An open house Thursday at Combined Community Services (CCS) gave the public an opportunity to not just learn about the services the nonprofit organization provides, but also to meet new Executive Director Kiira Churchill.
Though she started as executive director at the beginning of March, she previously was CCS’s director of development before leaving CCS briefly to be Tippecanoe Valley School Corporation’s director of communications, marketing and grants. But her heart belonged to CCS so she sought the executive director position after Randy Polston resigned last year.
“I love CCS. I love the mission of CCS. Being able to be a hand up, not a hand out, because we know that not always providing the fish or providing the loaves is going to help. So, what else can we do to kind of change the poverty trajectory of our community, and really our self-sufficiency program does that beautifully,” Churchill said.

During a tour of Combined Community Services, Ami Pitt (L), Project Independence case manager and Hand-Up case manager, and Sabrina Phillips, director of self-sufficiency, discuss CCS’s self sufficiency programs. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union

Having grown up in this community, as a young teen she thought that she wanted to get out of and not stay in Warsaw. After moving out of Kosciusko County, she realized how beautiful, wonderful and generous the community really is.
“So we stayed in our community and I really just want to give back to the community that gave me so much growing up,” she stated.
Everyone knows the state of the current economy and is feeling the pains of everything from paying their utility bills to grocery shopping.
“Everyone is feeling that, and our guests are no different, but sometimes it’s a little bit more challenging for them to navigate,” Churchill said. “So I think we definitely have seen an increase in the amount of guests we have coming in needing assistance, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
At the lowest point, she said CCS is seeing about 700 households per month. Prior to Covid, they were between 300 to 400 households, which increased to about 600 during the Covid years.
“So we’re even higher than those Covid numbers that we saw. I don’t see that changing anytime soon, especially with some different things we’re seeing in the grocery store,” she stated.
Regardless, CCS is still here and providing services.
“We’re still able to maintain the same level of care that we provided before,” she said. “So those provisions keep coming in and keep being made. We’re able to do that through individual donations. We rely highly on individual donations. We also rely heavily on organization donations, so local businesses donate and those monthly gifts really make an impact because those monthly go directly to be able to provide the help on a regular basis for our participants and guests.”

    Dane’s Family Pantry is one of the services that Combined Community Services offers. CCS sees about 700 households a month. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union
  

CCS’s self-sufficiency program is all case management.
“So when you look at that, it’s not the pretty side of fundraising in terms of the ask because you’re asking for donations to provide case management, but the stories and the life change that is happening is amazing. The stories that you hear of someone going from homelessness to a bachelor’s degree in a few years is amazing. And we’re working with them from sometimes a few months to sometimes five years for them to be able to get that bachelor’s degree,” she explained.
That takes a lot of time, and time is money, so it does take a lot of donations and financial commitment to continue those services, Churchill continued.
Currently, CCS has four full-time and two part-time staff members, down from as much as 11 at one point.
“Which means we definitely have to be creative. We have to look at positions a little bit different and say, ‘How can we bring in the community to help fill gaps?’ And our community has blown us away. We have 30-plus volunteers ... from front desk to serving in the food pantry. We have some that are administratively gifted. We have some that are helping with driver’s ed training for some of our participants, or being a math tutor. It’s been amazing how God really has blessed CCS by providing the right people at the right time,” Churchill said.
Even with the decline in staff members over the last couple years, she said none of CCS’s services have declined despite the need increasing.
“As we dream and look at what this looks like, we have a waiting list for our self-sufficiency programs and we will until financially we’re going to hire a new case manager,” she stated.
Asked about her vision for CCS’s future, Churchill said, “I think the vision of CCS, or the mission of CCS, is still going to remain and still going to remain a hand up, not a hand out, and it’s going to be a place where individuals can come and receive hope and encouragement, whatever circumstance.”
One dream that CCS has is to continue to grow its visiting services.
“Right now, we have nine different agencies from the community that come in at least once a month and provide just face-to-face services,” Churchill explained.
Those agencies include Bowen Health, Live Well Kosciusko and others.
“We have all kinds of different other agencies that come in, sit in the front lobby and meet with our guests and participants. So we really are dreaming what that looks like and how to go back to the name of Combined Community Services - combining all of these services in Kosciusko County,” she said.
Despite hitting its 40 anniversary back in December, CCS surprises people with all the different services that it offers.
“That’s one thing that we want to continue, is for people to know what we do and to provide awareness, but if we’re inviting the community in, come in. Take a tour. Talk to us. Ask questions. See what it’s all about. Come in on a Monday or Tuesday or a Thursday and see how many participants and guests that we’re serving on a regular basis every day. Just come in and observe,” Churchill offered. “We’re always welcoming to anyone that wants to come in and ask questions.”
She also encourages people, organizations and businesses to really become a partner with CCS.
“We really are asking the community to rally around us. Right now, we’re celebrating our 40-year anniversary. We’re in the last week of our campaign of raising $40,000 in 40 days. We’re just over that $20,000 mark, so we’re really asking the community to come alongside and support us on a financial basis. But if they can’t, then look at how they can give. Is it through their talents, or is it through their time?” she said.
There are multiple ways to give to CCS.
Send a check or drop off a donation at 1195 N. Mariners Drive, Warsaw, IN 46580; or visit the website at ccsgives.com. They have ApplePay so it’s even faster.
“We’re just excited to kind of revive CCS in this new era, so to speak. Our staff is energized, our board is energized and we’re really excited to celebrate all that CCS is doing,” Churchill concluded.