Paladin hosts Ribbon Cutting & Open House for new Success Hub in Michigan City

Local leaders, construction companies, and community members alike gathered in Michigan City on December 5 to celebrate Paladin’s new Success Hub within its 24,000-square-foot facility at the official Ribbon Cutting & Open House. Made possible by the $1.5 million of federal funding, financial support from La Porte County Council and Congressman Frank Mrvan, and a generous contribution from Tonn and Blank Construction, LLC, as part of the company’s community investment initiatives, Paladin now has the capacity to serve an additional 100 people in the new Success Hub.

“When I became a member of Congress, what I promised myself was that I would run through walls and scream from every mountaintop and every valley for funding not only for infrastructure but for those who are unseen and unheard. To see the fruition of this coming together and to see the attendance today is meaningful. As we go forward, let us remember this moment,” Mrvan said. “We have to be able to touch and understand what it means for the community to say that we care for those who are the most vulnerable. It strengthens us as human beings, and it strengthens us as members of Northwest Indiana.”

This new development provides Paladin with more sensory-friendly spaces than ever before to serve people in a variety of ways. These spaces include Children/Teen Launchpad, Harmony Commons, Sensory Oasis, Creative Concept Studio, Conference Rooms, Client Suits, Success Spaces, Digital Den, Success Hubs, and the Surber-Radke Wing.

“We’re moving into a space and time where we need to embrace everybody and embrace our differences. I think that everyone should experience all different types of people at the same time, and I think this is a living, breathing example of that,” said Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch. “It is meaningful to have a beautiful space that focuses on all ages and on their well-being. Paladin has become so comprehensive now. They are teaching them life skills and teaching them how to work.”

Jennifer Heath is the mother of 27-year-old Libby, who has Down syndrome. Her daughter has been involved in Paladin for several years and has enjoyed participating in various clubs. Heath looks forward to witnessing how Paladin is able to better enrich the lives of participants, especially teens, following these facility upgrades.

“I am excited about the expansion that they’ve done here, not only for people who are Libby’s age—adults with disabilities—but also for the children who are a little bit younger. Specifically, I’m hoping for that 13 to 18 age group to see some growth, along with younger children who may not fit in anywhere else, where they can learn and grow. Paladin provides a really good mechanism for those families to have that involvement and support,” Heath said.

After speeches and the official ribbon cutting, the Ribbon Cutting & Open House concluded with a guided facility tour, inviting people to celebrate the new space and continue to support Paladin as it embarks on a new chapter.

“This project is not yet complete,” said Paladin President & CEO Steve Hobby. “We need continued support from all of you. We still need to build our capacity in these programs. There are things that we still need for those rooms, so there’s the ability to do some fundraising or giving for these programs. We can also use some volunteers and partnerships; I am all about partnerships. If there’s a collaboration that we can have, we have the space to do it, and I want to bring us together. What I want more than anything is a stronger community for people with disabilities and for children, beyond anything that we can do within our own capacity.”

To learn more about Paladin and how you can support these new programs and spaces, visit paladin.care.