Caring Place CEO Schultz retiring, takes to the stage
Mary Beth Schultz, president and CEO of The Caring Place Inc., has announced she is retiring after 20 years of leading the non-profit organization, which provides service and shelter for victims of violence and their families.
“The Caring Place is in the strongest position it’s ever been, in terms of the shelter, programming and finances,” Schultz said.
“I’m confident that the board and staff are ready for new leadership to take the organization to the next level.”
The Caring Place Inc. Board of Directors has been hard at work in recent months with a special search committee to narrow possible candidates for Schultz’ successor, which could be named as soon as next month.
Under Schultz’s leadership, The Caring Place completed a successful $3 million capital campaign and opened the new 48-bed, ADA-compliant domestic violence shelter, the Center for Change, in 2019 in Valparaiso. Schultz shepherded Women’s Recovery, a partnership between The Caring Place and Porter-Starke Services. She supported the launch of The Amanda Forum, an initiative that empowers teens to engage in healthy dating relationships.
“Everything The Caring Place has accomplished has been because the donors, board, and staff made it happen,” Schultz said.
“Truly none of this would have been done without community’s support.”
Joanne Urschel, chair for The Caring Place Inc. Board of Directors, is heading the search committee for the new president and CEO.
“We are grateful for Mary Beth’s leadership and, most importantly, for her commitment to ending family violence,” Urschel said.
As a non-profit social service organization serving the needs of domestic violence and sexual assault victims, The Caring Place primarily serves victims in Lake, Porter and Starke counties in Northwest Indiana, but can also assist victims across the country.
Established in 1977 by a group of volunteers in Hobart, including Regina Mellon, the agency has grown with Schultz starting her role in June 2000, replacing Sharon Gilbert. Schultz, originally from Hobart, has worked in healthcare since 1972, including her career as a psychiatric nurse in Chicago and Valparaiso, and managing the employee assistance program at PorterStarke Counseling Center in Valparaiso.
On a personal note, I became friends with Mary Beth after my reporter “shadowing” duties allowed me to witness her cooking hobby when she garnered her a spot as one of the 100 finalists in the 42nd annual Pillsbury Bake-Off in 2006 in Orlando, Fla. A mother of two beloved daughters, and now also a grandmother, her famous culinary creation kitchen claim-to-fame is her Chicken Fajita Quiche. The idea came to her while on the mend from a broken leg and the recipe was selected by the preliminary judges and served as her ticket for a chance at the $1 million top prize at the 2006 year’s contest.
As Schultz prepares for the world of retirement, she is stepping away from her cooking hobby to step on stage for a one-night charity event performance, with myself as her script co-star. At 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 2, I’ll join Mary Beth Schultz onstage in the spacious and elegant ballroom at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, in Munster to co-star in the play “Love Letters” from Pulitzer Prize Nominee A.R. Gurney. The $75 ticket includes the performance with private table seatings, social distancing and mouth and nose covering mask requirement, and a champagne reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Tickets are available through the PayPal link online at www.TheCaringPlaceNWI.org or call (219) 464-0840, Ext. 102.
As a surprise celebrity endorsement of the “Love Letters” event, Oscar nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg, who starred as Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg in the film “The Social Network,” and his wife Anna Stout — who live in Bloomington, Indiana — recorded a special video message to promote the Oct. 2 charity performance. It is displayed on The Caring Place Facebook page and website too.