>> Announcer: This week on "Friends & Neighbors."

>> Bill: We're on a mission of hope, and all across the country, people are learning of us and wanting what we have here right here in Northwest Indiana.

And the more that we're able to spread our message and the more we're driven by that motivation of love, the more people we can reach and the more people we can bring hope to.

>> Audrey: We feel like the pantry and what we're doing is really serving the people in need in that time of the most need.

When we started this ministry, we wanted to make sure that we're giving families fresh options and healthy options.

>> Andrea: We chop all the wood on site.

It's visually appealing.

There's just a lot more ambiance added to it.

This one in particular is a 1949 Studebaker.

>> Nick: You're on a beautiful piece of property here.

>> Jeff: The outdoor area is meant to be kind of a destination place as well as the inside, of course.

We're trying to appeal to the families who wanna come and have a good time and relax.

And then later on in the evening when the bands kick off, that's when the bar takes over, and people have a good time drinking and the dancing and all those things.

>> Announcer: Centier Bank is proud to serve hometown community banking across Indiana.

For over 128 years, Indiana's largest private family-owned bank has been not for sale and promises to keep it that way for years to come.

>> Announcer: Sacred Dunes Integrative Health is your comprehensive holistic wellness center, specializing in acupuncture, massage therapy, functional lab testing, nutrition, and herbal medicine.

Sacred Dunes, where wellness grows.

>> Announcer: Local programming is made possible by IBEW Local 697, Northwest Indiana's source for electrical professionals, providing certified, trained, and experienced professionals for residential, commercial, industrial, and solar projects.

>> I have a very strong connection to other students.

Everyone makes an effort to help each other.

I'll remember the feeling of being here, the feeling that I was a part of a family.

>> Announcer: Strack & Van Til is hiring full and part-time positions for deli, floral, bakery, department managers, and more, with flexible work schedules, sign-on bonuses, paid vacation and benefits.

Learn more at strackandvantil.com.

>> Announcer: Methodist Hospitals' mission is to provide compassionate quality healthcare services to all those in need.

Methodist Hospital, celebrating 100 years of healing in Northwest Indiana.

Learn more at methodisthospitals.org.

(gentle upbeat music) >> Announcer: Additional support for Lakeshore Public Media and "Friends & Neighbors" is provided by viewers like you.

Thank you.

(gentle upbeat music) >> Camp Sharing Meadows is a values-based Christian camp for adults with intellectual disabilities.

And so our friends from all across the state of Indiana and even across the country come for a week-long summer camp six weeks during the summer.

And we also have weekend mini camps throughout the year, Friday to Sunday.

And it's all sponsored by the SHARE Foundation, an organization that serves residential and vocational and camp needs for people with intellectual disabilities.

And it all started really with our founder, Father Blaney, in the 1970s.

He was approached after one of his Masses by a family with a son with Down Syndrome.

And they came up to him and said, "Father, what is there for my son with disabilities?"

And he said, "You know what?

You're right, there isn't much."

And so something amazing grew from that, and that was when he started these camps out in Chesterton at Camp Apple Acres, he realized that they had never had the opportunity to be able to spend time with friends and grow in relationship.

And so at the end of each camp after this wonderful opportunity for them, and they were singing, we have a song that we still sing today, "That's What Friends are For," the campers would be weeping, not because they were sad of, you know, being away from mom and dad.

But they were sad that it was over because for one of the first times in their life, you know, they had an opportunity to have friends, to be over at those sleepovers, and have a life of their own.

Being Christ-centered in a Christian camp, we spend a lot of time on value.

So we may talk about in our value session every single day after breakfast, we'll talk about concepts like our dignity given to us by God, that we're all made in God's image, and we all have great value.

We'll talk about things like what does it mean to be responsible.

And so together in that circle when we gather, some beautiful conversations come about.

And then after that, you have a lot of your typical camp activities.

We'll do a craft.

We have a in-ground swimming pool that has a ramp, and we have plastic wheelchairs so that everybody can go swimming.

We have outdoor activities like water fights and wiffle ball games.

And Tuesday nights we have a camp dance where our residents and our campers come together that we have a professional DJ.

And let me tell you, there's no party like a Camp Sharing Meadows dance party, everything of your typical camp that's all centered around building community and growing and friendships and having an awesome vacation on our property.

(gentle upbeat music) >> Meeting new friends, having fun, being silly, you know, trying all the things and even the value sessions.

I'm a conduit to God.

I'm very spiritual.

I love everything about camp.

It's a good holiday to go on, bring out the childhood in us.

And you know, it just brings lots of fun.

God makes everything possible.

That's our theme, and everybody trying their best, and they try new things and no limits to anything.

Everybody gets involved trying different things and new things, challenges.

And you know, I got a lot of challenges in my life 'cause I'm legally blind, and I'm the youngest of the triplets.

And I do a lot of challenges, and I do big steps forward.

You know, that's what they... Like a leap of faith.

And I keep going, and I'm very courageous and brave and strong.

>> It's so rewarding.

It's not something I thought I would ever do.

It's just kinda, the Lord led me to this.

I was just very called of being able to provide opportunities for people that often get overlooked.

So being able to provide them experiences that maybe they've never had or friendships, it's so amazing with that experience to just be able to facilitate that.

I've done that in other ways, but in this way, it's amazing what joy you can bring to 'em even with the littlest of things.

>> Bill: When they come to camp, not only are they being served, our friends that are attending camp, but it's also a service to their families because they know that they're protected, and they're in a safe and loving environment and that we have qualified staff that are taking care of them.

We're on a mission of hope because those families need to hear what we're doing.

And all across the country, people are learning of us and wanting what we have here right here in Northwest Indiana out in their communities all across the country.

And the more that we're able to spread our message and the more we're driven by that motivation of love, the more people we can reach and the more people we can bring hope to.

(gentle upbeat music continues) >> We feel like the pantry and what we're doing is really serving the people in need in that time of the most need.

(joyful music) I'm a nurse by trade, and with my nursing license with our church, about four years ago, I went on a missions trip to Haiti, where we served rural villages.

We just took care of their health needs, gave them physicals and vaccines, things like that.

And at the end of the trip, we were so on fire, and we were so excited with what we were doing overseas, but we talked about what can we do once we get home stateside.

And I don't know where it came from, I think maybe it was just the Holy Spirit that said, "I want you to feed people."

So I came home, and I told my husband that I wanted to start a food pantry.

I wanted to feed people.

And as he always does, he jumped right in, and he said, "Great, let's pray on it, and let's figure out what it looks like."

So in January of 2019, we had about five families signed up.

Those were families that were on free and reduced lunch at our kids' school.

And we were packing bags full of groceries at our dining room table.

And we thought, "This is great.

We're really helping.

We're really doing it."

And then the next year, the Lord provided farmland, and two years after that, He provided more farmland.

And so now we serve 56 families every Friday, and it's almost 220 people.

Some of our families have as many as nine people in them, and some of them are retired couples on a fixed income that are just the two of them.

So this is a 20-acre farm, and since we obtained this farmland, we realized that we're able to produce fresh eggs.

We're able to produce fresh poultry and beef and pork options for our families.

We also have 3,000 linear feet of gardens that we're able to pull from and feed our families that we serve as well with that.

The way that I grew up was extremely poor.

Both of my parents were addicts, and so when we ate food, it was from food pantries or churches, which is a wonderful thing.

But for the most part, we would bring home boxes full of bags with dried beans or dried pastas, canned food, which are all fine, but they're high in sodium, and they're not the healthiest choices.

So when we started this ministry, we wanted to make sure that we're giving families fresh options and healthy options.

The thinking behind the farm is just that we're gonna grow what we can.

Everything that's pulled from the garden goes straight to our families, and that's where the name First Fruits comes from.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Lord talks about giving back what belongs to Him.

And so us giving away those very first crops, the very best of what we grow and produce, just shows God that we understand that we believe His promise to continue providing for us.

So that's why we give away what we do.

When we first started, we were just packing bags of groceries.

So people would come, and everybody got the same thing unless they had a food allergy.

Now that we've turned our giveaway into more of a free grocery store, we're seeing people really open up and start to talk.

It used to be that they would come up to the farm kind of halfway, grab their bag, and leave.

But as they're shopping now, we're able to start conversation with them, which is sort of my heart.

I wanna talk to everyone.

I wanna give 'em a hug.

I wanna know their story.

I wanna pray with them.

I wanna be involved in their life and help them feel seen and loved.

So having the free grocery store setup is a beautiful way for them to just come in and say, "Oh my word, this is my favorite thing," or you know, "Do you have a different type?"

Or "What else can I do with this item?"

So it's just a great way to start conversation.

I love when first-time families come in.

A lot of times they'll come and say, "Am I only allowed to come once?"

You know, "How much can I have?"

"Is it okay for me to take this?"

There are some local food pantries that our families can't shop in except for one time because they're not within city limits, per se.

So I had one mom come in, and she was crying, and she said, "I just got turned away from two food banks, so I'm kind of nervous to come today because I came last week and asked you for food."

And I told her, I said, "Come in.

You're welcome every single week to take what you need."

And just seeing that heavy weight lifted off of her, she just said, "My kids appreciate it so much."

So it's really nice just to see that we're helping even in a small way to make sure that their needs are met, even throughout the weekend.

Growing up, all I wanted was to look like every other kid.

I knew I was dirty.

I knew I was hungry and smelly and different, but when you're young, you can't do anything to change it.

So those types of programs like our back-to-school program, where we make sure each kid has a brand-new backpack and a new pair of shoes and that backpack is full of supplies, so they walk in those doors like every other kid, that, to me, is the most beneficial.

It's just seeing those children.

They're feeling that love, and they're feeling cared for because their needs are being met, even just a few needs.

We're hoping to see people that are in need, that they know that they have a place that they can go and get the things that they need.

But then we're able to rejoice with them when they're back to work or when a single mom graduates college, and she's got a full-time job.

And we're also seeing some people that have been on our list.

They'll come back and either donate when they have plenty, or they'll come back and donate their time, or they simply pray with us or spread the word.

So we're seeing this cycle of, "Hey, I was there, and you helped me.

I'd like you to help my friend, or I'd like to come back and help you guys."

(bright music continues) (light upbeat music) >> Yeah.

We're very non-traditional.

Kind of going outside of the box and sourcing toppings that you wouldn't normally see on pizza is what I enjoy most.

I think you can kind of look at it as a blank palette to where, you know, it doesn't have to be standardized sauce, pepperoni, sausage.

Although we do have a lot of traditional pizzas, it's fun to kind of experiment and offer some more eclectic choices.

Seeing what's local and, you know, like putting fruit on a pizza, I mean, like, well, why not?

Why can't you do it?

But I think people get excited, the ones that really enjoy pizza.

They're like, "Oh, I didn't think this would work, but it's delicious."

And I think that's the nicest thing, too, about our pizza, is that it's light and thin.

The Purple Pig is always, I would say, gonna be the number-one seller.

That was voted number one by "Food Network Magazine" in 2011.

Purple Pig has barbecue sauce, smoked pork shoulder, a little bit of mozzarella and provolone.

And then when it comes out of the oven, we use red cabbage, carrot, and onion, and make a coleslaw with a sweet balsamic reduction.

So the sweet and tangy really balances well on the pork.

We chop all the wood on site, and people are like, "Oh, that can't be.

Like, you must have gas in there."

I'm like, "No, we're really chopping wood."

I think that it's visually appealing.

I think it also kind of separates us into a different category than just a standard food vendor or caterer.

Everything's made to order.

People can customize their pizzas.

It's not just hot and ready, and we're putting it on a plate.

You know, I think there's just a lot more ambiance added to it.

This one in particular is a 1949 Studebaker.

It was a farm truck that we restored.

The cab itself has been left untouched, but then we retrofitted the wood-fired oven kitchen outlet on top of it.

This one still has the original engine in it, actually.

It's like a straight six, which is both exciting and scary to drive.

So, top speed's 40.

You know, when you purchase a vintage vehicle like this that hasn't been driven for a long time, you really don't know what you're getting yourself into.

So it's kind of like opening just like this surprise box, and like, oh, the wiring was backwards.

So, updating, modernizing certain things like the wheels and rims.

Some of them are still the original pieces on here.

We were able to source all local companies to do, you know, the boxes, the truck bed.

The oven was shipped from France, and we actually built that ourselves.

I think if you had to know what you were getting yourself into prior, you probably would never do it, you know?

So when you're in the moment, you're like, "Okay, what's next?"

Fun, though, you know?

(light upbeat music continues) (upbeat country music) >> Hi, I'm Chef Nick.

Thanks for joining us here in Saint John.

We're visiting with Northwoods Falls.

Hey, let's eat.

While their menu is filled with classic American pub fare, focus on freshness and comfort, Chef Jake is comfortable taking creative license with new takes on familiar favorites.

(Nicks speaks faintly) Your favorites.

But Jake is comfortable taking creative license with new takes on familiar favorites.

(Nick speaks faintly) >> Beautiful, just like that.

>> Nick: And you should see Chef Jake's vision.

Chef Jake's vision in the kitchen really shines, really shines in the dishes they offer.

Chef Jake's vision in the kitchen really shines into dishes familiar... >> I find a lot of my inspiration going off of things that I loved as a child.

It's summertime.

Everyone's grilling out.

And it was Memorial Day, so I was getting to thinking about America, you know?

So I grabbed some root beer from our tap.

I reduced it down.

I added a couple things to make the vanilla and the other flavors pop.

(gentle music) (lighthearted music) >> Now for the all-American burger.

(gentle country music) Oh.

This is good.

I don't even wanna talk anymore.

I want to keep eating it.

It has a lot of flavor to it.

It's a double-stacked burger.

It's a smash burger.

Lot of great homemade seasoning that Chef put on it.

And probably the best part about this all, you can tell they use a number-one quality burger.

Got some nice apple-wood bacon on here, a great brioche bun.

He buttered the bun.

He also puts an A&W root beer sauce on here.

The sauce is like a banana foster sauce, something you can use on ice cream, but you can also dip your french fries in there too.

And the fries are batter fried, crispy, tasty, seasoned just right.

I don't think I wanna say anything else.

I think I just wanna keep eating.

(country music crescendos) Zach and the bar crew worked with Executive Chef Jake to keep their drink offerings as fresh and unique as their food menu, including their own beer brewed with coffee and a cocktail with a personal tie to the restaurant.

>> Today we're gonna make a drink called Me Irish Mum.

>> Me Irish Mum?

(folksy fiddle music) >> Named after Dana, our owner's mother.

>> Okay.

>> Wait, wait, did Dana's mother make this drink?

>> I don't know.

I don't think so.

I think we're just in homage.

>> Oh, okay.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> Sounds good, okay.

>> We got Jameson, some Midori, which is just a melon liqueur.

>> Okay.

>> It's got a nice little melon flavor.

>> What's Jameson's flavor like?

>> Like an Irish, like Irish flavored.

>> Okay.

>> Yeah, Irish whiskey.

>> Irish whiskey, okay.

>> And then lemonade, which is lemon flavored.

>> I know what lemonade is.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> That's good.

Okay, let's put it together.

>> All right, cool.

So I'll pour it for you.

We're gonna do a full two ounces of this.

We'll throw that in there.

>> Okay.

>> Then we're gonna flip that jigger around.

We're gonna top it off with little Midori in there.

Do a shot of that.

>> Ah, Midori flavors.

>> All right, that smell nice?

>> Oh, that does smell very good.

Smells just like a watermelon like you said.

>> Yeah, right?

Top it with a little lemonade.

>> Okay.

>> It'll be next, same, equal parts of that with the Midori.

>> Nick: So we're gonna shake this up?

>> Zach: You're gonna shake it up.

>> Ready, I'll shake it.

>> I'll back up.

>> Right.

Like that?

>> Put your hips- >> Here, you do it.

You're the professional.

>> I like to hold it, and hands are like that, you know?

>> Okay, just like that?

Oh, this is nice and frosty.

>> Isn't that nice?

Take that guy and then just hold that like that.

There you go, right.

Little orange slice here.

Give it a little twist in your hand, right?

>> Nick: Okay, just drop it?

>> Drop it in there.

That's your garnish.

See how that tastes.

>> Okay, here we go.

Is it five o'clock somewhere?

>> Yeah.

>> Okay, good.

Oh, that is very good.

>> Zach: Is it good?

>> Yeah, that is very good.

I like that.

>> Good, right on.

That's the Me Irish Mum.

>> The Irish Mum.

We're here with owner Jeff Conti of the Northwoods Falls.

And Jeff, describe what the theme is here, the ambience.

>> Well, it's a bit of an unusual place in a sense that we have a full-service dining room, a large dining room, and we also have the bar, and music plays typically from eight to midnight.

It's got the atmosphere, and we knew it had the atmosphere going in.

So the goal was to obviously get the food, the drinks, and the service up to that same level.

And those are the three elements of this establishment.

>> Nick: You're on a beautiful piece of property here.

>> Jeff: The outdoor area is meant to be kind of a destination place and as well as the inside, of course.

We're trying to appeal to the families who wanna come and have a good time, relax.

And then later on in the evening when the bands kick off, still an all age's deck, that's when the bar takes over, and people have a good time drinking and the dancing and all those things.

>> Nick: What's been some of the reaction from your patrons?

>> That's probably the most enjoyable part about this.

The older people who used to come here remember it fondly.

Their kids, who maybe weren't old enough to go to the bar but remember the dinners, they're all coming now.

We hear it dozens of times every day, how grateful people are that we opened it.

>> Announcer: Centier Bank is proud to serve hometown community banking across Indiana.

For over 128 years, Indiana's largest private family-owned bank has been not for sale and promises to keep it that way for years to come.

>> Announcer: Sacred Dunes Integrative Health is your comprehensive holistic wellness center, specializing in acupuncture, massage therapy, functional lab testing, nutrition, and herbal medicine.

Sacred Dunes, where wellness grows.

>> Announcer: Local programming is made possible by IBEW Local 697, Northwest Indiana's source for electrical professionals, providing certified, trained, and experienced professionals for residential, commercial, industrial, and solar projects.

>> Announcer: Strack & Van Til is hiring full and part-time positions for deli, floral, bakery, department managers and more, with flexible work schedules, sign-on bonuses, paid vacation and benefits.

Learn more at strackandvantil.com.

>> Almost every single professor I've had, I'm on a first name basis.

By building that relationship with faculty, I was able to get involved with research.

It's one thing to read about an idea in a book versus physically doing it and seeing the results.

>> Announcer: Methodist Hospitals' mission is to provide compassionate quality healthcare services to all those in need.

Methodist Hospital, celebrating 100 years of healing in Northwest Indiana.

Learn more at methodisthospitals.org.

(gentle upbeat music) >> Announcer: Additional support for Lakeshore Public Media and "Friends & Neighbors" is provided by viewers like you.

Thank you.

>> Announcer: Did you know that you can find all of your favorite Lakeshore PBS shows online?

Visit video.lakeshorepbs.org.

You can stream a large selection of shows, including "Eye On the Arts" and "Studio" and "Friends & Neighbors."

Missed last night's episode?

No problem, Lakeshore PBS has got you covered.

Search for your show and find your episode ready to watch at any time.

Visit video.lakeshorepbs.org to stream your favorite local shows.

>> Announcer: As you travel across Northwest Indiana and into Chicago, take Lakeshore Public Media 89.1 FM along for the ride.

With our newly expanded signal, we're with you from the southern corner of Michigan and into Chicago, and of course, across Northwest Indiana.

From the dunes at Lake Michigan to the windmills of Wolcott, Lakeshore Public Media 89.1 FM is along for the ride wherever you call home.

(light upbeat music) (gentle upbeat music) (bright music)