Tuesday, June 1, 2021
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Vol. 49 No. 8
Goshen (574) 534-2591
134 S. Main, Goshen, Indiana 46526
Bashor Home evolves to meet challenges of
%\ '$9,' +$=/(',1( 6WDII :ULWHU In June 2021, Bashor Children’s Home President/CEO Don Phillips will retire after 22 years, passing the torch to Goshen native Sean McCrindle, current chief executive officer and employee of more than 25 years. In that time, Bashor has evolved, both in terms of its services and its reputation as a child welfare facility. And the current construction of facilities serving survivors of human trafficking marks yet another expansion of not only Bashor’s services, but of its standing as an important agency for children. Phillips moved to Goshen from New York in 1999, inspired by the challenge of getting Bashor “heading in a better direction.” Under his leadership, Bashor was able to work with both the community at large and other local and state agencies to invest more in the children who needed it the most, who were the most disruptive and had undergone the most trauma. Too often, Phillips noted, it is that very combativeness leading many to give up on such children; nevertheless, he said, “Community support grew with us.” Bashor currently serves more than 250 children and families from Elkhart County and throughout the state each day. When Bashor leadership heard from kids coming into the emergency shelter human sex trafficking was far more common than they had realized, the community, along with United Methodist Church, Department of Child Services and others, rallied to raise millions to deal with the problem directly. “The state asked us to expand the program … and the community responded favorably,” said Phillips. Currently, Bashor has raised $5.3 million of the $7.3 million needed to pay for the buildings, due for completion in August 2021. For Phillips, the selection of McCrindle by the board of directors was a “no-brainer.” During his time at Bashor, McCrindle has held every job responsibility with regard to taking care of at-risk children placed in residential care.
In 2002, he was promoted to program manager and in 2008 to senior program director. In 2010, he rose to vice president of program operations and in 2020 became chief operating officer. Crucially for Phillips, McCrindle is “mission driven and finds innovative ways to say ‘yes we can!’ His commitment to children and their families is always unconditional.” Furthermore, as John Wuori, chairman of the board, noted, McCrindle is a “proven executive, has cultivated outstanding relationships with state agencies and has earned the respect of the staff at Bashor.” These relationships in the community and around the state will be increasingly important as Bashor continues to evolve. In fact, Bashor has been “growing, partnering and collaborating so much and so fast … it’s been an adventure,” McCrindle exclaimed. And he looks forward to when construction is complete and he can focus efforts on developing services, collaborating with other not-for-profits in the community and, he said, “reducing the need for kids in our community to end up in long term residential care,” by working more with schools and families. The primary reason McCrindle cited for staying with Bashor these 26 years is the children themselves, who have repeatedly told him Bashor is different than other institutions. “They said, ‘I could tell people really cared about me and wanted me to do good.’” “At the end of the day they are kids like my kids, who want to have a good life.” For more information, or to donate to Bashor Children’s Home, visit bashor.org.
3$66,1* 7+( 725&+ ³ In Ju left, will retire af ne 2021, Bashor ter 22 years. Ta Children÷s Hom king his place w Sean McCrindl e President/C ill be Goshen na e. The two are pictured with a tive and longtim EO Don Phillips, to survivors of re e Bashor empl ndering of a ne human trafflckin oy w building proj g. Photo provid ect providing se ee ed. rvices
0((7,1* &+,/'5(16· 1(('6 ³ Pictured is an aerial view of Bashor Children÷s Home, including, to the right, a new building project providing services to survivors of human trafflcking. Roughly $5 million has been raised to pay for the project so far, estimated to cost $7.3 million and will be completed in August 2021. Photo provided.
Human trafficking facts 1. Human trafficking is a $32 billion industry worldwide. 2. The average cost to purchase a slave in the United States is $90. 3. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal activity in the U.S. Every 10 minutes someone is trafficked in the U.S. 4. 14,500-17,500 women and children are trafficked in the U.S. each year.
5. Regulations restricting the arrest of children for prostitution in Indiana have contributed to an increased demand for underage sex. 6. A survivor of trafficking will be “in the life” for an average of seven years. 7. A trafficked individual has a 67% greater chance of being murdered. 8. The average age to enter
trafficking is 13. 9. Within 48 hours one in three runaways will be approached by a pimp. 10. 77% of adult prostitutes were trafficked as children. 11. 176 trafficking cases were reported in Indiana in 2017. Information provided by Bashor Children’s Home.