Officials with First City Sunrise provided a quarterly update to the Vincennes City Council during Monday night’s meeting.
Caroline Steinman said the organization has been open about 16 months and has helped 338 people during that time. Those individuals have moved on to jobs, permanent housing, rehabilitation programs, or other next steps.
Steinman reported that 3,390 beds were filled in 2025, counting each night a person stayed at the shelter.
Currently, the shelter has 11 clients. Of those, eight are working, one is disabled and unable to work, and two are new clients who are being assisted as they look for employment.
The shelter has also occasionally helped people from outside Knox County. Those cases typically involve referrals from places such as the hospital or Green Door when someone would otherwise be left without shelter. Those individuals are generally allowed to stay briefly before being assisted in returning to their home communities.
Case Manager, Troy Pickel discussed how the shelter works with individuals who struggle to follow the program’s rules.
“We try to bring mental health and substance use and all the services that Family Health Center provides,” he said. “We try to provide those services and give them the tools and say, ‘Here’s the tools. If you don’t want to use them, you’re obviously not ready to be in our house.’”
The organization has recently received several forms of financial support, including grants and recurring donations. A community development grant is helping support case management services, and First United Methodist Church provides a grant every six months to help cover utility costs.
Shelter leaders said local donors have also committed to monthly contributions to help support the operation.
