Mission 25 Shelter Services helps us show love together

When Mission 25 opened its Shelter Services doors in February 2000, we anchored everything in one belief: there is hope for every person who walks through our doors.

Over the years, I’ve witnessed that hope take shape in ways that still leave me speechless.

Individuals arrive focused on survival in mind and leave with vision, confidence, and purpose. Residents earn their GEDs and go on to college. Former clients build fulfilling careers, including a successful real estate agent and a highly regarded boxing manager. They become homeowners, debt-free adults, licensed drivers, vehicle owners, spouses, parents, and active contributors to our community.

And the list keeps going. These individuals are not just success stories I tell, but lives re-written.

Why Mission 25 still exists more than 25 years later

Every person is issued two certificates in their lifetime: a birth certificate and a death certificate. Mission 25 holds a small, but critical window between those two moments—roughly 8–12 months for the individuals we serve. That window is sacred, and it is why we pour everything we have—time, structure, accountability, compassion, and resources—into each person during their stay. What happens during this season can change the direction of an entire life.

Mission 25 does not “fix” people. The individuals who walk through our doors do the hard work. They make the decisions and they choose growth. Mission 25 provides the time, space, support, and tools that make change possible. We operate as a launchpad by giving people the chance to step out of survival mode and move forward with purpose and hope.

The impact of Mission 25 extends beyond the individual.

Shelter Services strengthens our community

Mission 25 strengthens Whitley County. When people leave our program, they don’t disappear. They stay, work, build families, serve, and contribute to their community. The trajectory of their lives now intersects daily with our schools, workplaces, churches, and neighborhoods.

I sometimes ask myself…

What would our community look like if Mission 25’s Shelter Services didn’t exist tomorrow?

And the answer is sobering.

This work matters and the support behind the work we do matters just as much.

At Mission 25, hope is not abstract. People live it out every day. Donors, partners, and community members like you make it possible by investing when the need is urgency and the outcome changes lives.

There is hope for every person who walks through our doors. Together, we keep that hope within reach.

Mission 25’s Miami Village Community Center helps us show love together

Although I wasn’t a Mission 25 employee when the Miami Village Community Center (MVCC) opened its doors in 2020, I knew about the initiative and was enthralled with the concept of building a safe place for some of our community’s most vulnerable children. I’d never seen anything quite like the partnerships that formed within our community during the planning period. Opening MVCC’s doors caused a resounding “They’re worth it,” from so many of these community champions. Fast forward almost six years and I now have the privilege of supervising the program and the staff who give meaning to the phrase, “you’re always welcome here.”

Supporting a Community

When I first started supervising at MVCC, I knew the basics—students would be fed, staff would assist with homework, and age-appropriate activities and games would be offered. It didn’t take me long to realize that there was something unique and authentic about the program. I’m in awe of the environment that has been created, not only for school-aged students but the entire mobile home community.

One of my favorite memories from winter 2025 came after a significant snowstorm. School was closed for multiple days in a row and synchronous learning was required of students. Nothing stood in the way of our team’s ability to serve. We rolled up our sleeves and devised a plan to create a space where every student could participate.

Zoom sessions were pulled up for each student.

Materials were organized and ready for assignments.

Chromebooks were fully charged.

A variety of snacks and one large meal was offered.

Homework assistance was available when needed.

Parents came with shovels an hour before start time to shovel our drive and ramp leading into our trailer.

Community Partnership

The teamwork between our team and the community symbolized a unique and thriving partnership, created together.

MVCC’s positive impact of the work with these students is felt within our community.

“MVCC has been incredibly responsive to our students’ needs. This year, they started opening the center on synchronous learning days to support students and families. It’s great to be able to remind families whose students struggle to complete work on synchronous learning days that center staff is available to help and that extra Chromebooks are available for students who need them to access their school work. We appreciate the partnership of MVCC!” – Meggan Hoag

A Thriving Community

I’ve been in some form of education my entire life—the calendar in my head starts in August and ends in May. But summer months at MVCC are where enrichment, advocacy, initiative, and feeding the hunger of a child’s curiosity, BLOOM. Our summer days are filled with exploration, team-building activities, outdoor adventures, quiet moments reading books, and every single water or messy game you can possibly imagine. Each year, we embark on a fun-filled summer season starting every May. Let me tell you that in 2026, we are up for the challenge, sunscreen and all!

Working with the Miami Village community has taught me a different level of patience, adaptability, and leadership. It has also taught me what OST (Out-of-School-Time) looks like. On good days, it’s a playful, whimsical adventure. On rough days, we dry a lot of tears and help regulate flipped lids because life just isn’t fair.

No matter the day, the hour, or the season, it’s a block of time I wholeheartedly look forward to every single week. What an honor to serve the Miami Village community.

Your support directly impacts the outcomes of our Miami Village Community Center.

Click here to make a donation toward Mission 25’s Miami Village Community Center.

Tag: 2026 Hope Campaign

Shelter Services: A Note on “Hope” from Shawn Ellis