The core message of the Isaiah 1:17 Biblical verse is to be actively seeking righteousness and advocating for the vulnerable. That is how the birth of the Isaiah 117 Houses began. The first of the Isaiah 117 Houses began in Carter County, Tennessee in June of 2018. Ronda Paulson and her husband were taking classes in order to be able to foster children in their home and discovered that there was a child that had slept on the floor of the Department of Children’s Services office that night. Regulations for the Department of Children’s Services state that once a child is placed with a caseworker he or she stays with that caseworker until a home placement is found. The Lord began to work on Ronda’s heart that night. What if there was a home that this child and caseworker could go to while waiting for placement? Ronda rallied her community, and soon the first Isaiah 117 House was built! Shayne Cripe became aware of this project through her sister, who was involved in Boone County, Indiana. She did research online, presented to three other couples, and now has expanded into hundreds of supporters in Elkhart County. You might wonder if we really have a need for an Isaiah House in Elkhart County. You might also wonder if we have that many children in foster care to necessitate an in-between home for them and their caretakers. The answer, unfortunately, is yes. As of October 2025, Elkhart County has 354 active cases of abuse and neglect. Of these 354 cases, 262 of them are in foster care. Of the 92 counties in Indiana, Elkhart is ranked 8th highest in DCS cases. In Indiana, there are 7 open Isaiah 117 Houses and 2 in the process of opening. As of November, there are 38 open houses nationwide and 26 houses in various stages across 13 states. The purpose of the Isaiah 117 House is a three-fold mission. The first aim is to reduce trauma for children on removal day. This is accomplished by providing a safe and comfortable home for the children to stay, along with the caseworker, until a foster family is found. The second is to lighten the load for caseworkers by providing not only a place for the children to be comfortable, but a place for the caseworkers to work right in the Isaiah House while the children are being cared for by volunteers. The third is to ease the transition for foster families by providing necessities for the children so the family doesn’t have the burden to purchase needed things immediately. When a child is brought to an Isaiah 117 House, they walk through the red door, which symbolizes a safe, welcoming place of rest and comfort. The home is a traditional home consisting of a girl’s bedroom and a boy’s bedroom, an outdoor play area and a giving room of supplies because sometimes children have only the clothes on their backs. The giving room includes clothes, shoes, coats, toys, school supplies, diapers, and various items that foster families may need. Volunteers are in the home to shower the children with love. Meanwhile, the caseworker has a secluded area in which they can work to secure placement for the child or children. There will be two different opportunities for volunteering when the house is completed. One set of volunteers will do yard work, cleaning, working in the giving room (supplies for the kids and foster families), and shopping for the giving room and for groceries. The children will receive new clothes because many of them have only ever had hand-me-downs during their young lives. The second set of volunteers will work more hands-on with the children. They will all have trauma training, but their main goal is to show these children that they are loved. The Isaiah 117 House has a set timeline for each building. The first six months is set for raising awareness of the project, called “friend-raising”. This period is the gathering of people and supporters to spread the word about the project. This culminates with a Fundraiser Lunch and Dinner on February 19, 2026, at Maple City Chapel at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m.. This begins the fundraising phase, which will be continuous as members will be looking for land to build on or for a home to remodel. After that, the construction phase begins, followed by the move-in phase. Although the six-month awareness phase is nearly over and the fundraising phase is set to begin, Shayne Cripe and Becky Burt are still looking for places to speak and share the story of the Elkhart County Isaiah 117 House. If you have a business, club, church or somewhere you’d like to invite Shayne and Becky to present about Isaiah 117 House, email them at: elkhartin@isaiahhouse117.com If you are interested in learning more or about opportunities for volunteering, everyone is invited to join the Expansion Meetings on the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Ivy Tech Community College, Community Room, 22531 County Rd 18, Goshen. Also, follow them on Facebook and Instagram at Isaiah 117 House Elkhart County.
Wednesday, December 24, 2025
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