned from a cross-country tour to launch their new album, Haven, in January.  This young couple had the brilliant idea of pairing their "fresh. retro. fun." sound with a restaurant that has a similar feel.  The Mark, the lone locally-owned restaurant in Eddy Street Commons, is an "upscale diner" with some of the best food you'll find in town.  I could wax poetic about their all-day breakfast offerings, their vegan reuben, or their sweet potato fries, but I shall refrain, because tonight's event, entitled "Believe in Magic", is all about the experience.   

You can choose either a three-course meal ($35) or admission to the show ($10, 2 drink/dessert minimum).  Both obviously incorporate music and food, but in different amounts.  You shape what experience you would like to have.  The Bergamot will play holiday favorites and original songs, although be forewarned: this is not a dinner show -- the music will complement the dinner, not control it, and vice versa.  

So if you're looking for something different to do -- a shake up from going out to a nice dinner or to a fun concert, try this out.  It's hard to imagine a fine dinner with the Jimi Hendrix Experience shaking the brick walls of this new complex, but the folksy grooves of The Bergamot will add the perfect atmosphere to a fine meal.

When: Tonight, 7:00-9:00 PM
Where: The Mark Dine and Tap. 1234 Eddy Street
Check out the Facebook page for more information! 

#87: Copshaholm

Copshaholm, a word I'm still not quite sure how to pronounce, is the name of the mansion once owned by J.D. Oliver that is listed on the National Register for Historic Places. It also sits in the heart of South Bend on Washington Street. In a previous post on the West Washington Historic District we mentioned the mansion, but it really deserves a post of its own.

Copshaholm features 38 rooms and is one of the first houses in Indiana to have electricity. It's owner J.D. Oliver was the President of Oliver Chilled Plow Works and a leading industrialist in South Bend and far beyond. Today Copshaholm is part of the Center for History and is open year-round as a museum. We're featuring the mansion today because now is one of the best times of the year to go on a tour. Christmas at Copshaholm is an annual, extravagant undertaking and the house features Victorian-style decorations and eight different Christmas trees. If you're looking for a relaxing activity during this last week before the holiday and you want to experience a little bit of South Bend history while you're at it, then Copshaholm is the perfect place.

For more information on the mansion and touring hours, visit the Center for History's website here.

#86: Audition for a Show

We've previously featured several theater performances around the community. But now it's your turn to star. The South Bend Civic Theater is holding auditions today and tomorrow for the musical "Ragtime".  The auditions for both days will be held at 7:00pm and no preparation is required. Being that "Ragtime" is a musical, you will have to sing a little, but there are parts available for everyone; from lead roles to members of the ensemble chorus.

Musicals and plays (having been in several myself) are always wonderful ways to meet people and become a part of a pretty tight-knit community. The show is in March so you'll have plenty of time to get to know your fellow cast-members. "Ragtime" itself is a highly-regarded musical (it won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1998) and it depicts the story of three different families in the early 20th century.

Being that this is an audition, not every person can get cast, but I've often found that sometimes the auditions themselves are fun and really worthwhile. So take the chance, let us know how it goes, and we look forward to seeing you on stage in March!

For information visit their website here.

#85: The Purple Porch Co-op

We've talked about sustainability before in a variety of forms. Just Goods. Junk Evolution. The Farmer's Market. Unity Gardens. But we've so far neglected to mention one of the mainstays of the South Bend sustainable community; the Purple Porch Co-op.

The Co-op describes itself as connecting "people in Michiana who want local, organic or fair trade food with the growers who produce it." By becoming a member of the Co-op, you gain access to local goods grown within 60 miles of the Michiana region. Everything is online, so once you're a member you can browse the food offerings from these local producers on the Purple Porch website. You then make your selections for the week and pick up your produce (or other items) at the centralized pick-up location on the designated day. The Co-op offers many food items in season as well as baked goods and locally-ground coffee. They also hold pot-luck dinners, host film screenings, and offer a multitude of volunteer opportunities, and it honestly offers one of the best ways to commit to the local community.

There is a ton of interesting information about the history of Purple Porch, what local and sustainable means, detailed membership information, and periodic event details on the Co-op's website here.

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