It is with great excitement that the leadership teams of ECHO Housing & Community Development and the House of Bread and Peace (The House) announce that the two nonprofit organizations will be consolidating to strengthen the work of The House and to ensure its continued operations for generations to come. 

Both ECHO Housing and the House of Bread and Peace share the mission of serving the most vulnerable individuals and families in the Evansville community. 

Therefore, the House of Bread and Peace entered an Interim Management Agreement with ECHO Housing, effective January 8, 2024. During this Interim Agreement, both parties will take the appropriate steps to combine the agencies under the umbrella of ECHO Housing. The purpose of this agreement is to allow The House to continue operating as it has been, in the spirit of Sister Joanna Trainer’s legacy, while being supported by ECHO Housing’s leadership and infrastructure. 

ECHO Housing’s Social Services Director, Sarah Wolf, previously served as the Executive Director of the House of Bread and Peace for 18 years. Sarah reflects on her time at The House and how her work there shaped her career: “I first met Sister Joanna at the House of Bread and Peace as a young Social Work intern in 1994. Not only am I grateful for the opportunity to call Sister my friend for many years, what I learned about uncondition 

caring for those in need has been woven into the framework of my entire career. It is truly a blessing to have a role once again in Sister’s mission by overseeing the services the residents receive while staying at the House.” 

House of Bread and Peace Board President, Lawanda Kirsch states, “The Board of Directors appreciates the importance of The House in our community. The intent of our decision is to avoid a negative impact on those we serve in Evansville. This strategic collaboration marks a significant milestone in the pursuit of our shared mission to end homelessness within the community. The union of the House of Bread and Peace to ECHO Housing combines our strengths resources, and expertise to maximize the impact of service to women and children. This merger is a testament to Sister Joanna’s legacy and her vision of service to those in need. We look forward to embarking on this new chapter, creating a stronger, more impactful program in service to the community.” 

ECHO Housing’s CEO, Savannah Wood, comments, “We are honored that the House of Bread and Peace is entrusting this critical service to our agency. This occasion signifies a pivotal step forward in our commitment to serving our community and advancing our mission. By providing services through the entire housing continuum – from emergency shelter to permanent housing placement – ECHO Housing will be able to deliver more comprehensive and effective services to our community, allowing us to foster innovation and creativity in our approach to tackling the challenges of homelessness. Our agency will continue to work closely with the House of Bread and Peace Board of Directors to ensure the administrative transition takes place without any hindrance or changes to The House’s role in the community.” 

The House’s deep-rooted legacy of providing emergency shelter to women and children who are experiencing homelessness will remain unchanged in its current location, 250 E. Chandler, and will maintain staffing 24/7. Any women and children seeking emergency shelter placement can contact 812-423-8422 or email info@echohousing.org. 

The House of Bread and Peace is a designated non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to provide for the basic needs of homeless women and children while assisting the women in becoming independent and self-sufficient. We help them build a strong foundation for a more successful life by identifying and addressing their individual needs and goals. Since it’s opening in 1985, House of Bread and Peace and the legacy of Sister Joanna Trainer have been providing a warm bed, hot food, and the opportunity for a new life to women and children in the Evansville area. 

ECHO Housing Corporation is a designated non-profit 501(c)(3) Community Development Corporation (CDC) with a mission to improve lives by reducing barriers to housing, social wellbeing, and economic opportunity. Since its founding, ECHO Housing and Community Development has been a leading provider of homeless services, including permanent supportive housing, for individuals experiencing homelessness in the community. ECHO has continued to grow, now encompassing seven homeless service programs, all dedicated to serving those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. In 2024, ECHO will add an 8th homeless service program – the Promise Home, a permanent supportive housing program dedicated to serving the chronically homeless in Region 12. 

Additional Media Contacts: 

Kim Armstrong 

ECHO Housing Marketing and Communications Manager 

Kim.armstrong

Southern Indiana Dance Marathon (SIDM) will return to the University of Southern Indiana for its 12th year on Saturday, March 23 in Carter Hall, located in University Center West. Participants will be on their feet for 12 hours straight to raise money and awareness for Riley Hospital for Children. This year’s event will begin at noon Saturday, March 23 and continue until midnight Sunday, March 24.

SIDM is seeking support to meet its $50,000 fundraising goal. All funds raised benefit the Riley Children’s Foundation to support groundbreaking pediatric research, patient programs in need of additional funding, Riley Maternity and Newborn Health and family support programs, such as child life and social work.

“Southern Indiana Dance Marathon is an amazing organization that raises money for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis,” says Delaney Radican ’25, education major. “Riley is near and dear to my heart. I’ve been a part of this organization for the last three years. The money that is raised at our Dance Marathon can help a child in need.”

Radican and Marcus Robinson ’25 are leading this year’s event as SIDM Co-Presidents. Robinson and his twin brother, Brady, both juniors in the USI Nursing Program, have a special reason to be involved with Riley Hospital. Born prematurely, Brady suffered a brain bleed when he was only 14 months old. “After being rushed to Riley, they soon realized that I needed to undergo brain surgery,” he says. “I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which is excess fluid on the brain that leads to swelling and increased pressure.”

Brady said the neurosurgeon placed a shunt that helps drain fluid from his brain into his stomach. “Since the initial placement, I have undergone four additional surgeries at Riley. I was also diagnosed with stage 3 chronic kidney disease, and I see a nephrologist at Riley to monitor my kidney functions,” he says. “Riley gives so many kids like me a second shot at life, and that is why I am a member of this year’s Southern Indiana Dance Marathon executive board.”

USI students can get involved by registering to attend the 12-hour event. Registration is $25 and includes event entry and snacks/meals for the day.

SIDM is currently seeking sponsors for custom T-shirts that participants and volunteers will wear during the Dance Marathon. This sponsorship will not go directly to Riley Hospital but will support the student organization raising funds for Riley. Businesses and individuals unable to sponsor the shirts but interested in supporting Southern Indiana Dance Marathon at any level may do so by directing their funds to the University of Southern Indiana Foundation (please make notation of SIDM).

Each year, local Riley families attend the Dance Marathon to share their Riley experience with the USI students. Contact one of the SIDM Co-Presidents at mtrobinson@eagles.usi.edu or kdradican@eagles.usi.edu if you know a Riley family who would like to be involved.

INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced today that effective immediately he is deploying the Indiana National Guard to support the ongoing border security mission in Texas. Gov. Holcomb joined 13 other governors at the U.S. – Mexico border in Texas earlier this week to receive a detailed briefing from the front lines.

“Federal negligence enforcing immigration law and the failure to secure our country’s border jeopardizes national and economic security, affecting every state, including Indiana,” Gov. Holcomb said.  “We’ve worked too hard in Indiana attacking the drug epidemic for more Hoosier lives to be put at risk by a constant supply of killer drugs spilled over an open U.S. border. The only way to resolve this is to stop the historically high flow of illegal immigrants crossing the border.”

Following the recent direct request from Governor Greg Abbott, Gov. Holcomb is sending 50 Hoosier Guardsmen to the southern border to support the Texas National Guard on their security mission. These soldiers will begin mobilizing for the mission immediately and will arrive in Texas in mid-March. The soldiers being deployed will spend one week at Camp Atterbury for training on the operations of the mission and will then deploy to Texas for ten months.

“Whatever the mission – whether it’s supporting a Hoosier community in the face of natural disaster, standing with our allies or against our adversaries overseas, or protecting the border – the soldiers and airmen of the Indiana National Guard are uniquely trained, equipped and capable of mobilizing whenever and wherever we’re called,” said Major General Dale Lyles, the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard. “We stand ready to support the Texas National Guard in securing the southern border.”

The Indiana National Guard has a long history of supporting the mission to secure the southern border. From October of 2020 to October 2023, 300 Indiana Guardsmen and women have served various federal missions at the southern border.

The Indiana National Guard is comprised of thousands of soldiers and airmen, Army National Guard armories and units across the state, training facilities at Camp Atterbury and Muscatatuck Urban Training Center and Air National Guard wings in Fort Wayne and Terre Haute.