Every month, CCHA Law shines a spotlight on organizations that go above and beyond to enhance our communities and the individuals who call them home. As part of our mission, CCHA Law seeks ways to support these organizations, and we’re excited to share their inspiring stories with you. Earlier this month, we celebrated a new association with Burrus & Sease and an expanded footprint in the Zionsville area. We thought it would be fitting to highlight a non-profit organization that CCHA supports that is currently expanding and being built to help the Zionsville community: Isaiah 117 House.

Isaiah 117 House offers foster children a place to go after they are removed from their homes and before they are placed with a family. Their mission is to provide physical and emotional support in a safe and loving home for children awaiting placement in a more permanent home. Isaiah 117 House has a presence in nine states and nine counties here in Indiana. The Boone County Isaiah 117 House is currently under construction with plans to open in late August or early September.

Their “Why”

In 2014, Isaiah 117 House Founder Ronda Paulson and her husband, Corey, set out on a journey to become foster parents. Through the process, they learned that after children are removed from their homes, they go through the Department of Childhood Services (DCS) and wait there for placement. Seeing the sterile office environment and then going through the experience of picking up their foster son at the back door of the DCS office without any belongings, she imagined creating a home for children to go to during this time with friendly volunteers, clean clothes, and toys to ease the transition.

Rhonda brought her dream to life in 2017 when she started Isaiah 117 House, inspired by the bible verse Isaiah 1:17 - defend the cause of the fatherless. Today, they have expanded to multiple locations with the mission to:

• reduce trauma for children awaiting placement,

• lighten the load for child welfare services,

• and ease the transition for foster families.

Boone County Isaiah 117 House in progress.

About Isaiah 117 House’s Services

An essential part of Isaiah’s 117 House’s mission is reducing trauma for the children who are removed from their homes. Removal day can be one of the hardest days a child will experience. When children enter an Isaiah 117 House, they are welcomed by a caregiving volunteer and a Program Coordinator who will provide love and meet their needs - baths, meals, new clothes and shoes, hygiene products, hugs, support, and a listening ear. Children may stay for a few hours or a few days, but regardless of time, the experience aims to change how their foster experience begins.

Isaiah 117 House’s mission is also to lighten the load of the child welfare system and those pouring themselves into this work. They believe their purpose is to create a space for these individuals to take a breath as they focus on finding the best placement for the children. Caseworkers can use the space to make sensitive phone calls apart from the children, grab a snack or coffee, and utilize the home’s office equipment, chargers, and other necessities.

The third part of their mission is to ease the transition for foster families and make their “yes” less of a burden. It can be hard to say “yes” when a call for placement comes in the middle of the night and families are not immediately prepared to provide everything a foster child needs.

Isaiah 117 House eases that transition by providing items a family may need to support the foster child, such as a bed, car seat, formula, diapers, or dinner that night. They are transitioning a child who may have had a meal, been provided clean clothes, and has what they need to go to school the following day. Families can then focus on welcoming a child and helping them settle into a new home rather than rushing around to gather items during a critical time of reducing trauma and not making children feel like a burden to the family.

How To Support Boone County’s Isaiah 117 House

There are a variety of ways to support Isaiah 117 House.

Give

Isaiah 117 House accepts tax-deductible one-time, monthly, or legacy gifts. Visit their website to see gifting options.

Donate Items

Due to space limitations at each house, they accept specific donations and ask that each item be new, not used. Find the Boone County Isaiah 117 House's current needs through their Amazon Wishlist and below:

• Gift cards

• Adult-size male and female pajamas & clothes (only new)

• Teen-size male and female pajamas & clothes (only new)

• Jeans in all sizes (only new)

• Socks of all sizes (only new)

• Monetary gifts

Volunteer

Volunteers make Isaiah 117 House possible. If you are interested in volunteering at the Boone County location, please visit the website here to apply.

Community Partnerships

Isaiah 117 House has several open homes that need monthly financial partners for sustainability, gift cards to use for visitors, new clothes and toys, and volunteers to provide a caring environment for children that visit the home. They need financial partners to help establish homes in more counties as well as donations of time, labor, materials, and land. If you or your company are interested in making an impact, learn more here.

Golf Tournament

Sign up to play as an individual or group of 4 in the 2023 Boone County Golf Tournament. The tournament will be held on September 28th at the Golf Club of Indiana at 11:30. Visit here to learn more and to register.