We have been busy! And we like busy. It means we’re doing what we set out to do – build community. Since our 2021 newsletter, we’ve accomplished a lot with your volunteer and financial support. Together, we’ve:

• Started and finished a beautiful duplex with dedicated volunteers – one unit will house a refugee family from Ukraine;
• Created a new tenant’s council at Neighbors Place;
• Resourced and fixed many different needs across our 47 – soon to be 50 – housing units;
• Reworked the Monroe St. drawings and received BZA approval for a triplex;
• Helped install solar with our nonprofit neighbor, Respite House, so both Respite House I and II save energy costs and contribute clean energy to Valpo;
• Secured funding for solar on Neighbors Place;
• Worked with Valparaiso University students to identify solar options for our upcoming triplex;
• Secured American Rescue Plan funding through Porter County to build two 18-unit studio residences to meet the growing need for permanent housing;
• Recruited and managed 1800 hours of volunteer involvement from local churches, students, and others eager to improve the lives of struggling folks;
• Through Allies Against Racism, continued to encourage Valparaiso schools to become aware of and eliminate all forms of discrimination in the schools;
• Developed and successfully launched one of our biggest efforts yet at developing Black wealth in our community – the Freedom Recovery Fund!

Volunteers feeling good after a long and productive workday.

We want to thank two new partners in this work:

• 1st Source Bank is the first and primary corporate supporter of our Freedom Recovery Fund;
• The Porter County Community Foundation helped us expand our construction capacity.

And then there’s you. What do we love most? Building community together. Your support – your voice, your sweat, your dollars – make this all possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

-Paul Schreiner and the Board of Project Neighbors

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