50th Anniversary Timeline
1970-Middle Way House Founded
Middle Way House (MWH) is founded as a grassroots organization that answered and operated a 24/7 crisis hotline and walk-in center.
1971-501(c)3 Status & Move to New House
Became a 501(c)3 nonprofit and operated as a community Crisis Center focused on whatever was needed at the time in the Bloomington community. We also moved to a more permanent house at 717 E 2nd Street.
1974-Director & Staff
Sarah Cochran became a director with a small paid staff and volunteers. They ran the crisis line and 24/7 walk-in clinic along with a drug rescue and venereal disease clinic.
1975-Focus Redirected to General Crisis
We shifted the focus of the agency from basic community needs to a more general Crisis Clinic. At this point, we had 3 paid staff on board with about 60 volunteers.
1977- Two New Executive Directors
David Foster becomes Executive Director and helps to continue the 24/7 Crisis Line, walk-in clinic, drug rescue and venereal disease clinic once a week. A new Executive Director is named and leaves.
1978- Almost Bankrupt
Karen Blicher takes the reins as Executive Director. An anonymous $5,000 donation in conjunction with Title 20 grants allowed MWH to keep from becoming bankrupt and able to keep serving the community. We then relocated to 518 E 2nd Street.
1980- Mission Refocused
In a board that could have ended MWH, the Board of Directors decided that they would refocus the organization's to help women and children who were experiencing domestic violence.
1984- Support Groups
MWH began offering support groups for any women who lived in Monroe County.
1987- Children's Programming
This was the year that our first children's programming took place at MWH. It started with "a box of books and toys under a staircase." This program was the start of many wonderful programs that still exist within MWH today.
Toby Strout became Exectutive Director with 3 other full-time staff, 4 part-time staff, and around 30 weekly volunteers.
1988- Rape Center, Legal Advocacy & Campaign
MWH collaborated with the City of Bloomington to create a new Rape Crisis center in the city. MWH began offering free legal advocacy & other legal services. We also began a capital campaign to purchase a new site for our services.
1989- New Location & Resource
MWH moved from its leased headquarters on 2nd Street to its new home which we purchased outright via the capital campaign and a bequest from a private individual. .
MWH also opened a community resource center to offer titles and information on abuse and recovery.
1990- Domestic Violence Task Force
A group of professionals and community members comes together to form the Domestic Violence Task Force - aimed at providing good and consistent information to our community.
1992- On-Scene Advocacy Begins
On-Scene Advocacy (OSA) program began. This program allowed volunteers to work with survivors in crisis. .
Greene County began offering support groups. We also suspended the time limit that people could stay at our Emergency Center
1993-1994- Expanding Services
We established offices in Lawrence, Owen, Martin and Greene Counties. These offices provided services to those who could not get to Bloomington, providing crisis intervention and legal advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
1995-1997- Community Endeavors
MWH started a Family Support Center for women who needed money management help, had credit issues, legal or tenancy issues, or concerns about childcare arising from difficulties of being a survivor. .
Charlotte Zietlow helped MWH establish a for-profit subsidiary that was solely operated by survivors called the Confidential Document Destruction. This allowed survivors to make a living wage in a safe environment.
We initiated the creation of the Housing Network and became a Community Housing Development Organization
1997-1998- The RISE!
MWH built the RISE! with 28 units of low-income apartments for survivors and their children.
MWH launched our licensed daycare for children of families who live in our transitional housing or emergency shelter.
2000- New Millennium , YES, and Expansion
Youth Empowered Services (YES) program started for children 3-18 who are or who have lived in our shelter or transitional housing. .
Opened an Office in Martin County.
2002- Foodworks
MWH created Foodworks. This business venture allowed survivors living at MWH a job cooking and serving meals to Headstart, Area 10 Agency on Aging, childcare agencies, and catered events.
2005-2009- New Wings & Grants
Acquired Coke building for site of New Wings a new complex for MWH businesses and administrative offices. .
Given $221, 765 in grants from the City of Bloomington to renovate the Coke building.
2010- New Wings Opens
New Wings Opens and houses our Crisis Intervention services, Legal & Personal Advocacy, Emergency Shelter, Daycare, Community Outreach and Education programs, and six 1-bedroom permanent housing apartments for survivors.
MWH becomes a founding member of the Monroe County Sexual Assault Response Team.
2011- Danger
MWH came close to closing due to a building lien placed by a construction company. But, thanks to an anonymous donor, who pledged $50k if we raised $100k, the $150k lien was paid.
2012- Knitting To Heal & Community Partnerships
Began "Knitting To Heal" with 40 different fabric artist participants, and the first tree sweater made by Mary Ann Gingles in front of her store, Yarns Unlimited.
Grant-funded partnership with Monroe County for Parenting Time Opportunities for Children Program (PTOC) that screened children and their families for DV and developed on-scene advocacy.
2013- Historic Achievements & Prevention
Our Prevention Program won Indiana's Prevention of the Year Award for the Building Healthy Relationship Curriculum.
New Wings began offering shelter to male survivors.
MWH received Chairman's Achievement in Historic Preservation award from the Advisory Council on Historical Preservation in Washington DC for the re-purposing and preservation of the Coke building. .
2014- Awards
MWH's Nature Exploration Classroom opened with a grant from the MaryKary Foundation.
The Indiana First Lady's Charitable Foundation awarded money to the After School Program.
2015- Foodworks Closes
MWH closes the Foodworks program.
2016- New Director & Wrapped in Love
Toby Strout retires and Debra Morrow becomes the new Executive Director. We kicked off our "Mortgage Payoff Campaign" with Jesse Eisenberg.
"Knitting to Heal" becomes "Wrapped in Love".
2017- No More Mortgage & Toby Strout Passes
We finally paid off the mortgage!! All the donations are now directly allocated towards Middle Way House's initiatives, survivors and the upkeep of buildings and programs.
Former Executive Director Toby Strout Passes away.
2018- National Accreditation & Expansion
Rise & Shine Childcare Program is awarded national accreditation (Level 4) from the National Association for Family Childcare.
We expanded our prevention programming to educate elementary-aged students.
2020- Covid-19
Our work does not stop due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We began offering online support groups, an online Help & Crisis chat, and follow all safety protocols for residents seeking shelter during the pandemic.
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