The Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus is pleased to announce that collocated partner Jacob’s Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation Center has joined on-site operations as of October 7, 2024. With services well underway, staff and clients have been seamlessly adjusting to their new environment and expanded programing, which includes larger therapy spaces, the introduction of aquatic services, and integrated opportunities with fellow partners. This move onto campus will undoubtedly benefit both the Jacob’s Ladder community and greater Northwest Indiana as well. “Moving Jacob’s Ladder to a community setting allows our children, staff, and families to benefit from a wide variety of partnerships and services unavailable in our current stand alone building,” explained Mariann Frigo, Executive Director at Jacob’s Ladder. “Additionally, our YMCA Healthy Living Campus partners and larger community can now benefit from our services, professional trainings, and events when located together.”

To date the most transformative services offered to Jacob’s Ladder children since the move have been the introduction of aquatic therapy services and the opportunities for their Academy students to interact daily with preschool students from the YMCA during gym time and swim lessons, with additional joint programming set to start in the near future. In just over a month, Frigo and staff have been delighted in the milestones reached by their clients. “We had our first aqua therapy child in the pool who quickly advanced from mom only able to give sponge baths to him due to water intolerance to full immersion playing and splashing by the end of just several aqua therapy sessions,” exclaimed Frigo.

While Jacob’s Ladder primarily focuses on services for their youth clients, they are ecstatic that the organization’s inclusion on campus will now offer caregivers more easily accessible moments of respite as well. “Our parents, like most, are running on fumes month after month. Not only parenting, but providing daily medical care, advocating daily, scheduling ongoing appointments, and driving their child to therapies, medical checkups and equipment fittings,” explained Frigo. “Having the YMCA Healthy Living Campus partners in the same building is going to be lifechanging for our parents who can schedule a massage, join a swim or art class, or sit in the sauna. The campus affords them a chance to

have a two- or three-hour break by allowing their child to move from therapy sessions into Y care while parents have the pure luxury of taking care of themselves for a few hours.”

At its core, the YMCA Healthy Living Campus aims to be an all-inclusive community hub focused on the overall well-being of all, making this partnership truly meaningful. “Including Jacob’s Ladder on the Healthy Living Campus represents a significant step forward in our mission to create a more holistic and inclusive environment for the families of Northwest Indiana. Their presence will not only enhance the range of services we provide but also ensure that individuals of all abilities have access to the resources they need to thrive,” said Dave Kasarda, Duneland Family YMCA CEO. “This collaboration strengthens our commitment to supporting healthy living and provides an invaluable resource to the community, making our campus a hub for lifelong well-being and empowerment.”

To learn more about Jacob Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation Center’s services and their upcoming events, including a holiday inspired ‘Family Fun Day,’ visit www.jacobskids.org. Additional information about the Duneland Family YMCA Healthy Living Campus collocated partnerships and progress of construction, can be found at www.dunelandymca.org .