Project Dignity

03/13/2026

Please take a look at the latest blog post on our Project Dignity website.

Once refugees begin forming genuine friendships here, those relationships tend to last. They do not replace the homes people left behind. Nothing can do that. But they begin to approximate something many people thought they had lost when they came here: a community where they are known and where the

12/23/2025

Merry Christmas, friends!

As the year ends, I’m grateful for the work of Project Dignity and for the refugee families who are building new lives here in northern Indiana.
https://www.projectdignityindiana.org

If you’d like to stay connected, you can sign up for occasional updates here:
https://forms.gle/8AXj4bhD93mChVYD6

If you’re considering end-of-year giving, I invite you to support Project Dignity’s mission. Your support makes real, practical progress possible.
Donate here: https://www.projectdignityindiana.org/

Creating a community where every immigrant feels welcomed and is empowered to flourish.

12/02/2025

We’re in it for the long haul!

Guest Post by Bridget Donohue of Project Dignity When Bud arrived in South Bend from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he carried the weight of years of upheaval and the ache of being separated from his family. Like many newly arrived refugees, his first months were spent in what can only be

09/20/2025

“Every one of us is undoubtedly responsible to all men for all men and for everything.”
—Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

06/20/2025

Hello friends of Project Dignity! Please take a look at our latest blog post on our website. Although I am posting this on
world refugee day, every day is made for honoring those who resettling in America. I am deeply grateful for all of my friends who I have come to know through Project Dignity.

Our first question is not “How do we fit this need into an existing structure?” but “What does this person actually need right now?” It might be housing. It might be a car. It might be help navigating a driver’s test or setting up a bank account. The needs are concrete and particular — a...

05/31/2025

Here’s Angie in her new car!

05/31/2025

Dear Friends of Dignity,

There’s something exhilarating about driving. I’ve always loved getting behind the wheel and heading out into the countryside—windows down, good music playing, horizons wide open. That freedom is something many of us take for granted. But for many refugees, it’s a hard-won milestone.

This week, we handed over the keys to a donated Toyota Camry to Angie, a single woman originally from Venezuela. For months, she got rides to work from friends or Ubered to her job at Saint Mary’s College, where she works in housekeeping. The cost added up quickly. With her new car, Angie will finally be able to get to work without breaking the bank—and maybe even find a better job.

When I joked with her that a house was next, she didn’t miss a beat: “Oh yes,” she said. “I want to get my papa here so he can live with me and I can take care of him.” I had no idea. The lives of refugees are complex, and their dreams go way down deep. Angie’s new-to-her car is the first step in creating a vibrant new life in the U.S. I’ll keep you posted on her progress. She gave me permission to share the attached photo—she looks so happy!

Meanwhile, Alma got her driver’s license today! I knew she would nail it—she’s had plenty of practice. Just this week, we drove out to Goshen so she could make medical appointments for herself and her husband Marco. On June 4, they’ll celebrate their first anniversary in the U.S., and they are now eligible to apply for their green cards. The medical exams are the first step in that process. The drive was gorgeous, and Alma couldn’t help but comment on the “fresh country air” courtesy of all the cows.

Like so many others, Alma is ready to get behind the wheel—not just to drive, but to contribute. The first thing she said after passing her test today was that now she can help other refugees learn to drive. Her dream is to go to school—perhaps to become a nurse. Now that she has her license, she’s a little bit closer to that reality.

We’re deeply grateful to the generous individual who donated the Camry. Sometimes, one simple act of kindness sets an entire future in motion.

“Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car.”
—E.B. White

If you’re inspired by these stories and want to help, we’re always looking for volunteers—and if you’d like to support our work financially, you can donate through our website. https://www.projectdignityindiana.org/

Thanks for being on this journey with us.

04/22/2025

Yet another reason to admire how Envel Facade does business. Alma brought home $21:00 bucks from their Easter Egg hunt, and Marco took in $5.00. Plus a lot of candy. There's dignity in having a bit of fun on the job. Poke around their Facebook and LinkedIn pages to see the beautiful work they& #3...

03/22/2025

My most recent blog post is a recommendation of Rethinking Charity: Restoring Dignity to Poverty Relief by Ismael Hernandez. The title alone captures the heart of his message. He doesn’t question the dignity or agency of the poor—he assumes it. What needs restoring is the dignity of the systems meant to serve them.

In my own work with refugees, I’ve often felt the tension Hernandez describes: the desire to help without diminishing. This book gave me language for that tension—and a framework for approaching charity in a way that respects freedom, fosters relationships, and makes room for true empowerment.

At Project Dignity, we’re committed to walking this out—through refugee-led initiatives, deep friendships, and practical support that never forgets the person. Hernandez’s insights are helping shape that path. I hope this reflection invites deeper thinking about how we give, how we serve, and how we preserve dignity in the process.

Please take a look and see what you think.

Hernandez’s thinking has challenged me significantly as I shape Project Dignity. Should we simply help refugees find jobs, or invest in helping them build meaningful careers? Should we donate cars outright, or facilitate opportunities for refugees to purchase them independently? Transactional aid ...

03/08/2025

Hello Friends!

One of my all-time favorite theologians, Frederick Buechner, often writes about seeing in the dark—how grace and meaning often reveal themselves in places we don’t expect. I tend to think of insight coming in moments of clarity, but sometimes - probably most of the time - it’s in seasons of uncertainty or quiet that something real begins to take shape.

This idea has been on my mind lately. While the refugee resettlement pause might seem like a time of waiting, I’ve been surprised by how much is actually happening underground. The pause hasn’t slowed Project Dignity—it has given us room to grow in ways I couldn’t have planned.

It reminds me of when my brother, Patrick Donohue, wrote Breakout Valuation: How to Finance Your Future Today during the quiet of COVID—a book that upon its publication, was recognized as the #1 new release in Venture Capital on Amazon. Pat took the opportunity, when we were all secluded, to see in the dark. But more than that, Patrick was one of the first people who helped me think through Project Dignity. His business acumen gave me the confidence to take this work seriously, to ask the hard questions about sustainability, and to move forward with a vision that could last.

That same spirit of building something meaningful, even in uncertain times, is at work now.

Recently, I was connected with Leon and Char from Goshen, Indiana, who also house refugees in their own home. We swapped stories about the joys and difficulties of restoring dignity to those who have been disenfranchised. Leon and Char are part of a greater, nationwide network of folks who are all doing similar work. Last night I joined their monthly meeting over zoom, where I met people from Atlanta, Boston and Pennsylvania who are doing similar work—helping asylum seekers and refugees find housing in creative and grassroots ways. Some are opening their own homes, others are buying properties to rent affordably, all of them are building real, personal connections. I came away inspired by the sheer resourcefulness and generosity of people working from the ground up.

Closer to home, I’m happy to share that the refugee advisory board I mentioned in my last update is now in place. These five individuals bring invaluable insight that will help ensure we stay focused on what actually helps, rather than what simply looks helpful from the outside. In time, I look forward to introducing them and sharing more about their contributions.

And finally, I’m excited to introduce Kathy Shreiner, our new volunteer coordinator! Kathy brings a deep sense of service and will play a key role in training and organizing volunteers. She has a wealth of experience and wisdom, and we’re so grateful to have her on board. You can learn more about her in our latest blog post here: https://www.projectdignityindiana.org/blog/v1s4wu4du0iadtqq86yozu74h7ycq3

None of this was on a to-do list. None of it was part of a five-step plan. And yet, here we are, seeing in the dark and discovering what’s possible.

Thank you for joining us in this journey. If you’d like to get involved, whether by volunteering or supporting our work financially, we’d love to hear from you.

https://www.projectdignityindiana.org

Creating a community where every immigrant feels welcomed and is empowered to flourish.

01/29/2025

Dear Friends of Dignity,

In the past few days, I’ve received several calls and emails from people expressing concern about the recent executive order that places a 90-day pause on the national Refugee Resettlement Program. I want to reaffirm what has always been at the heart of our work at Project Dignity: the fundamental dignity of every human being. While this policy change does place temporary restrictions on refugee resettlement, our commitment remains steadfast. We continue to support refugees who have come to our community through both Catholic Charities and United Religious Community, walking alongside them as they build their lives here.

Dan Florin, president of Catholic Charities, has written a statement (see the link below) outlining their stance on these recent events. Within his statement, you’ll find a link to an overview of the executive orders related to immigration. I encourage you to read it and stay informed.

This moment calls for clarity, patience, and steadfast commitment. For Project Dignity, it deepens our resolve to strengthen and expand our work in meaningful ways. We are actively developing new initiatives to serve more effectively, building on the relationships and trust that have always guided us. You can look forward to hearing more about these initiatives soon.

We are grateful to be in this work together, and we draw strength from the generosity and compassion of this community. Thank you for being part of it.

A statement from Dan Florin, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend concerning the new Executive Orders affecting refugees and immigrants.