Non-Profit Spotlight: Paladin Care

Angela Arlington – Community Engagement Coordinator – Writer and Contributor

About: The mission of Michigan City-based Paladin Care is to serve as advocates for persons with disabilities, nondisabled children, seniors, and their family members. They provide supports and opportunities to learn, grow, and enjoy a meaningful life. They offer day services, residential services, intermediate care facilities, transportation, respite care, community employment, behavioral support, and run Head Start of Laporte County. Currently, Paladin Care is approved to provide services in LaPorte, Lake, Jasper, Newton, Porter, Pulaski, St. Joseph, and Starke counties in Indiana.

History: “Paladin is a 501(c)(3) that traces its roots back to 1967 when a group of local parents gathered in a garage to create Michiana Resources, dedicated to enhancing the lives of their children and others in the community living with disabilities. Nine years later, a pair of local women founded a similar nonprofit, Parents and Friends, which operated a residential living program intended to help those with disabilities live independently while receiving support,” explained Development and Marketing Officer Melissa Bohacek. “Over the next several decades, the agencies began to expand into the service [areas] of their counterpart, with Michiana Resources considering adding residential living and Parents and Friends looking into day services. They did not want to compete with each other, so instead, they merged in 2017 after several years of talks. The new name became Paladin after an internal contest.”

Over the past several years, Paladin has brought several other nonprofits under its umbrella, including Barker Woods Enrichment Center, which supported children with disabilities, in 2018, and the Child Care Consortium, which hosted the LaPorte County Head Start program, in 2019. Starting in 2018, Paladin also partnered with the Arc of Northwest Indiana, another disability support organization expanding its reach into Lake County.

Supporting: “Paladin is in the process of a capital campaign to turn existing warehouse space within our building into classrooms and sensory-friendly spaces to learn, relax, and grow,” Bohacek said. “We are accepting donations and matches to help make this a reality for our community. We also offer a variety of events and invite anyone interested in learning more about Paladin to come by for a visit or volunteer with us.”

Paladin is always interested in learning what new kinds of supports are needed. “We have expanded our behavioral supports and intend to develop a program for older adults living at home with family members,” Bohacek added.

Paladin participants have started raising chickens and ducks. The local 4H has agreed to let adults show the birds at the fair and to allow the chickens to be judged.

Testimonial: “I like coming to Paladin and seeing my friends. We do art projects and work on goals. They helped me to learn math and history. My staff listen to me and make me feel happy.”