Two Lives Saved

The members voted and selected Coburn Place as the 2025 Change Maker at our June 17, 2025, 20th Annua Awards Celebration. Our $100,000 grant funds The SHIELD Safety Project. The SHIELD Safety Project targets the ongoing threats a survivor of domestic violence faces after fleeing, especially if she becomes homeless. Even after moving into Coburn’s secure, rent-free housing, her safety may remain fragile. SHIELD provides fast support addressing the urgent safety concerns a survivor faces: 

• Stalking prevention
• Home and vehicle security
• Individual needs
• Emergency relocation
• Legal advocacy,
• Defense training.

This project will save lives and increase the safety of 70+ families, while strengthening Coburn Place’s existing services. Lasting safety is a SHIELD that makes healing possible—physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Email Update from Coburn Place

Julie Henson, VP of Develoment at Coburn Place, sent us an update to share the story of two women and how, just two months after receiving the grant to fund it, the SHIELD Safety Project has saved their lives. Here’s her email:

I can’t tell you how excited I am to send this email. I know we have an “official” reporting schedule, but I just couldn’t wait to share these two stories with you. When I heard them, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude. Your support is already saving lives. Families in unimaginable danger are safe today.

Meet Lilly.

At a housing match meeting, one of our advocates quickly realized Lily’s situation was dire. She scored a 13 out of 14 on a lethality assessment—the highest score we’ve seen all year, meaning she was at extreme risk of being killed by her abuser.

Lilyrefused to leave until she knew it was for good. She understood that if she left and then was forced to return, the violence would escalate. The very next day, her abuser became suspicious, calling her repeatedly, making threats, and demanding she come home immediately.

Lily didn’t yet have housing through Coburn Place. She didn’t have a car. And her 6-year-old child was across town at school.

But this is where you came in. Because of Impact 100, Lily was able to Uber to her child’s school, pick them up safely, and get them both to a hotel—where they arrived with only the clothes on their backs. Thanks to your grant, they’ve had a safe place to stay for the past three weeks while we secure permanent housing.

And then there’s Vanessa.

Vanessa was pregnant and homeless before moving into Coburn Place community housing, where she gave birth. But 90 days later, her abuser found her and brutally attacked her—all while she was home alone with her baby. She was rushed to the hospital, and tragically her daughter was removed from her care until she could relocate to a safer environment.

Once again, your support was there. You were there. Your funding allowed us to move Vanessa into a much safer location with enhanced security—cameras, door jams, flood lights—and keep her safe in a temporary location in the meantime. You paid for all of it. She’s now days away from being reunited with her baby girl.

This is the kind of immediate, life-saving difference your investment makes. 

On behalf of Lily, Vanessa, and so many others, we are profoundly grateful.

About Impact 100

Impact 100 Greater Indianapolis has granted over $3.3 million to Central Indiana nonprofits. These grants are funded by our members through their membership donations and others community members who donate to our Leaders of the Future Scholarship Members and directly to our Grant Pool.

You can learn more about the nonprofits and their programs we have funded since our first grant was awarded on 2006 at our Follow the Impact page.

You can learn more about us on our Mission page. It includes links to more information.