The mission of the Family Christian Development Center is to see lives transformed and the life of the Wakarusa-Nappanee (Wa-Nee) community enhanced by encouraging the oppressed, defending the cause of the weak, and maintaining the rights of the poor by bringing together the resources of the caring community as a demonstration of the good news of Christ.

Family Christian Development Center (FCDC) is changing the lives of needy families in Southwest Elkhart County. At this center, Executive Director Joan Andrews has worked hard to develop a menu of services to serve those who need assistance with medicines, food, women and family services, safe affordable housing, and marriage and family. Andrews believes that FCDC is critical to the community, and touches everyone. “The word ‘poor’ means much more than simply having financial needs – it means having a lack in any area of one’s life, and that goes far beyond financial need.”

Crisis Management Programs
FCDC provides a food pantry available two afternoons each week to needy families in the southwest corner of Elkhart County, providing items such as meats, vegetables, fruits, breads, dairy products, and ocher goods. The organization does this thanks to its community partners such as Pizza Hut, Martin’s Super Markets, Subway, Feed the Children, and LeSea Global Feed the Hungry who make significant contributions to the food pantry for families. “FCDC works closely with doctors, businesses, schools, and churches to create partnerships for a healthy community,” says Andrews. And God has provided richly for the families served by
FCDC. “I’mconvinced that
God will move mountains to
touch people with needs –
and none of us is exempt from
having needs,” adds Andrews.

In addition to the food pantry,
FCDC provides rent and utility
assistance once a year to families
in need,
provides emergency help for families
whose needs cannot wait, and
provides assistance for those who
cannot afford the long-term medications they require through its Medication Assistance Program. An advocate for the program is available to help families evaluate medication and financial options. They can provide free medications to qualified recipients for a minimal fee – many times asking only $5 per prescription to help with administrative expenses.

Family Foundations Program
FCDC believes strongly in the covenant of marriage as God designed it. Operating from the principles of the Word of God, the organization provides a very unique approach to providing marriage and family mentoring called the Family Foundations Program. The Family Foundations Program has successfully reduced divorce by 79% in its founding city of El Paso, Texas. It has been found that as the divorce rate decreased, so did crime and other social issues. FCDC trains mentor couples for the Family Foundations Program. These trained mentors then meet with couples who are (1) considering marriage, (2) want to get that spark back in their marriage and grow together through their relationship challenges, (3) and/or are considering divorce. The key is that the couples have the opportunity to work with both a man and woman who will help build their communication skills. Those who are considering divorce will watch videos and discuss the potential consequences of a divorce, with a special emphasis on how the divorce will impact the children. The couple at this point has knowledge and non-judgmental tools to help make their decision as to whether they stay together or divorce.

FCDC’s marriage programs are directed to the entire family and the mentors are trained by FCDC to listen and encourage the couples to communicate in order to make better decisions based on the Word of God and real-life consequences. The Nappanee Ministerial Association believes strongly in this program, and has established a Community Marriage Policy to support the marriage covenant. The pastors involved in the ministerial association recognize the role that this mentoring plays in the opportunity to strengthen marriages. They also know that some couples may need to work directly with their pastor and/or a professional counselor. In this way, the mentoring program is a step toward pastoral counseling for many who would never consider such an option. After all, many couples don’t want anyone to know they are having problems. Andrews believes that this marriage mentoring is a critical element for communities. A community is only as healthy as the individuals, marriages and families living in the community.
Family Foundations was first brought to Indiana by Paul Spasik, and located in Plymouth. Nappanee is the first satellite. Paul and Joan have goals to have the Family Foundations Program available in each county in Indiana.

Women’s Services and Baby-Check
FCDC also houses a Women’s Care Center to provide support for young women facing pregnancy, an agency that Andrews strongly believes in. “I asked them what their stance was on abortion, and they clearly said that they would not recommend that outcome. But they will still counsel young women who make that choice. That’s important to me – we all make bad decisions, but Christ’s love is for everyone. We have all made poor choices,” adds Andrews.
B.A.B.E., Beds and Britches, Etc also has a home at FCDC. This is a unique center that offers new and used baby clothing and equipment for young moms who earn points by visiting their physician, attending counseling and/or classes. The donations made to B.A.B.E. must be high quality, and in Nappanee have even included Amish clothing.

Baby-Check offers free wellness checks, shots, and vaccines for newborns through two-year-olds on the second Wednesday of each month. Dr. Lisa Orn and other volunteer medical professionals provide this service free of charge, but appointments are required. Contact FCDC for the next available appointment time.

Affordable Housing Development Programs
FCDC has taken an active role in helping the needy in the community through its Neighbor-2-Neighbor program. Developed in 2001, this program matches charitable donations of funds, materials, and skilled labor in Elkhart County with families that do not qualify for traditional funding sources. This program provides families with the safe homes they desperately need, and could otherwise not afford. Since the program’s inception, the FCDC has raised well over $93,000 worth of materials, donated labor, and monetary contributions to renovate the homes of families in need. One family selected for the Neighbor-2-Neighbor assistance in 2005 is a family with two sons diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Other projects have included handicap ramps, repairing leaky roofs, making homes energy-efficient and safe.
“Our mission is to see lives transformed and the life of the community enhanced by encouraging the oppressed, defending the cause of the weak, and maintaining the rights of the poor by bringing together the resources of the caring community,” says Andrews. “Together with local churches, individuals, businesses, schools and government funding, we are strengthening families and healing our community.” And FCDC doesn’t stop with its Neighbor-2-Neighbor program – it also writes grants for the Elkhart County chapter of Habitat for Humanity. “We’re good at developing, writing and facilitating the housing grants proposals – and Habitat is good at developing houses and finding the qualifying people who desperately need a home. It’s a wonderful partnership,” says Andrews.

FCDC is a CHDO (Community Housing Development Organization) and can build affordable houses for qualifying families. To date, 15 new houses have been renovated and 18 owner-occupied houses have been rehabilitated. FCDC sponsored the addition of 22 affordable apartments for seniors being added to a local historic, elementary school building. Also now located in this building are a senior center, the Nappanee Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development office, the Boys-and-Girls Club, an alternative school, and a dance studio.

Advocating for Wa-Nee Families at the State Level
Andrews also believes that advocating for the families of Wa-Nee goes beyond Elkhart County, and serves on Governor Daniel's advisory board for the newly formed OFBCI (Office of Faith based and Community Initiatives).

Here’s how you can help FCDC:
• Donate items to the Christmas Jubilee 2006 that bless families in the Wa-Nee community. FCDC works in conjunction with the Toys for Tots program and the local Boys and Girls Club to host a special event for needy parents that provides them with a toy of their choice for their child. Wrapping paper and ribbon are provided so that parents can present their child with a special gift for Christmas. Donations for teenagers are especially needed. The FCDC accepts donations throughout the year for this event.
• By donating – through monetary donations or gently used or new baby clothing and necessities – to B.A.B.E. at the FCDC Women’s Care Center. Financial donations are used to purchase diapers and cribs and cover needed administrative costs, which are critical to spreading awareness that B.A.B.E. can help young women. Donations may be dropped off to the FCDC.
• Let FCDC know if you are aware of someone in Elkhart County that could use FCDC’s services. While FCDC works with local churches, schools, professional counselors, social service agencies, local government, and community organizations for referrals, you could help better someone’s life by making that referral.

• Donate items to the food pantry, and contact your local Elkhart County restaurants and food stores to inquire of their interest in donating their unused, high quality baked goods, and other items that can be frozen or are non-perishable to the FCDC. The more customers that ask, the more retailers will listen. One man even donated venison to the FCDC, and the FCDC’s families were very grateful. Call the FCDC if you have questions about what they will accept.

• Volunteer to be an advocate for the medical assistance program, by meeting with needy families at FCDC and coordinating with the appropriate agencies for assistance. Confidentiality and a background check are required out of respect to the families and partner organizations the FCDC works with.

• Consider volunteering for or donating items to the Neighbor-2-Neighbor program, or contact your local Elkhart County retailers to inquire as to their interest in taking part.
• Donate thanksgiving baskets or turkeys for FCDC Thanksgiving Basket program. Turkeys with all the trimmings are distributed the week before Thanksgiving. If you would be willing to volunteer your time for this, or to work in the food pantry, please contact FCDC.
• Pray for the FCDC professional staff and the families it reaches. “I think that’s what we forget – Jesus was drawn to the needs of people,” says Andrews. We all have needs – sow seeds of prayer into the needs of others and you’ll have a harvest to change lives with.

• Consider holding a fundraiser at your Elkhart County church for the FCDC. Or, offer to send personal cards and notes of encouragement to the needy families FCDC serves. Remember that all believers have been given the ministry of reconciliation – and that means reconciling the hurting to the transforming power of Christ’s love. What would it be like if you were a family being served by FCDC? Think about it and use your abundance to bless those in need with words of love and hope.

The Family Christian Development Center is located at 151 S. Locke St. in downtown Nappanee. Joan Andrews, Executive Director, may be reached at (574) 773-2149. The organization has a staff of 5, which includes professionals who develop grants, provide medicine advocacy, operate the food pantry, distribute FEMA funds, and refer to appropriate agencies, churches, and other help services.