Home Care In Elkhart, IN

SOUTH BEND — New data paired with the South Bend area's first "Welcoming Plan" for immigrants shows that over a recent five-year period, 40.3% of the population growth in the South Bend-Elkhart region was due to immigration.

Funded by a Gateways for Growth grant, local organizations updated a 2017 immigration study to gather new figures for 2014 to 2019. Focused on St. Joseph, Elkhart and Marshall counties, some of the major takeaways from the new report shared at a Thursday night event are:

South Bend groups share new Welcoming Plan

In response to the influx of new residents, the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership partnered with the city of South Bend and a group called Welcoming Michiana to create the second Welcoming Plan in Indiana, joining nearly 70 municipalities nationwide.

"This is a movement of communities who see strength rather than threats in our new neighbors," said Alivia Haibach, whose organization Welcoming America works with chapters across the U.S. to foster a sense of belonging and economic opportunity for new Americans.

With residents' help, the new plan strives to address some of the problems highlighted by the data and by immigrants' stories.

Immigrants often struggle to find work in line with their education and experience. About a quarter aren't proficient English speakers. And many say they'd benefit from a central location where immigrants services are offered.

"We know that we're going to need more new residents in the future as we look to continue our growth and fill many, many jobs that people are coming in here and investing in our region," South Bend Mayor James Mueller said Thursday.

Read the full report and welcoming plan at https://southbendin.gov/welcoming/.

Immigrants to South Bend share their stories

The event highlighted the stories of three immigrants, including Dr. Rose Alyousif, who came to South Bend with her husband and three daughters in 2013 as refugees from Iraq.

A physician in Iraq, she and her family left for some years after feeling like they didn't belong. But she soon found purpose as an Arabic medical interpreter at local hospitals, and now she's a professor of anatomy and physiology at Indiana University South Bend.

"I found that when I engaged with the community, I was able to find a lot of people who believed in me and supported me," she said.

Mark Spence came to Illinois from South Africa for a job opportunity and in search of more social services for his daughter with autism. Charmed by the Midwestern hospitality that greeted him, he's since moved to South Bend and is now the vice president of technology and manufacturing at Hoosier Tire, a division of the global Continental Tire company.

And Juan Constantino, whose family brought him to the region from Mexico without legal documentation when he was 5 years old, said he expected to work at a restaurant and move up the ranks to a management role.

But Constantino was one of two undocumented students to whom Holy Cross College offered a full-ride scholarship. Today, after the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals process began in 2013 and he got authorization to work, he's the director of the immigrant services nonprofit La Casa de Amistad.

Selami Buzluk, who attended Thursday's event, moved from Turkey to Alabama with his wife, Lutfiye, to start his master's degree in engineering in August 2020. The two soon had a baby girl, Ikra.

Then a job opportunity arose for Buzluk, who's 28, in South Bend. With his J-1 exchange visitor visa, he's worked at Lawson-Fisher Associates, a South Bend-based engineering consultant, since May.

The success stories of the three immigrants who spoke left him feeling empowered, he said.

He and his family love the city. They were stunned to watch the leaves turn brilliant hues of red, orange and yellow along the banks of the St. Joseph River this fall.

"It looked kind of like heaven," Buzluk said.

Email South Bend Tribune city reporter Jordan Smith at [email protected]. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09

ELKHART, Ind. - A manufacturer of engineered workholding products headquartered in Elkhart is making a move toward the next generation of advanced manufacturing. Speedgrip Chuck Co. is investing $1.2 million in equipment it says will help develop new products that “harness the capability of Industry 4.0” by incorporating digital controls.

The investment includes a $200,000 Manufacturing Readiness Grant from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. and will result in a small number of new jobs.

Speedgrip, which was founded in Elkhart 77 years ago, makes clamping and gripping products used for metal cutting, including turning, drilling and milling operations, gear cutting and finishing, grinding, and more.

The company is currently prototyping new products that address what it says is a critical need to assess whether a workpiece is properly seated within a clamping device after being loaded by a robot.

Using air sensing and digital stroke control, Speedgrip said the technology can provide real-time feedback to the robot to confirm that the piece is properly clamped and monitor measurements throughout the machining process.

“This technology reduces the need for human intervention and significantly enhances efficiency on the manufacturing floor,” President Matthew Mayer said in an email to Inside INdiana Business.

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The company has completed testing of the products and the funding is being used to purchase the necessary equipment to manufacture them on a larger scale.

“The successful implementation of this technology has already been proven at a customer’s facility, resulting in substantial savings, including a reduction in proximity switch adjustments and decreased downtime during workpiece changeovers,” Mayer said. “We anticipate similar benefits for other manufacturers, with potential savings exceeding $100,000 per year.”

Speedgrip currently employs 48 people in Elkhart and has already hired one new engineer and two production staff, with plans to add two more in 2024.

“We will provide training and educational opportunities to ensure that our employees are equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to operate and maintain the new machinery effectively,” said Mayer. “This investment in human capital will not only empower our workforce but also enhance the skill set of our community, making it more competitive in the ever-evolving manufacturing landscape.”

Speedgrip was established in 1946 and, in 2015, was acquired by Michigan-based private investment firm Stratford-Cambridge Group.

ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — After more than two years of preparation, La Posada Immigrant Aid, a new faith-based immigrant legal aid center located in Sunnyside Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Indiana, is open for business, largely due to the support and collaboration of several Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) affiliated churches, conferences, schools, organizations and individuals.

Naun Cerrato, founder and co-pastor of Piedra Viva Mennonite Church — which also shares space with Sunnyside Mennonite Church — and an immigrant himself, noticed that Elkhart County, Indiana, had a need for low-cost immigrant legal services. Cerrato reached out to other Mennonite congregations in Elkhart County for support, and in 2020, the board for La Posada was formed, with Cerrato as the board chair.

Over the next two years, the board worked to obtain funding, non-profit status and proper accreditation, as well as find a physical location to hold the La Posada offices. Because of Cerrato’s relationship with Sunnyside Mennonite Church, the church offered to permanently allow La Posada to use two church classrooms as legal offices.

“In 2019, Sunnyside was working on a new mission and vision statement. And one of the points in these statements was that we wanted our building to be used more by the community,” said Peter Graber, La Posada treasurer and the board member representing Sunnyside Mennonite Church. “We’re very happy that La Posada can make good use of the facility.”

The board also hired Irma Ramirez, a first-generation Mexican-American and law-school graduate, as the executive director.

In February, La Posada received accreditation from the U.S. Department of Justice to act as legal representatives in immigration cases. The organization’s reach is still limited for the time being, though, as they continue to search for an attorney, and office manager, to join the staff.

Cerrato said, “There’s a lot of heavy accountability and responsibility riding on us, because many Mennonite churches are putting their trust in us. The Department of Justice of the United States is putting its trust in us. The local community is putting their trust in us. So we have to be careful to do everything right.”

To celebrate the ability to take on clients, Ramirez, Cerrato and the rest of La Posada’s board hosted an open house at Sunnyside Mennonite Church March 25. Approximately 75 community members attended the event, including Rod Roberson, the mayor of the city of Elkhart; David Boshart, the president of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS); and Brenda Toews, the chair of Sunnyside Mennonite Church’s board.

During her speech at the open house, Ramirez said, “One of my main goals is to build and gain the trust of the community. Immigration law can be complex. Many immigrants fear applying for relief, because they fear deportation. Research validates this fear. Immigrants who appear alone in court stand little chance of navigating the complex arena of immigration law. This is why La Posada was created. We will walk with the immigrant community.”

La Posada means “shelter” or “inn” in Spanish. The name was inspired by Luke 2:7, in which Mary and Joseph were unable to find suitable shelter for the birth of Jesus, because there was no room in the inn. Cerrato said that La Posada was created as place of sanctuary for the Elkhart County immigrant community by providing shelter through legal aid.

La Posada welcomes immigrants of all nationalities and offers a large number of immigration services, including naturalization, family-based immigration petitions and applications, special immigrant juvenile status, adjustment of status applications, work authorizations, green card renewal applications and waivers, as well as citizenship classes. Pricing is offered on a sliding scale that takes into consideration the client’s income, as well as which services they need. Because of this, the board expects that only about 50% of the organization’s financial needs will be met through client fees; the rest will need to be raised through grants and donations.

Ramirez emphasized the board’s role in leading La Posada, saying, “The board of directors deserve recognition for building a strong foundation before entrusting me to lead the organization.”

Because La Posada is the vision of Elkhart County Mennonites, the board of directors is comprised of representatives from several Elkhart County Mennonite congregations from both Central District Conference and Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA, as well as a representative from Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and a local attorney. MC USA churches represented on the board include Hively Avenue Mennonite Church, North Goshen Mennonite Church, Piedra Viva Mennonite Church, Prairie Street Mennonite Church and Sunnyside Mennonite Church. The vast majority of La Posada’s financial support has come from these churches, along with Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, College Mennonite Church, Eighth Street Mennonite Church, Fellowship of Hope, Hudson Lake Mennonite Church, MCC Great Lakes, MCC U.S., The Schowalter Foundation, Silverwood Mennonite Church, Walnut Hill Mennonite Church, Waterford Mennonite Church and several individuals, all of which are associated with MC USA. AMBS, Goshen College and Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference also donated furniture and equipment to help furnish La Posada’s offices.

As La Posada begins to take on clients, they request prayers concerning:

La Posada Immigrant Aid provides immigration legal assistance to immigrant families in Elkhart County, Indiana. It was formed in December 2020, out of Anabaptist faith values and began seeing clients in March 2023. Its offices are located in the Sunnyside Mennonite Church building, and it is supported by 10-20 local Mennonite churches, along with individuals, foundations and client fees. La Posada plans to have three employees by the end of 2023 and to be able to serve up to 40 clients per month.

Mennonite Church USA is the largest Mennonite denomination in the United States with 16 conferences, approximately 540 congregations and 56,000 members. An Anabaptist Christian denomination, MC USA is part of Mennonite World Conference, a global faith family that includes churches in 59 countries. It has offices in Elkhart, Indiana and Newton, Kansas. mennoniteUSA.org

ELKHART, Ind. (WNDU) - It has been a tangible example of holiday cheer and goodwill for a decade.

Saturday at the Roosevelt Center marked the Indiana Black Expo Elkhart chapter’s 10th annual “Feed Our Friends” holiday dinner, with volunteers saying it’s all about the kids.

“For the last ten years, we have been doing this, and without the help of the volunteers and the people, this is not possible,” said Robert Taylor, Elkhart chapter president of the Indiana Black Expo.

Taylor says that this really is a community effort, as so many local organizations like Cultivate Food Rescue, Toys for Tots, and various restaurants make this event happen.

“We just felt like at the holidays, it’s a time that we could contribute and make this a community event, and bring people together just to say let’s have a good meal, let’s eat, fellowship, and let’s have fun together,” Taylor said.

It also appears that Santa arrived early this year, as starting with the youngest kids, each child got to pick out three gifts.

“We probably had about $20,000 worth of toys donated from the community, Toys for Tots, and Lifeline of Elkhart County, and man, it just turned out to be a beautiful thing,” Taylor said. “As you can see, we probably are able to provide toys for over 150 kids.”

A new feature added this year sent families home with some groceries, including bottled water, apple pie, and Starbucks Coffee.

“It’s my first time here, and I really appreciate it,” said Laura Moran, a mother of four. “We got here because of a flyer from my son’s school, and we really appreciate that they’re doing this for all the kids for Christmas. They’re really happy, and they picked out the toys that they really liked, so I’m really thankful for that.”

Taylor expects they have fed 500 people yearly for the last ten years.

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When walking into Hotel Elkhart, Kimberly Christner wants guests to feel comfortable.

The circa 1923 brick building at 500 S. Main St. in downtown Elkhart recently opened in September after a two-year, $19 million renovation where modern touches and old-school glam are combined.

But Christner, the president and CEO of Cornerstone Hospitality who oversees operations, said the upscale comfort goes beyond the 93 hotel rooms.

"(We) try to make both restaurants have some entrees that feel higher end but approachable," Christner said. "I think that's what we're trying to do with this entire complex, for you to feel like you're in a special place but it's approachable."

The hotel side:Nearly 100 years after it was built, Hotel Elkhart comes back to life in downtown

Relish Cafe and Confections is on the southeastern portion of the ground floor, featuring a full espresso bar and baked goods as well as a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In a nod to its name, Christner said the purpose of Relish is to encourage guests to enjoy life, with freshly baked pastries, decadent milkshakes and hand-made burgers on the menu. For those wanting a lighter option, soups, salads and yogurts are also offered.

"It's about relishing life, relishing friends, relishing time together, relishing food," she said. "It's all about relishing everything and being kind of grateful."

The light-and-bright area can currently seat about 65 people, with Christner saying it has been limited because of a staffing shortage. However, they've made good use of the additional space, highlighting a retail area that features other locally owned businesses, such as Dutch Kernel popcorn, Goshen-based Refinery Coffee and South Bend-based Sanaa Chocolates.

For subscribers:Carriage House closed through winter, 2 eateries close for good

Relish's counterpart is The Corner Bar, on the northeastern side of the ground floor.

The moody bar instantly takes guests 21 and over back to the 1920s, with dark paint, velvet furniture and gold accents.

"Everything was done to kind of harken back to that era of time and I think people just like that and gravitate toward that," Christner said. "It doesn't feel like Elkhart — it feels like a new space, new place and it's not the same ol' same ol'."

Bartenders can create hand-crafted cocktails like old fashioneds and Manhattans. A new original cocktail menu will be released soon, Christner said, while for now six beers are on tap, in addition to a well-developed wine list.

Small bites and shared plates like sushi nachos, crab cakes and Fighting Irish nachos are offered, while larger options like volcano shrimp, pulled pork sandwiches and signature burgers are also available.

It "has a feeling of freshness and usualness but also love the feeling of coming in and feeling comfortable and that's what we wanted," Christner said. "We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in this space regardless of age or demographic."

But in addition to the two eateries on the ground floor, Hotel Elkhart has taken things a step above — literally.

Rooftop bar High Note overlooks downtown Elkhart and its surrounding area. Weather permitting, customers can sit by fireplaces or use blankets when drinking upstairs. Christner said they intend to keep it open as long as customers still want to visit.

"As long as you can get alcohol, you can stay warm," she said.

The area is currently for customers 21 and over during its operation, but during the daytime, hotel guests or families can purchase an item from Relish and are welcome to sit on the rooftop area. Food is currently not served at High Note, but Christner said there are plans to add to it once a formal outdoor bar is established. For now, a simple table with all the necessities needed for drinking is just inside of the outdoor area.

In addition to the new bar offering, Christner said, they plan to expand the rooftop bar seating area in the spring, as well as offering ground floor outdoor patio space for Relish and The Corner Bar.

Relish Cafe and Confections is open Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 6 to 11 a.m. The Corner Bar and High Note are open Monday through Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. All three operations are open to the public.

J2 Marketing moves; The Garage Arcade Bar expands

A local marketing business is on the move to make way as its neighboring arcade bar plans to expand.

J2 Marketing will move from 503 E. Colfax Ave. in the East Bank neighborhood to 137 N. Michigan St. in downtown South Bend, across from restaurant Fatbird and the Morris Performing Arts Center. Principal Erik Johnson said the reason behind the move was the business' need to expand, saying the company will be able to to double in size. Johnson also said they wanted to be in a more prominent area and made a statement in painting the building's exterior black.

"It got people talking about it and that’s the goal," he said. "Hopefully it spurs on more creativity and development and shows that people are making an effort. We believe in South Bend as an organization, and we are buying into the city and want to make bold investments."

More development:A parking garage and new seats planned for Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend

The move was also prompted by the desire to expand The Garage Arcade Bar. Johnson, who also owns the bar, said the business has done well since opening in 2019 and the expansion into the entire building at Hill Street and Colfax Avenue will allow for more space for a larger bar and an area for more music and art events.

The arcade "games are still going to be there, but it's going to be a really nice unique design," he said.

J2 is scheduled to move into the Michigan Street building next month, and renovations at The Garage Arcade Bar will begin shortly after.

Raise your hand

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, so I am compiling a list of local restaurants offering dine-in and carryout services for the holiday. If you own or know of a business or group that is offering Thanksgiving dinner options this year, please email me at [email protected] to be included on the list.

Contact Mary Shown at 574-235-6244 and [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter: @maryshownSBT and @marketbasketSBT.