Safe Housing United States Project #56568

Housing for Victims of Sexual Assault/Trafficking

by Fair Haven, Inc

Project Report | Jun 11, 2026
Community Compassion to Survivor Stability

By Shana Robertson | Community Impact Director

Matching Grant Recipient

We are excited to share an important milestone in the journey toward making Portside Suites a reality.

Through the 2026 Community Projects & Programs Initiative, Fair Haven RCC has been selected by the Legacy Foundation to participate in a special matching grant opportunity. Our organization has been approved to raise $75,000, with eligible donations matched dollar-for-dollar through the initiative, pending final approval from Lilly Endowment.

This opportunity represents more than funding—it is an investment in the future of survivor services in Northwest Indiana.

Over the past several years, Fair Haven RCC has laid the groundwork for Portside Suites, our transitional housing program designed to provide safe, stable housing for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, dating violence, and human trafficking. We have developed policies and procedures, secured dedicated staff leadership, cultivated community partnerships, and begun assembling resources that will help transform housing into healing.

Now, our community has an opportunity to help move this vision forward.

The Legacy Foundation's matching grant initiative allows every eligible dollar donated to Portside Suites to have twice the impact. Funds raised will support the Portside Suites capital campaign while also helping establish a permanent endowment fund that will strengthen the long-term sustainability of stabilization housing services for years to come.

The need for this program has never been greater.

Many of the survivors we serve are standing at a critical junction in their lives. Without safe and stable housing, they face difficult decisions that can jeopardize their safety, well-being, and future independence. Some may feel forced to return to abusive situations. Others may struggle to maintain employment, education, or access to supportive services while trying to secure basic necessities.

At Fair Haven RCC, we believe survivors deserve more than temporary relief. They deserve opportunities that foster stability, empowerment, and independence. Portside Suites is designed to provide exactly that—a hand up, not a handout.

With access to safe housing, advocacy, supportive services, education, and community resources, survivors can begin rebuilding their lives with dignity and hope. They can move beyond crisis and toward lasting self-sufficiency.

This is where our community can make a lasting difference.

We invite you to champion this endeavor and help create a true Sea of Support for Portside Suites. Every gift helps build a future where survivors have access to the safety, stability, and opportunities they need to thrive. Through the Legacy Foundation's matching grant opportunity, your support can go twice as far in helping us create lasting change.

Together, we can ensure that when survivors reach a critical junction in their lives, they are met not with barriers, but with a community ready to stand beside them.

Thank you for being part of the Sea of Support.

Sea of Support

Links:

Portside Suites Capital Campaign

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Feb 10, 2026
Program Vision and Community Need

By Shana Robertson | Community Impact Director

2025 Milestone

2025 Milestone: Grant Award

The Portside Suites campaign continues to move forward as a critical response to the long-standing need for safe, stable, and longer-term housing for survivors throughout Northwest Indiana. Previous reports, detail the building campaign, Portside Suites project, had already secured the AARP grant for 1 million to build the residential building. That was a big step but it was critical to find funding for the program itself.

Fair Haven RCC hit this milestone in October 2025 and was granted a federal grant through the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This award became the official launch for this impactful wrap-around services. This funding enabled:

Staffing; hiring Tamika Jones as Director of Transitional Housing
Initial program development and planning
Drafting of Procedures & Protocols
Preparation for residential service delivery

While progress is steady, the campaign is currently facing a key barrier: financing the requirements made for additional infrastructure to accommodate residential living units in the downtown area of Highland, Indiana- which is the current planned site location. These infrastructure upgrades are essential for compliance and occupancy but represent an unplanned financial hurdle.

Overcoming this barrier will allow construction and residential services to begin sooner—bringing safety, autonomy, and stability to survivors who urgently need housing. Community donations and partner support are essential to bridge this gap and accelerate the opening of Portside Suites.

According to Tamika Jones, Director of Transitional Housing, Portside Suites represents a long-held vision shaped directly by survivor voices.

“Portside Suites has been a dream for many of us here for quite some time now. Walking alongside survivors often gives us important information about the barriers they face on the road to rebuilding their lives after such life-changing events. Safe and longer-term housing is something that survivors have voiced as being a need for a long time.”

— Tamika Jones

Survivors often leave abusive or unsafe environments with limited financial resources, few housing options, and significant barriers to independence. Portside Suites is designed to address these challenges by providing stable housing alongside supportive services that promote autonomy, empowerment, and long-term success.

Current Status and Next Steps

At present, the program is advancing through critical approval and preparation phases. Tamika is currently awaiting confirmation from the grant funder regarding approval of proposed Procedures & Protocols, including:

Eligibility criteria for housing
Service standards and program clearance
Outcome tracking to measure success
Opportunities for resident autonomy and empowerment

Simultaneously, the campaign is working to address additional infrastructure requirements required by the Town of Highland to support residential living units in the downtown area.

Why Timing Matters: A Real-Time Example

The urgency of opening Portside Suites is underscored by current client needs. When asked whether there have been recent situations where a client could have benefited from Portside Suites being available, Tamika shared the following:

“Yes. I am currently working with a survivor who has the desire for their life’s circumstances to be different. We have spoken about the goals they would like to achieve, and they have a very solid plan for reaching those goals. The only issue is having access to safe and stable housing. The survivor is living within an abusive household currently and the current cost of things does not allow them to relocate immediately. If Portside Suites were available right now, they could begin their journey towards autonomy, safety, and stability.”

This story reflects a reality faced by many survivors: readiness and motivation are present, but housing access is the missing link.

Call to Action: Help Open Portside Suites Sooner

To move Portside Suites from preparation to occupancy, additional resources are urgently needed to overcome infrastructure barriers required by the town. Community investment will directly support:

Required infrastructure improvements
Faster readiness for residential occupancy
Earlier access to safe, stable housing for survivors

Your donation can help open doors sooner. By contributing to the Portside Suites campaign, donors become partners in creating safety, dignity, and opportunity for survivors who are ready to rebuild their lives.

Together, we can transform momentum into move-in day—and ensure that when survivors are ready for change, housing is ready for them.

Sea of Support Plan

Tamika Jones Transitional Housing Director

Links:

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Oct 13, 2025
Growing Another Step Forward

By Shana Robertson | Community Impact Director

First Director of Transitional Housing

We are thrilled to share a major milestone in our journey toward offering survivors of violence safe, stable housing. With new departmental funding secured, Portside Suites at Fair Haven RCC is moving closer to becoming a reality.

Please join us in congratulating Tamika Muhammad, who said “YES” on October 1st into becoming our first Director of Transitional Housing for Portside Suites!

Since joining Fair Haven in 2021, Tamika has grown with our agency and excelled in every role she’s held. We are confident she will bring the same dedication, compassion, and vision to this next chapter as she helps build Portside Suites into a safe, supportive, and healing space for survivors.

“I am honored and excited to begin laying the foundation for Portside Suites, Fair Haven's transitional housing program. This new beginning represents more than just a safe place to stay—it is about creating a supportive, healing, and empowering environment where survivors can begin to rebuild their lives. I look forward to working alongside our community partners to provide not only housing but access to the resources and care that every survivor deserves.”
— Tamika Muhammad, Director of Transitional Housing

This week, a local community business clearing out model home furniture felt inspired to give back—donating two bedroom sets toward our goal of furnishing five safe, non-congregate housing units. These spaces will provide refuge for adults escaping dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.

We have a funded department. We have some furniture.
Now—we need the building.
And we are so close to breaking ground!

Join the School: Be Part of the Sea of Support.
This is more than a construction project—it’s a community movement. Together, we’re creating a vibrant Sea of Support where every gift helps survivors find safety and hope.

Help us build Portside Suites. Be part of the movement that turns hope into home.

Sea the Possibilities of Portside Suites

5 Housing Units

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