One Year at Dismas House

by Executive Director Andee Huxhold, MPP

Today marks one year since I began serving as Executive Director of Dismas House of Indiana. Over the past year, we’ve made big changes—updating our mission and logo, renovating our home, and even closing on The Dismas Hub. Those milestones matter, but the real highlight of this journey has been the people who make up our community.

It’s Kristine’s laughter, Noah’s diligence, CeCe’s positivity, Jose’s calming presence, Korey’s quiet leadership, Ryan’s heart for service, Jenn’s resilience, and Frank’s problem-solving that makes our house safer and brighter. It’s Miss Shirley faithfully delivering dinner every Tuesday night, Intern Beau sustaining our garden, Alumni Malik and Morgan returning to cook, and Alumni Nichole coming back for programming. It’s my partner and me rolling up our sleeves to renovate the kitchen alongside residents, and celebrating moments like someone earning their driver’s license, reaching another milestone in recovery, or even getting married at the house.

One of the greatest joys this year has been seeing alumni step into staff roles, carrying their lived experience forward into the work. Alongside them, I’m deeply grateful for team members like Amanda and Lori, who were here before me and continue to be such steady support, Sierra, who returned after interning and now leads as our case manager, and Andrea, a former board president now helping chart the path forward with The Dismas Hub. And I can’t overlook our board, whose transformation over this year has been incredible. John, our president, has been generous with presence, advice, and support, while Janielle, our vice president, has brought diligence, policy, and accountability — all while quietly showing up for residents in countless ways. Together, this team of staff and board has been a game-changer.

It’s also being welcomed into important conversations with city leaders about investing in our community, supporting our unhoused neighbors, and saving lives through naloxone boxes and training. I get to be part of so many conversations shaping the future of this beautiful city of South Bend, and I know we are not alone in the work. That is a big part of the community that sustains us.

And it’s bigger than our walls. It’s the students at all our local colleges and universities — from the Philanthropy Lab to Keenan Hall and beyond — advocating for us and securing funding. It’s faith communities, volunteers, and advocates who remind us we don’t do this work alone.

There is such joy in community. It sustains us, and I’m grateful every day to be part of it. Here’s to another year together.