Share Your South Bend – Elkhart Region Story
What makes the South Bend – Elkhart Region feel like home to you? We are creating a new Regional Guide that will tell the story of what it is like to live, work, build a career, raise a family, and find community here — through the experiences of the people who call this region home. If you live in Berrien County, Michigan; Cass County, Michigan; Elkhart County, Indiana; Marshall County, Indiana; or St. Joseph County, Indiana, we would love to hear from you. Whether you moved here, returned home, stayed after college, built a business or career, are raising a family, or simply found your place here, please consider sharing your experience. Take 5–10 minutes to share your story below — and feel free to pass this along to someone whose story should be told! Selected stories may be featured in the Regional Guide and related regional marketing materials.
About You
First Name
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Last Name
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Email Address
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example@example.com
City or Town of Residence
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Please Select
Argos, Indiana
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Berrien Springs, Michigan
Bridgman, Michigan
Bristol, Indiana
Bourbon, Indiana
Bremen, Indiana
Buchanan, Michigan
Cassopolis, Michigan
Coloma, Michigan
Culver, Indiana
Dowagiac, Michigan
Edwardsburg, Michigan
Elkhart, Indiana
Galien, Michigan
Goshen, Indiana
Granger, Indiana
La Paz, Indiana
Lakeville, Indiana
Marcellus, Michigan
Middlebury, Indiana
Mishawaka, Indiana
Nappanee, Indiana
New Buffalo, Michigan
New Carlisle, Indiana
Niles, Michigan
North Liberty, Indiana
Osceola, Indiana
Plymouth, Indiana
Roseland, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
St. Joseph, Michigan
Stevensville, Michigan
Three Oaks, Michigan
Vandalia, Michigan
Wakarusa, Indiana
Walkerton, Indiana
Watervliet, Michigan
Other
County of Residence
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Please Select
Berrien County, Michigan
Cass County, Michigan
Elkhart County, Indiana
Marshall County, Indiana
St. Joseph County, Indiana
Other
Organization / Employer
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If not applicable, please enter N/A.
Job Title / Role
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If not applicable, please enter N/A.
Where do you work within the South Bend – Elkhart Region?
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Please Select
Argos, Indiana
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Berrien Springs, Michigan
Bridgman, Michigan
Bristol, Indiana
Bourbon, Indiana
Bremen, Indiana
Buchanan, Michigan
Cassopolis, Michigan
Coloma, Michigan
Culver, Indiana
Dowagiac, Michigan
Edwardsburg, Michigan
Elkhart, Indiana
Galien, Michigan
Goshen, Indiana
Granger, Indiana
La Paz, Indiana
Lakeville, Indiana
Marcellus, Michigan
Middlebury, Indiana
Mishawaka, Indiana
Nappanee, Indiana
New Buffalo, Michigan
New Carlisle, Indiana
Niles, Michigan
North Liberty, Indiana
Osceola, Indiana
Plymouth, Indiana
Roseland, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
St. Joseph, Michigan
Stevensville, Michigan
Three Oaks, Michigan
Vandalia, Michigan
Wakarusa, Indiana
Walkerton, Indiana
Watervliet, Michigan
Other
I work remotely / from home
I work outside of the South Bend – Elkhart Region
Not currently employed
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Your Connection to the Region
Which of the following best describes your experience in the South Bend – Elkhart Region?
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I moved here from somewhere else
I grew up here, moved away, and returned
I am raising a family here
I own a business or am an entrepreneur
I am a working professional
I am a current college or university student
I recently graduated and chose to stay or am considering staying
I found a strong sense of community here through a neighborhood, organization, faith community, civic group, social group, or other connection
I have lived in the region for most or all of my life
Other
How long have you lived in the South Bend – Elkhart Region?
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Less than 1 year
1–3 years
4–10 years
More than 10 years
I grew up here and have always lived here
I grew up here, moved away, and returned
Tell Us Your Story
Tell us a little about your story and what has made the South Bend – Elkhart Region the right place for you.
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We’re especially interested in the specifics — a place, person, opportunity, neighborhood, routine, experience, or moment that captures what life here is like for you.
What has everyday life here been like compared with what you expected?
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Think about your commute, neighborhood, pace of life, work-life balance, affordability, or how you spend your time outside of work. Specific examples are especially helpful.
What brought you back, and what has surprised you most about the region since returning?
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What has changed? Are there new opportunities, places, or experiences that have made you see the region differently today?
What makes this a place where you want to raise your family?
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Think about your neighborhood, schools, affordability, activities, community, or a particular moment when you realized this was the right place for your family.
Tell us about what you’ve built here and why this region has been the right place to do it.
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What support, relationships, resources, customers, or opportunities have helped you? What has surprised you about building a business here?
How has the region shaped your career and your life outside of work?
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Tell us about the professional opportunity that brought or kept you here and anything that has surprised you about the quality of life you’ve been able to build.
What helped you discover the region beyond your college or university campus?
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Was there a job, internship, organization, event, neighborhood, relationship, or other experience that influenced how you think about building a future here?
What helped you find your place and your people here?
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Tell us about a specific neighborhood, organization, faith community, civic group, social group, friendship, or other connection that has made the region feel like home.
What is it about everyday life here that has made you choose to stay?
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Think about the things you might take for granted — your neighborhood, commute, relationships, pace of life, affordability, favorite places, traditions, or the way you spend your time. What makes this region continue to feel like the right place for you?
Is there a particular moment or experience that captures what living here means to you?
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It can be something big or something completely ordinary — a Saturday morning, your commute home, a neighborhood tradition, a conversation, a favorite place, an opportunity you didn’t expect, or anything else that comes to mind.
Permission to Share
I give the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership permission to use and share my submitted responses, photograph, name, job title, organization/employer, and community of residence in the Regional Guide and related digital, social media, marketing, and promotional materials. I understand that my responses may be lightly edited for length, grammar, or clarity while preserving the meaning of my story.
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I agree
Share My Story
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