Jena-Rae Maldonado wears many hats when it comes to work and service. She is a specialist at The Caring Place, a Porter Township School Corporation safety specialist for prevention and awareness, an elected official of the Portage Township Board, and a pastor at Jubilee Worship. She is also a caretaker for a 90-year-old man named Phil Spears. Her roles barely scratch the surface of the love she has for the community of Portage. Guiding her decisions are previous lows she experienced as a recovering alcoholic and addict.
“She understands that, as women, we need to be at the table,” said Lieutenant Governor of Indiana Suzanne Crouch. “I see her supporting other women because she knows that, if we bring other women to the table, we can impact policy in a positive manner. The ability to be an elected official and to serve in leadership roles in these organizations helps to not only set an example for other women and young girls but also to bring them along the journey. I really respect her ability to lift tough women up as she is moving forward in leadership.”
Maldonado has deep roots in Porter County, spanning four generations of residents. Her childhood in Valparaiso equipped her with the education needed to succeed. She attended Central Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, and Valparaiso High School. Taking pride in her community has always been a strong part of Maldonado, but even the brightest journeys can have some dark paths along the way.
“I am a recovering addict,” said Maldonado. “When I got through the process of my own recovery, I wanted to turn around and help the next. My husband and I started a ministry called Celebrate Recovery. We have been doing that for four years. It is a kind of A to Z that focuses on everything including childhood dysfunction and suicide.”
Amidst her recovery, Maldonado wanted to expand the scope of her mission. To do so, she and her husband chose to take to local politics to help alleviate suffering in their community. Her involvement in political campaigns, particularly with Lieutenant Governor Crouch, underscores her influence and dedication to community issues.
“I want to take a moment and express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the outstanding work demonstrated by Maldonado,” said Lieutenant Governor Crouch. “Her dedication to our causes is astronomical. She worked diligently within the community by being an elected official and a lead facilitator for Celebrate Recovery, which she continues to run with a grateful heart. She works hand-in-hand with The Caring Place, a domestic violence shelter for women. She is involved with several recovery groups in the Region and spends time volunteering for food distribution and soup kitchens.”
Maldonado’s contributions as a County Coordinator for the Portage Township Board enable her to be actively involved in attending events and reporting issues to help bring awareness for mental health and wellness. Her passion for mental health and addiction and her openness to sharing personal struggles have brought significant awareness and support to the community, including the securing of $460,000 in opioid settlement funds.
“At that time, I was new to being a community leader,” said Maldonado. “I was invited to a meeting and went in blind, but I was following the Lord. From this meeting on, I was able to advocate for two different recovery groups and helped start a recovery cafe. This led to a catalyst of advocacy. I helped get our county to match the state on behalf of the recovery cafe, and we were able to get about $315,000 all because somebody put my name out there and I was able to advocate at such an amazing level.”
Through community outreach, she continues to engage in initiatives like food giveaways and Narcan distribution. Maldonado’s advocacy extends to supporting women in leadership and uses her unique talent as a clown to connect and heal people through humor. Inspired by her family’s unique history of clowning and making portraits of clowns, Maldonado adopted the gratifying persona of Stella the Clown.
“Clowns get a bad stigma that they are scary,” said Maldonado. “My church was putting on Vacation Bible School when we all wondered how to make an impact with these kids. The Lord woke me up at 3 a.m. and Stella the Clown was born. I have done many community events as Stella. Kids love her, and I can really get on the kids’ levels.”
Maldonado, in reflection of her experiences, is also passionate about involving more local politicians to incite positive change. Her hope is that more vocal advocacy and awareness will aid in necessary policies to provide hope for the future.
“I have a heart for people,” said Maldonado. “I love how our mayor is so involved. "I want to see people grow. I want to see people who have hurts, habits, and hang-ups change their life around, let the color of their skin brighten, and see the twinkle in their eyes change. That is what I do from Portage, and that is what I want to do.”
In Maldonado’s free time, she loves hanging out with her friends and family. She exudes tremendous pride in her five sons, one of whom recently left for the Marines. She also has two daughters, three new grandsons, and a granddaughter. Her granddaughter has also followed family tradition by becoming Rainbow the Clown. In the near future, Maldonado is excited to embrace a project originally started by her grandmother in 1989 called Bridgeway House, which provides emergency, transitional housing for the unhoused. She also spends a lot of time within her ministry, assisting with Hope’s Haven at local clubs in the area to bring devotionals and Bibles to bouncers and waitresses to promote positivity and Honk for Jesus.
“When you are an addict, you are going through things,” said Maldonado. “Situations and poverty wear people down, but when people come and give them a great support system, they have people pouring love into them. It is not even about financially helping them, it is helping them spiritually get well. People always look for someone who is kind. Remember to love each other. Times are hard and we never know what the next person is going through.”