PLYMOUTH — The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, a state agency, has at this time failed to release promised grant money to all domestic violence shelters across the state, according to reports.
The money was awarded in June and shelters were supposed to be able to submit claims beginning in July.   
The Heminger House Shelter for Women and Children in Plymouth, the state’s newest shelter for victims of domestic violence, is operating on donations only at this point, awaiting $40,000 in reimbursement from the state.

Director Annette Wojcik is frustrated with the delay.  “We have been calling around, to other shelters, and have learned that no one is getting their money.”
“We cannot continue to operate, even into January, because we are out of money. We will not close, but I am definitely worried about how we are going to pay every day expenses, like food. As of January, we will not have the money to meet payroll, to pay for insurance and pay taxes,” she said.
“It’s likely that the five employees will be asked to donate their time or wait until the money arrives,” she said. “We cannot close —  even temporarily — because victims are relying on us to provide them with shelter.”
Nine people currently reside at the home.
“We don’t know what the delay is, but it’s statewide so it’s something within the state operations. They just won’t release the money,” she said.
The Heminger House needs a minimum of $8,000 per month to meet all expenses.
The director of Haven House, a victim’s shelter in Hammond, has had to borrow money from a reserve fund to continue operating.  Executive Director Lisa Wein said a penalty is assessed for getting that money, but she had no other option than to access that money.
Heminger House has no such option. Because the shelter has been open just 15 months, it has no reserves.
“We are hoping that when people realize our dilemma, maybe they will help us financially until our money gets here,” Wojcik said.
At the Beaman Home in Warsaw, Director Tracie Hodson said she has been offered an explanation for the delay. “The Family and Social Services Administration used to administer the money but, over the summer, that responsibility was transferred to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. There was a delay with transferring records.”
Executive director of the YWCA Linda Baechle said she was given the same explanation.
She learned recently that one chemical dependency program in the state has been waiting for its grant money for 11 months.
“They received a request for the final report and still hadn’t received the grant money,” she said.
“Things like this make it difficult for families to get the services they need. We have a 20 percent increase in children’s programming, due to the increase in the number of families we serve. This waiting for months and months and months, it makes it really difficult,” Baechle said.
If the community would like to help, donations to Heminger House may be mailed to: P.O. Box 4, Plymouth, IN  46563.