Every night, more than 200 people call South Bend's Center for the Homeless (CFH) home, and at least 50 of those are children. Last week, enFocus was given an  opportunity to help make these kids' time at CFH a little bit better. The seven Michiana Venture Fellows helped build a new and improved courtyard, complete with slides and stepping stones. Read more here. 

You may have seen seven impeccably-dressed young men out and about town over the past two months, and be wondering "What's with the Bow Ties?"    

"History tells us that bow ties were originally worn by Croatian mercenaries who tied silk scarves around their necks to keep their collars closed. A few years later, a small group began tying these scarves into bows, and thus, the bow tie was born. A small group and a concerted effort re-envisioned an antiquated piece of a uniform and created a public statement of innovation and renewal. We too believe that a small group and similar effort today, through innovation and collaboration, can create a renewed South Bend." Read more.

Check out our Bow Tie Friday photos! 

enFocus has initiated a series of blogs introducing to share a little bit about the Michiana Venture Fellows, where they are from, and how they got here. This blog features MVF Brendan Daly, and is the first of seven fellows that will be featured.

"While on my Spring break at Research Triangle Park with the rest of the ESTEEM class, I was fascinated to witness how they had transformed a run-down tobacco manufacturing facility into a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. There were start-up companies everywhere and there was a real sense of excitement in the air. The atmosphere was infectious. My mind started to race. I had caught the entrepreneurship bug. I was adamant that I wanted to start something. As enticing and attractive as the salaries and perks of the corporate world were, it wasn't for me. I didn't want to be relegated to a number in a large corporate office. I wanted responsibility. I wanted to make a real tangible difference." -Brendan Daly

Read Brendan's full story here.

September 2012 marked the first time that the City of South Bend hosted an energy week. Put on by the South Bend Municipal Energy Office (SBMEO), the theme for the city's first annual Energy Week was "Making $ense of Energy". This remarkable event gave South Bend residents and businesses the chance to get plugged into energy saving opportunities currently available.  The weeklong exposition culminated in a Community Energy Day when a public tour highlighted various venues in South Bend that are leading the community towards a more energy efficient future.

In a collaborative partnership with the SBMEO, enFocus was heavily involved in energy week. We worked alongside SBMEO to reach out to a diverse group of citizens who could directly benefit from attending the different expos. On the culminating Saturday, the enFocus Fellows held a community presentation to demystifying data centers at Union Station Technology Center -the region's largest data center and the second largest carrier hotel in the State of Indiana. Read more. 

Check out the Energy Week Facebook Page and the  Facebook Photo Albums for some of the events!