United Way of Porter County

United Way of Porter County supports a coordinated network of health and human service programs provided through the following local member agencies. Listed below are brief descriptions of the services these agencies provide and how to contact them. For more detailed information, be sure to check out the links for agencies that have their own web sites. If you're not sure which agency can help you, call United Way at 464-3583 and our information & referral specialist can help you locate services in Porter County.

Alice's House engages in educational, charitable, and social welfare activities connected with the habilitation and rehabilitation of women suffering from chemical dependency and related disorders. The core of this program is a 24 hour, staffed, 12-step recovery program for women who wish to recover from alcoholism and drug addictions, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

The American Red Cross serves members of the United States Armed forces and their families both at home and overseas. They help the service man and his family face critical problems. In addition, the Red Cross provides immediate emergency assistance, including food for disaster victims, shelter, clothing, medical and nursing aid, etc. The American Red Cross Blood Program collects and processes blood from volunteer donors and makes it available for the care of the sick and injured. There are nursing programs which provide volunteer nursing services in the blood programs and disaster relief, and courses taught in first aid, water safety and AIDS education.

BOY SCOUTS - CALUMET COUNCIL
(219) 836-1720
(Serving Portage Township)
Web: www.calcouncil.org

Scouting is an educational program dedicated to character development, citizenship training, mental and physical fitness. It's aim is to develop healthy participating citizens of moral integrity and worth. Some of the services of the local council are professional staff guidance, service center operation, camps, activities and training. The local council's main objective is to provide the scouting program to all who wish to use it.

BOY SCOUTS - LASALLE COUNCIL
(800) 822-3867
(Serving All Townships except Portage Township)
Web: http://www.lasallecouncilbsa.org/
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Some of the services of the local council are professional staff guidance, service center operation, camps, activities and training. The local council's main objective is to provide the scouting program to all who wish to use it.

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF PORTER COUNTY
Valparaiso: (219) 462-2182
Chesterton: (219) 926-9770
Portage: (219) 762-4613
South Haven: (219) 759-2565
Web: http://www.bgcpoco.org/

The Boys & Girls Clubs is a guidance based organization. It serves boys and girls ranging in age from 6-18. Programs offer services in seven core areas: citizenship and leadership development, personal adjustment, social recreation, outdoor education, physical education, cultural enrichment, and child care.

The Caring Place, Inc. provides short-term emergency shelter and crisis intervention, as well as community-based support groups, community education, counseling, social service and entitlement systems for victims of domestic violence/sexual assault and their dependents.

Catholic Charities provides counseling for family, individuals, and couples management skills. They provide material assistance, financial assistance and advocacy for qualifying families. Program availability may vary. They provide adoption services and assistance to families interested in adoption of infants, children with special needs and international adoptions.

Christian Community Action provides shelter and support to individuals and families struggling with homelessness, crisis concerns, and/or mental illness as they move toward self-sufficiency. We operate Greenwich House and Spring Valley Shelter (see separate listings).

CRISIS CONTACT HOPELINE
(219) 938-0900 Crisis Line
(800) 519-0469 Toll free in Indiana
(800) SUICIDE (784-2433)
(A program of the Crisis Center, Inc.)

Crisis Contact Hopeline is a telephone emergency crisis help-line and referral service. Calls are received by trained volunteers. Through volunteers, Crisis Contact Hopeline provides a listening ear for anyone experiencing a crisis and makes calls to the elderly and shut-ins.

Deaf Services, Inc. is a community service agency serving adult deaf residents. Primary services provided to hearing impaired people are: interpreters, community education, telephone relay, referrals, and advocacy. To hearing residents, deaf awareness programs are provided for the community.

The Girl Scouts inspire girls with the highest ideals of character, conduct, patriotism and service that they may become happy resourceful citizens. The Girl Scout Council provides an informal educational program designed to meet the developmental, educational, emotional and social needs and interests of girls ages 5-17.

The Duneland YMCA, in Chesterton, serves Northeast Porter County with a variety of programs and activities for the development of the individual physically, socially and mentally. The programs are conducted in a Christian atmosphere with trained staff. The Duneland YMCA facilities include an outdoor swimming pool, baseball and soccer field, gymnasium, racquetball courts, day care, after school care, and Nautilus facility.

FAMILY & YOUTH SERVICES BUREAU OF PORTER COUNTY
(219) 464-9585
Web: http://www.fysb.org/

The Family & Youth Services Bureau offers programs primarily for at risk children and their families and secondarily for a wider audience through education and workshops.

Family House, Inc. has as its purpose, to provide a homelike setting for children under the jurisdiction of the Division of Family and Children or those involved in custody or visitation disputes to visit with their non-custodial parent(s). In addition, Family House provides informative and supportive services to parents and children to aid in rehabilitating, strengthening, and preserving families and in preventing child abuse.

Gabriel's Horn is a non-profit emergency shelter established for the residents of Porter County. Its main purpose is to provide emergency housing assistance to individuals or families in times of economic hardships.

GREENWICH HOUSE
(219) 462-0351
Web: http://www.ccaportercounty.org/

Greenwich House assists women who have severe or persistent mental illness to live as independently as possible through training and assistance in the skills needed to achieve a self-sufficient lifestyle. Services provided to these individuals are housing, case management, goal setting, individual and group therapy, medication education, budgeting, and nutrition.

Hilltop Community Health Center meets the primary and preventive medical and dental care needs of those low-income Porter County residents who are uninsured or underinsured; also children, pregnant women and the disabled who lack adequate access to medical care within their home county.

Hilltop Neighborhood House provides a full time, year round child care program with scholarships and subsidies for children of low-income families. Children from ages 6 weeks through kindergarten are cared for.

After-school programs for school-age students provide homework help along with other supervised activites in the Reiner Community Center.

A food pantry and clothing distribution called the Village Market provides assistance to low-income families in the Hilltop Neighborhood area.

Indiana Legal Services, Inc. helps people in civil cases, including housing (eviction, foreclosure and landlord/tenant), public benefits (food stamps, SSI, unemployment, poor relief and AFDC or TANF), health (Medicaid and Medicare), divorce and child custody, child in need of services, consumer (collections and repossessions), education (expulsion, access to special education services, and vocational rehabilitation), and access to justice.

Professional counselors work to bring healing to individuals, couples, children, and families in the face of complex situations in their counseling program. In the adoption program, staff works to provide caring, permanent parents for children whose relationship with their birth parents is terminated. The foster parent training provides initial and ongoing training requirements for those licensed by their local DFC office.

The association is an advocacy and education organization whose purpose is to promote mental wellness through education and information. They strive to raise the standard of care and to preserve the dignity of those suffering from mental illness. Programs include health financial aid and support groups.

Moraine House, Inc. is a half-way house for recovering substance abusers. They provide a family-like environment to enable men to learn and practice the 12 steps of recovery. They also provide an information and referral service and an educational service available to the community.

The goal of Northshore Health Center is to offer affordable health care to income eligible Portage Township residents. In addition to medical services, the clinic will focus on prevention and wellness education, and serve as a referral agency, when appropriate, to meet additional patient needs.

Top of Page

NORTHWEST INDIANA COMMUNITY ACTION CORP.
(219) 937-3500
Web: http://www.nwi-ca.com

The Northwest Indiana Community Action Corp. is the 211 helpline call center for the counties of Jasper, Lake, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, and Starke. 211 is the national abbreviated dialing code for access to health and human services information and referral. Free and confidential help is available for many needs, including housing, employment, legal aid, counseling, and more. They also carry out a variety of programs that serve the unique needs of low-income families, seniors and disabled individuals throughout Northwest Indiana, including housing, energy assistance, outreach, and family development services.

OPPORTUNITY ENTERPRISES
(219) 464-9621
Web: http://www.oppent.org/
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Opportunity Enterprises Inc. provides employment, therapeutic, early intervenion and residential services to individuals with mental and/or developmental disabilities, from birth through retirement. Their mission is to promote self-sufficiency and life choices for challenged individuals through the wide range of human services they provide.

Portage Adult Education's mission is to provide educational opportunities for all adults, sixteen years of age and older.

The organization provides the following program characteristics: family literacy, adult basic education/ illiteracy elimination, adult secondary education, GED preparation and testing, English as a second language, homeless outreach, migrant outreach, customized programming.

Portage Township YMCA serves the community with programs for preschoolers through seniors. Toddler classes, preschool, fitness, swimming, gymnastics, karate/ju-jitso, lifestyle changing and aquasize classes are offered by trained professionals. The Y operates a Child Care and Development Center which offers all day child care with an educational component and a before and after school care program which offers child care for ages Kindergarten through middle school year round (K-Care & Y-Care). It also provides open sessions for recreational swimming, lap swims, basketball and volleyball. See website for details on programs an membership.

The Porter County Association for Handicapped Children & Adults provides financial aid to handicapped residents in the following ways: assistance in purchase/rental of equipment, and lifelines; reimbursement for transportation to clinics or hospitals, etc., for treatment.

The Porter County Cancer Society provides financial assistance to needy cancer patients relating to cancer treatment and care. Educational materials and films are available at no charge. A loan closet of equipment and supplies is available to our patients in need.

The Porter County Council On Aging & Community Services distributes information about the aging population, acts as a coordinating body for services available for the aging, develops public awareness of the needs for older citizens and acts as a catalyst to implement volunteers.

In direct program services the Council provides transportation and escort service for elderly and handicapped for shopping, trips to the doctor; newsletter publications and nutrition programs in Portage, Chesterton and Valparaiso, energy assistance program, lifeline and support groups.

The Counseling Center provides counseling services to individuals and families in such areas as social adjustment, marital discord, pre-marriage counseling, problems of aging, unmarried parenthood, employment, school and adjustment. The Center also provides consultation services and community presentations.

Porter County PACT is concerned about assisting prisoners and ex-offenders to achieve personal and economic stability within the large community so that they do not have to revert to criminal activity.

The services include counseling, social services, day reporting service, community service restitution program and a reconciliation program.

SELF provides individualized educational therapeutic services to children with handicapping conditions including speech and language disabilities, visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment, behavioral disorders and mental retardation.

Porter-Starke Services, Inc., is a comprehensive community mental health center that primarily serves residents of Porter and Starke Counties. Outpatient services for all ages, and consultation, education, 24-hour emergency, prevention, community support, chemical dependency, employee assistance, and residential services are provided through satellite offices in Chesterton, Knox, Portage, and Valparaiso.

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program works to establish a recognized role in the community and a meaningful life in retirement by developing a wide variety of community volunteer service opportunities for men and women 60 years of age and over. Volunteers can be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses and are covered by accidental insurance while volunteering.

Spring Valley Shelter is a transitional shelter for homeless families and individuals that provides shelter, crisis intervention, referral services, housing, clothing, transportation, medical care, counseling, goal setting, follow-up, and child enrichment. The Emergency Assistance Program provides temporary financial assistance with rent, mortgage, utilities, food, medication or other necessities for Porter County households that have had an emergency-related financial loss.

St. Agnes Adult Day Service Center provides daily care and socialization for adults with various infirmities associated with aging, including varying degrees of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This service also provides the Participant's caregiver respite to pursue a job during the day or other needed activities away from the Participant. The center provides an environment in which all that occurs is directed toward improving the quality of each adult participant's life. This is accomplished by treating every Participant with the highest level of dignity and respect - regardless of financial, physical, emotional, social, or mental impairments.

THE SALVATION ARMY
(219) 762-9191
The Salvation Army provides emergency service needs to our community, such as rent and mortgage assistance, utility assistance, medical prescriptions, food, disaster relief, tutoring programs, women's fellowship group, and after school character building activities for children.

The Valparaiso YMCA promotes physical, mental and spiritual well being. The Valparaiso YMCA serves Porter County with programs designed to meet community needs. Emphasis is on health and educational programs, child care, fitness, aquatics and youth and family enrichment activities. Facilities available to the community include two gymnasiums, two swimming pools, multipurpose room, three racquetball courts, Nautilus Center, child care and nursery facilities.

VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF PORTER COUNTY
(219) 462-5195
Web: http://www.vnaportercounty.org/
Email: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

The Visiting Nurse Association provides care givers who combine the "high tech" medicine of the 90's with "high touch," compassionate care, in the comfort of the patients home. Specific services include - nursing, palliative care, home health aides, social services, rehabilitation services and hospice.

Home health service provides supportive services to people of all ages in Porter County. Services provided by HHS are respite care, assistive care, meals-on-wheels, homemaker/handyman, health screenings, health watch and WIC (women, infants, children).