This Is the Need: When Support Disappears, Lives Are Put at Risk

Every day, the Marshall-Starke Development Center (MSDC) empowers individuals and families of all abilities to grow, thrive and live with purpose. Through personalized supports, community connections, and opportunities for independence, we help ensure every person has the chance to belong and succeed. Today, that mission is facing one of the greatest challenges in our history.

The Need Is Growing Faster Than Available Resources

  • State & Federal Funding Reductions

  • Housing Shortages

  • Rising Costs of Living

  • Workforce Challenges

  • Increasing Service Demands

Why This Matters to Our Entire Community

When support disappears, communities may have:

• Increased mental health challenges
• Greater housing instability & homelessness
• Higher demand for social services
• Increased hospital & healthcare strain
• Greater law & emergency services involvement

This is not just a disability services issue. This is a community issue.

The reality is Support needs do not disappear when Funding does.

Why This Matters to Our Entire Community

When support disappears, communities may have:

  • Increased mental health challenges

  • Greater housing instability & homelessness

  • Higher demand for social services

  • Increased hospital & healthcare strain

  • Greater law & emergency services involvement.

This is not just a disability services issue. This is a community issue.

Help Us Raise the funds to Protect Critical Services in 2026

MSDC is launching a campaign to raise funds to help bridge critical resource gaps and protect essential services for the individuals and families we serve.

Our goal $250,000

Your gift will help:

  • Preserve daily living & community support services

  • Expand transportation resources

  • Support housing stability efforts

  • Improve access to healthcare coordination

  • Invest in staff recruitment, retention, & training

  • Respond to growing needs caused by state & federal reductions

  • Assist us in creating a reserve fund to support critical services

Every dollar invested helps individuals continue living with dignity, independence, & purpose.

Stand With Our Community

To continue delivering high-quality services, MSDC must recruit, train, and retain dedicated staff while investing in new training models and expanded residential support services.

Today, we are asking you to stand with MSDC and the individuals and families we serve.

Together, we can protect critical services, preserve independence, and ensure that people of all abilities continue to have opportunities to grow and live with purpose.

Received this letter in the mail? Download and share the full campaign letter to help spread awareness about the growing need for disability services across Northern Indiana.

Jessye Gilley

Jessye Gilley serves as Vice President of Mission Advancement at Marshall-Starke Development Center. She leads fundraising, donor engagement, and community partnerships that help sustain and grow MSDC’s mission. Through her writing, Jessye shares timely insights on philanthropy, nonprofit impact, and opportunities for donors to support individuals of all abilities, including recent updates on tax provisions that benefit both donors and the community.

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