Echo Housing

Shantel’s Story, New Start

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:09:08 +0000

Shantel is a resident of our New Start permanent supportive housing program. She joined our program in December 2009 after being on the streets and in different shelters, for many years.
Shantel struggled finding employment due to her criminal history and drug addiction. Shantel continued to use drugs on occasion while in the program, due to other factors in her life that she finally got help for.
However, with the New Start staff and Stantel’s determination, she completed substance abuse treatment at Stepping Stone in September 2010. Shantel has made many significant improvements in her life. Shantel has remained drug free and was able to obtain employment in December 2010. She also hopes to be able to start college classes in the future.
Shantel keeps up with her housekeeping and is very cooperative with the New Start staff. Shantel is a great example of what the New Start program is all about and the staff can’t wait to see what great things Shantel has in store next.

Safe Places, 2011

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:07:53 +0000

Safe Places is a national youth outreach program that educates thousands of young people every year about the dangers of running away or trying to resolve difficult, threatening situations on their own. This community initiative involves the whole community to provide safe havens and resources for youth in crisis.
ECHO Housing Corporation has decided to participate with this initiative by becoming a “safe place” where youth can come and we will contact the lead agency, Hillcrest Washington Youth Home, who will respond and come meet with the youth.
The Safe Place Program held a press conference on March 14th outlining their plans to get this program in operation

ECHO Housing Corporation, 2010 Numbers

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:07:02 +0000

Lucas Place:
Applications Received: 173
Families Served: 34
Couples:5
Single Fathers: 1
Single Mothers: 28
Children: 82
Every night spent in Lucas Place for every person: 25,176
Case Management Appointments: 967 (Child and Adult)
Number of families that transitioned into permanent housing: 13 out of 15
Families entering the HPRP program: 2
Families moving into Section 8 based housing: 5
Families utilizing ECHO rental property or New Start: 2
Families moving into a private landlord apartment: 4

Programming:
Classes offered by staff or a board member: 112….serving 626 clients (duplicated)
Different types of programs offered: 33

Child Services: (based on June to end of year)
Pre-school Hour: 82.5
After-school Hour: 92
Homework Hour: 92

Playspaces:
Children served (duplicate): 345
Children served (unduplicated): 53
Visits: 93
Volunteers: 18
Volunteer hours: 348

New Start:
Applications Received: 70
Adult Clients Served: 22
Single Women: 6
Single Men: 6
Couples w/ children: 2
Single Mothers: 7
Single Fathers: 1
Every night spent in the New Start Program for every person: 13,902
Case Management Appointments: 825 (Adult)
Number of families or singles that remained in permanent housing: 19
Number of families or singles that were receiving their disability benefits: 10
Number of clients that obtained their disability benefits while in the program that weren’t receiving it when they entered in 2010: 4

Harrison High School class gives backs!

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:04:48 +0000

Harrison High School’s class “Reconnecting Youth” came to Lucas Place on March 3rd for a tour and to hear a presentation on our services. One of our residents did an amazing job telling her story to the youth and letting them know to stay in school because life is a lot harder if you do not have your GED. The youth asked many questions to the resident and to staff members.
The youth, with the help of Harrison’s school social worker, Nichole White, selected Lucas Place to do their project for a community partner. The tour and presentation was to let them see first hand, the people and programs that they would be benefiting.
The class will begin their project of making fleece blankets for the children in the near future. A big THANK YOU goes out to the class.

Lucas Place II update, March 2011

admin — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:03:49 +0000

Construction Begins!!! In early March, construction began on Lucas Place II and hopes to finish by late summer or early fall.
Thompson Thift was the lowest bidder in the bid process, thus awarding them the contract that was signed in late February. Thompson Thift is based out of Terre Haute and has worked on hundreds of supportive housing projects and residential community buildings. To find out more information on them visit www.thompsonthift.com.
Thompson Thift is working with our local unions to ensure that while they are from Terre Haute, most of the individuals working on the building are from Vanderburgh County.
ECHO is still waiting to hear from the VA regarding our application for HUD-VASH vouchers, which would provide the funds to operate the building on a daily basis once it is built.
We have also applied for funding for a Shelter Plus Care Grant through a partnership with our local Vet Center, if our application for HUD-VASH vouchers does not go through.
We will maintain a waiting list once the time is closer and we are aware of our funding source for day to day operations. This will happen most likely in June or July.
You can check out pictures and construction updates on our facebook page. Currently there are pictures from the Groundbreaking and the beginning stages of construction for Lucas Place II.

Lucas Place Transitional Housing Program

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:53:39 +0000

So far in 2010 Lucas Place has graduated 12 families from its program. This has been a very successful year for Lucas Place and we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of the individuals who have been through our program and graduated into permanent housing. Of the families who have graduated:
4 families moved into unsubsidized rental properties. These families made enough income to not require any assistance.
4 families moved into a public housing complex such as Fulton Square or Caldwell Homes.
2 families moved into a rental property and had assistance through the HPRP program.
One client moved into our own rental property with no subsidies.
One client moved into our permanent supportive housing program, New Start.
Of the families that graduated our program, 7 obtained employment while they stayed here.
3 of our graduates started school either at Ivy Tech or USI working towards a degree that will better their lives and their children’s lives.
All of our graduates were able to pay off some of their old debt.
All of our graduates were able to increase their income through employment, assistance that they originally didn’t have, disability awards, etc.
Many of our graduates were able to put some money back in savings that has since helped them now that they are our on their own.

Through ECHO Housing Corporation’s supportive service team and our clients desire to achieve their goals, these families have been able to move from homelessness to affordable, decent, safe, and energy efficient housing while having achieved their own sense of self-sufficiency.

Groundbreaking for Lucas Place II

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:51:44 +0000

It is hard to believe that we are finally here at the ground breaking ceremony of Lucas Place II, our 27 one-bedroom permanent supportive housing complex for homeless disabled individual veterans. The issue of homelessness among veterans has received a lot of press recently with coverage on 60 Minutes and Oprah. Well, we are proud that ECHO, along with Federal, State and Local government has been working diligently on this project for over a year to address this important issue in Evansville- Well ahead of the curve!!!
While we are proud of what we have accomplished, we realize that there is still al lot of work remaining to fulfill our dream. The ground breaking officially launched our Public Capital Campaign. Donations can be taken to any branch of Integra Bank for deposit and of course can be made at or mailed to ECHO Housing Corporation, 414 Baker Avenue, Evansville, IN 47710.
I would also like to thank the numerous supporters and sponsors for making this event so spectacular.
Rolling Thunder
99.5 FM WKDQ
Wesselman’s
Buehler’s
Lewis Bakeries
Ice House
Hacienda
Steak n Shake
Golden Corral
And especially our Board Member, Kristin Hampton, for spearheading the entire event.
“We are all dishonored anytime a veteran, male or female sleeps on the same street that he or she has defended!”

ECHO Housing Program’s: By the Numbers 2009

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:49:28 +0000

Lucas Place
Applications Received: 211
Families Served: 38
Couples Served: 4
Single Fathers: 1
Single Mothers: 33
Children: 95

Classes Offered by Staff or a Board Member: 37….serving 206 clients. (duplicated)
Classes offered by outside resources: 19…..serving 144 clients.(duplicated)
Support Groups lead by Lucas Place Residents: 10….serving 41 clients. (duplicated)
Different types of programs offered: 13
Every night spent in Lucas Place for every person: 23,556
Case Management Meetings: 850

New Start
Application Received: 79
20 clients served
6 single women
6 single men
2 couples
1 single father with children
3 single mothers with children
10 children served

Playspaces at Lucas Place
176 children served (duplicate)
36 children (unduplicated)
33 visits
5 volunteers
58 volunteer hours

2009 Christmas Season

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:47:27 +0000

This Christmas at Lucas Place was amazing! Lucas Place received an extreme amount of help from the community this year due to the 12 Days of Caring Article featured in the Courier and Press. The article gave an intimate look at three of the families currently at Lucas Place and also took a look at what Lucas Place does as transitional housing. Not only did the three families featured in the article receive support from the community, but we also received donations of all kinds for Lucas Place as a whole from individuals, local business, and schools. Many people who responded to the article had never heard of Lucas Place and simply called for a loved one that could use the assistance that Lucas Place provides.

We would like to give a special thank you to the Courier and Press for allowing us to be a part of the “12 Days of Caring”. You truly helped us.

Also several organizations such as St. Lucas Church, The Evansville Road Knights, and Christ the King School provided gifts and stocking stuffers for all the children at Lucas Place. St. Lucas Church also let the children of Lucas Place pick gifts for their parents. The Evansville Road Knights provided hams, canned goods, fruit, and other food items to each family as well. We don’t know what we would do without these wonderful organizations and their support.
It was exciting and heart warming to see the look on the family’s faces when donations were given to them. The families could not believe how much support for both them and Lucas Place there was. There were tears shed and thank you after thank you spoken. A lot of the families at Lucas Place had never had a Christmas like 2009 before

2010: The year of the Youth

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:46:27 +0000

2010 will bring with it a lot of changes and new surprises for our youth and parents at Lucas Place, starting with our Childcare Voucher Program for Lucas Place residents. This program will go through a pilot experience this month and hopefully be completely up and running by the first of March. It is intended to fill the gap between employment and getting the vouchers through WorkOne that our residents often struggle with. This program is made possible by CDBG funding.

Secondly, we will be hiring our child advocate sometime this Spring, who will help the children with tutoring, counseling, group activities, etc. This position is made possible through a generous grant by Holiday Management Foundation.