The Community Change Center helps
justice-involved individuals re-enter society
A Northwest Indiana grassroots organization is rewriting narratives and restoring hope for those reentering society after incarceration.
The Community Change Center: WeAreOne Inc., founded in 2019, is the brainchild of Samantha Burgett, a licensed clinical social worker. The organization caters to ex-offenders in Lake, La Porte and Porter counties through services like pre-release preparation, reentry support and community-based programs.
Finding her calling
Burgett’s path to founding the Community Change Center was far from linear. Armed with a master’s degree in social work from Valparaiso University, she began her career working with teens at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana. It wasn’t long before her social work instincts were ignited by teens returning from juvenile detention centers, exhibiting troubling behaviors and emotional challenges.
After those formative experiences, Burgett assumed her current role as a police social worker at the Porter County sheriff’s office.
“I never intended to land in the field of corrections, but all of my jobs kind of previously sort of led to this direction,” Burgett said.
Her lightbulb moment, however, came while she was still in school at Valparaiso University. Burgett and a classmate launched a mentoring program in a local juvenile detention center. The experience left an indelible mark on her and inspired an unwavering commitment to create a better system. To that end, the Community Change Center began addressing critical gaps in the system necessary to address the housing, employment and emotional needs of inmates.
The center serves a diverse population, each with unique needs. The majority are men between 30 and 65 who have experienced vastly different periods of incarceration — from short stints in jail to decades behind bars.
My absolute favorite thing about the work is getting to see people at their lowest and then eventually seeing them doing so well and being able to help support other people who are where they were.”
According to Burgett, the scope and scale of interactions are determined by when and how participants connect with the center. For some, the work begins before they’ve left the prison walls through pre-release reentry programs. For others, it’s through transitional housing, employment assistance, or direct case management services post-release.
Burgett considers Unity Café a hallmark achievement. Through this program, the center hosts weekly support groups followed by free communal dinners. This program alone serves an average of 80 people a week, providing not just a meal, but a space to connect with peers and access on-the-spot case management resources.
Another significant milestone is their transitional living program, which provides stable housing for clients who would otherwise face homelessness.
“We have a transitional living home that’s a small-scale operation,” Burgett said. “It’s been open for about two years now, and the second one will open here in the next month or two.”
All of these programs help ex-offenders find a community of support and gain confidence as they navigate next steps.
Greg Schneider is among those individuals influenced positively by Burgett and her bold ideas. He first met her at the reentry book club when she was just starting the center.
“She has this spark that you’re drawn to,” he said. “It’s unbelievable that she was able to do all of this while working full time. She has put a great deal of time into (the cause).”
Building support network
The center’s work goes beyond direct support. The organization understands the importance of creating a community that fosters meaningful and lasting change. One of their newest initiatives, The Neighborhood, pairs young justice-involved individuals ages 18 to 23 with mentors who share lived experiences.
“My absolute favorite thing about the work is getting to see people at their lowest and then eventually seeing them doing so well and being able to help support other people who are where they were,” Burgett said. “And that’s always the goal for all of our clients — to get them stable and thriving to the point where they can then support the next person who’s having a hard time.”
Running an organization of this scale is no small feat. Naturally, funding remains one of the greatest challenges. Built on small grants, individual donor support and community partnerships, the center has remained resilient despite a modest budget. More recently, a grant from the Porter County Health Department allowed the center to hire its first paid employee, a reentry program coordinator. Magan Judy provides walk-in support for justice-involved clients, helping more individuals access critical services.
Judy knew Burgett before coming on board at the center and respects her tenacity and can-do spirit.
“(Sam) always figures out a way to get something done, whether it’s using connections, resources, whatever she has at her disposal. “That’s something I’ve always admired about her from the beginning.” •
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