ABOUT

About Us

About The Caring Place

THE CARING PLACE is a non-profit social service organization, serving the needs of domestic violence and sexual assault victims. Our organization primarily serves victims in Lake, Porter and Starke counties in Northwest Indiana, but may include victims across the country.

Established in 1977 by a group of volunteers in Hobart, Indiana, the agency is now located in Valparaiso.

Because domestic violence can result in psychological as well as physical injury and even death, the State of Indiana has mandated that shelter services must be provided without charge.

In addition to safe shelter, The Caring Place provides community education, support groups, legal counseling and case management, independent living planning.

Our Mission

The Caring Place, Inc. provides inclusive service, shelter, and ongoing support for people experiencing domestic violence. Through advocacy, education, and awareness, we empower people to build supportive, respectful, compassionate relationships.

Our Vision

The Caring Place, Inc. envisions a community free from domestic violence, in which all people engage in healthy relationships, supported by a society committed to nurturing respect and non-violence.

Our Motto

Breaking the Silence that Hides the Violence.

Peer Review

The agency has successfully completed Peer Review that is required every three years for domestic violence programs to receive funds from the State of Indiana through its Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA).

The Caring Place's History

(Click on the dates below for more information for each date range.)

In the mid 1970s, group of concerned citizens in Hobart, Indiana formed a task force to study the needs of domestic violence victims in the area. Based upon their findings and recommendations, a group of volunteers began raising funds to open a shelter for abused women and their children.

The Caring Place was incorporated in 1978 as a volunteer-operated organization. In April 1979, it began serving victims at the former convent of St. Bridget’s Church in Hobart. Later, the organization rented the Wolf Mansion in Porter County while looking for a place to purchase.

In October 1986, The Caring Place acquired a large farmhouse outside Wheeler. Up until that time, the agency provided temporary shelter, 24-hour crisis intervention and case management services for victims of domestic violence. With the move, the agency also began providing advocacy services to both resident and non-resident victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. In the summer of 1990, the shelter moved to its present undisclosed Valparaiso site with a 24-bed capacity.

In 2002, a larger facility was purchased to replace the small house that served as an administrative and community advocacy office. Administrative staff, including the Porter County Sexual Assault Advocate and Legal Services Coordinator, work from the Community Advocacy Center. The building also contains a library, conference room, children’s playroom, reception area, kitchen and large donation storage area. The Community advocates in Lake and Starke counties work from space donated by local churches.

On October 15, 2018, The Caring Place broke ground on a new domestic violence shelter in Porter County, serving the Northwest Indiana region.

The new Caring Place Center for Change, our shelter and advocacy center, opened on October 18, 2019, shortly before the Covid-19 global pandemic and remained open through the ongoing challenges of the pandemic and post-pandemic environment.

The Caring Place seeks to break the silence that hides the violence through our Let's Star Talking: Filling the Gaps! Campaign. The agency’s services have changed and expanded beyond the early years of solely providing shelter. Today, 11 full-time and 7 part-time staff serve the needs of almost 125-150 shelter residents and another 300-350 community clients, as well as raise awareness about relationship violence to thousands of community residents.