Community Centers

Community centers are more than just buildings — they are anchors of connection, creativity, and support within neighborhoods. They provide a safe and welcoming space where people of all ages can gather, learn, and grow together. From after-school programs and literacy support to art exhibitions and cultural events, community centers foster belonging while addressing the unique needs of the neighborhoods they serve.

At South Bend Heritage, we believe that strong communities are built on access, inclusion, and opportunity. That’s why we invest in spaces like the Charles Martin Youth & Community Center, a hub for youth programs and neighborhood gatherings, and the Colfax Campus Gallery, where art and culture are accessible to all. These centers not only enrich daily life but also help preserve history, celebrate identity, and strengthen the bonds that hold communities together. 

Charles Martin Youth Center

Charles Martin Youth Center (CMYC) is dedicated to youth and community advocate, Mr. Charles Martin. Mr. Martin was Director of Urban Youth Services at South Bend’s YMCA starting in 1970. He recognized the connection between education and a better life and strived to reach out to children and teach them the importance of academic schooling. In 1994, the CMYC facility was made possible through the charitable contributions of businesses, organizations and community members that partnered with South Bend Heritage.

Mr. Martin taught at Washington and Clay High Schools before embarking on his true “ministry”, preparing inner city youth for a productive life. Charles Martin passed away on June 2, 1994, but his legacy lives on in the lives he touched.

Today, the Charles Martin Youth/Community Center serves as a critical hub for Community Building & Engagement organizations and important supportive services programming. With great access and ample parking, the center is also a highly sought out location for community meetings, special services and events. Through new and longstanding community partnerships with South Bend Heritage Foundation, the center continues to be a place for everyone.   

The main level of the center houses the Indiana Minority Health Coalition Doula Program/Hoosier Health Wise, Ark Angels Day Care and the City’s Department of Community Investment Economic Empowerment Team. The second level is home to the South Bend Heritage Foundation Youth Literacy Program, providing critical after school activities. The lower level includes Muhammad Enterprises, Mama’s Against Violence and Ark Angels Transformation.

The CMYC hosts a variety youth-focused businesses and social service agencies that include:

  1. Ark Angles Day Care

  2. August F. Hawkins Youth Literacy Center

  3. Mama’s Against Violence

  4. Well-Being TLC

  5. Take Heart, Inc.

  6. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 

SBH’s Augustus F. Hawkins Literacy Program helps over 25 students on an annual basis by providing after-school literacy activities for students struggling with reading at grade level. The Literacy Program provides individualized homework help with reading related subjects, including vocabulary and spelling, and utilizes reading software and work modules that bolster in-class reading activities.

August F. Hawkins Youth Literacy Center

South Bend Heritage Foundation began development of the Colfax Cultural Center in 1983. Today, we own and manage the 23,000 sq.ft. historic building as a creative collaboration space. Development of the center grew out of our desire to save the historic building and expand the availability of art and wellness opportunities across South Bend. South Bend Heritage has designed intentional spaces at the center for cultivating art, music and wellness that provide affordable access for everyone. Our Art and Wellness Program fosters relationships with artists, wellness practitioners and community agencies that provide unique community building and engagement opportunities throughout year.  

The Center hosts a variety art-related businesses and social service agencies that include:

  • The SBH Colfax Campus Gallery

  • Southhold Dance Theater

  • Neil Gilbert, Counseling & Healing

  • Renew, Inc. Housing

  • The South Bend Chapter of the NAACP

  • Kurma / Awareness Based Healing

  • The Hearth Art Studio- Dan Slattery

  • Massage by Suzanne Thomas

  • Well-Being TLC, Inc.

  • The Restorative Justice Hub

Built in 1898 as a public grade school, the building is named after Schuyler Colfax and is the oldest remaining Victorian school house in South Bend. Schuyler Colfax was born in South Bend after his father died in 1823. At the age of 32, Colfax was elected to the U.S House of Representatives, becoming Speaker of the House and Vice President of the United States under Ulysses S. Grant in 1869. Colfax was known for his opposition to slavery while serving in Congress, and was a founder of the Republican Party. During his first term as speaker he led the effort to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished slavery. When it came before the House for a final vote in January 1865, he emphasized his support by casting a vote in favor—by convention the speaker votes only to break a tie. He died in 1885 and is buried in the historic South Bend City Cemetery.

COLFAX CULTURAL CENTER

Historic Firehouse 7

Once a working fire station, Historic Firehouse 7 has been reimagined as the Northeast Neighborhood Council (NENC) Community Center—a space that continues to serve and protect the community in new ways. Today, the center is home to vital resources such as a community food pantry, ensuring families have access to essentials close to home.

Looking ahead, the site will also be connected to the development of a new park at Quigley Park, expanding opportunities for recreation, gathering, and neighborhood pride. By blending history with community needs, Firehouse 7 remains a landmark of resilience and a cornerstone of neighborhood life.