Yesterday, an announcement was made by the Mayor’s office of LaPorte about the beginning of a strategic partnership with Nest Community Shelter and the Center Township Trustee in La Porte to bring a temporary emergency overnight shelter to the city of La Porte. This temporary shelter is a lifesaving measure for those who are experiencing homelessness in the city of La Porte.

Slated to open at 6 pm on Sunday, January 19, 2025, this project truly is a community partnership in action. At Mayor Tom Dermody’s invitation, Nest and the Center Township Trustee have partnered to bring a cold weather solution to those most at risk in La Porte. When asked about this partnership, Mayor Tom Dermody said,

“Since day one of our administration, we’ve made it clear that we always have one goal in mind: to improve the lives of our residents. The fact that our mission seems to run parallel with Nest’s mission makes us incredibly compatible partners. This project allows us to address an important need in our community together while also propelling us forward in pursuit of our individual objectives. We are proud to work alongside them on this and look forward to seeing the impact this has on our community this winter.”

The shelter will open nightly at 6 pm and follow a standard check-in procedure for all guests that is currently in place in Michigan City’s Nest Shelter. This temporary shelter will remain open through March 31, 2025, to shelter those most in need from the harshest of the winter weather. During the daytime hours, shelter guests will have access to the Center Township Trustee’s office, where they’ll find hot showers, washers, and dryer facilities, and, most importantly, case management services. The shelter is located at: 809 Washington Street, La Porte, IN.

“This partnership most certainly aids us in that effort while addressing a need in our community this winter. We are thrilled to be working with Lisa as well as Harry and his team on such an important project and know that those in need throughout La Porte are in the best of hands during these harsh winter months,” said Center Township Trustee Lisa Pierzakowski.

How to Help:

This partnership will rely heavily on local volunteers to help support the needs of Nest La Porte. We will have an open and urgent call-out for volunteers this coming Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 10 am.  

This Saturday’s Volunteer Training will take place at The Presbyterian Church of La Porte located at 307 Kingsbury Avenue, La Porte. This training is open to the public.

“This is a community effort from the Mayor of La Porte’s office, the Center Township Trustee, and our organization. Now, we need the community to come get involved and help their fellow neighbors.” Harrison Holtkamp, Nest’s Executive Director, said. He went on to say. “This shelter will save lives, and volunteering at Nest La Porte will save lives. Nest La Porte is opening because it is experiencing homelessness in La Porte in the winter can be deadly. No one should freeze to death out on the streets.”

If you’d like to volunteer at Nest in La Porte please join us on Saturday. You can also sign up online here.

If you’d like to help fund Nest La Porte, we welcome donations here.

To stay up to date on Nest La Porte and Nest Community Shelter in Michigan City, please follow our social media on Facebook and Instagram.