Christian Community Action
serves Porter County through Spring Valley Shelter, Greenwich House and
Emergency Assistance Program. Incorporated in 1964, the growth of CCA’s programs
has been community driven from day one. We focus on building solid foundations
for individuals and families on which to grow their future lives. Our programs
do more than provide short-term relief or protection; they educate, provide
support, and move our clients toward a clearer understanding of why the changes
are important to their long-term success.
Greenwich House
provides 24-hour care for women dealing with mental illness. The staff works
with as many as 7 women at a time in this group home setting to help them
understand their medications, basic life skills, health and wellness. The
average stay is 6-9 months with more than 50% of the residents leaving Greenwich
House ready to manage their illness and to function independently in the
community.
As the founding
program of CCA, Greenwich House was born out of the community identifying the
need to help a neighbor transition from institutionalized care to the everyday
world. As they assisted her, they realized many more women would benefit from
this support.
Spring Valley Shelter
can house 28 families simultaneously. The new facility is a testament to the
caring community in which we live. Each of the apartments was rehabbed by
volunteer groups representing businesses, churches, service organizations and
friends. Girl and Boy Scouts, youth groups, and others cleaned, repaired, built,
and prepared common area space to serve clients and staff. Beyond the thousands
of hours of labor provided by more than 800 volunteers, the community
financially supported the acquisition and improvement of the property through
the Raise a Roof Campaign. More than 1,000 donors contributed to meet this
community need.
Spring Valley
Shelter houses between 90 and 110 clients per day with more than 60% of those
clients under the age of 18.
The families
receive the three C’s: counseling, classes, and case management. They benefit
from financial counseling, child enrichment, and items to help get started when
they move to permanent housing. More than 50% of the families moved into stable
housing, 67% improved their incomes and 100% have an opportunity to grow their
life skills during an average 2 month stay at Spring Valley.
The Emergency Assistance Program
provides
short-term financial support to Porter County households who experience an
emergency-related financial loss that threatens their ability to remain
self-sufficient. It is a program which in many cases provides the means to keep
a family out of a homeless situation.
