Housing for Victims of Sexual Assault/Trafficking

Hello Friends and thank you so much for your continued support of our ever evolving Building Acquisition & Housing Project!

We are excited to report that we have begun taking steps forward towards the building acquisition.  Fair Haven is gratful to report we have secured two seperate grants to fund the lions share of the project and grants take time to execute!  We are working with HUD and have submitted all of the necessary documentation needed to access the first of our grant dollars. 

In addition to what we have submitted, it has been decided that we will need to complete a Phase 1 Environmental site assessment. 

For those of us who do not speak such language (including myself!), a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment is commonly referred to as an ESA, or Phase I ESA, is completed to research the current and historical uses of a property as part of a commercial real estate transaction.  The intent of the report is to assess if current or historical property uses have impacted the soil or groundwater beneath the property and could pose a threat to the environment and/or human health. So, let's be safe!  

We secured three proposals from friendly Engineering Companies and have selected Alt & Witzig Engineering, located in Merrillville, to conduct our assessment.  The best news, it begins tomorrow, October 5, 2022.  We are grateful for their willingness to begin immediately!! The sooner the report is completed, the sooner we can submit all the report to HUD and move forward with acquisition.

We are also grateful for their partnership and generousity towards the cost of the the Phase 1 site assessment.  We unfortunately did  not think we were subjet to this requirement and did not have the cost ($1500) written into our budget.  This is where community partnerships really come into play.  It's in the unforeseen expenses that your donations will fill in the gap and make such a huge impact in moving the project forward!  Thank you for all for your continued support.  We could not do this project without you!

To wrap things up, please join me in celebrating as our small for-purpose organization turns 18 years old~  What an absolute honor and privilege to serve survivors of sexual violence and walk alongside them through the journey of healing.  Every step we take is for them! 

Providing a safe and nurturing community is our mission. The dream is to build non-congregate housing as a transitional step for survivors. 

Victims of sexual violence struggle with breaking the cycle and require secure housing that will not allow them time and space to heal, therapeutic counseling to relearn coping skills and unlearn the abusive tactics. The need for safe and stable housing is one of the most vital and immediate concerns for survivors of abuse and violence. Non-congregate stabilization housing for individuals who are fleeing from or attempting to flee from dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking is not available in Lake County, Indiana USA. There are currently multiple housing programs for homeless individuals and emergency shelter programs. However, there are no programs providing non-congregate housing opportunities with comprehensive, victim-centered, trauma-informed wrap-around services for victims from all the violent crime areas identified as: dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.  

Additionally, there is a notable lack of services targeted to victims of sex crimes and trafficking in Northwest Indiana. Local Domestic Violence shelters are full to capacity and Fair Haven RCC is the only 24/HR Crisis Response sexual assault victim service provider for the county, including services to victims of human trafficking.  In 2019, Fair Haven RCC served two identified victims of human trafficking, meaning many victims are coming forward for services who do not identify as victims of human trafficking or are falling through the cracks. Since that time, Fair Haven has worked with an additional 18 victims of human trafficking.  Of those individuals, 90% would have benefited from a housing program that would provide therapeutic supports to meet the unique needs of survivors of human trafficking and their children.

The Launch went live on April 21, 2023 during our Sexual Assault Awareness Month event, Fair Haven RCC's "Masquerade Gala".

The evening included 150 community leaders and stakeholders to raise awareness against sexual violence & exploitation within our community. In honor of survivors of sexual violence, we featured a unquie art gallery: ‘The Mask Project; a Journey of Healing’. This art expression empowered our clients to invest back into their recovery and highlight the 5 stages of recovery. Our board and community champion, highlighted the agency’s mission, shared the exponential growth we have experienced and the future plans for expansion by sharing this project link.

Every 68 seconds in America, someone becomes a victim of sexual violence. We ask you to consider commmitting to a  $68 monthly donation to honor that survivor! We will continue to raise awareness and find invested community stakeholders, like you, to join us in "building a house so that we can home others." 

Links:

• Inaugural Masquerade Gala
• Masquerade Gala to Launch Expansion