Diability Non-Profits Announce Merger in 2017

Diability-Non-Profits-Announce-Merger Michiana Resources (MRI) and Parents and Friends (PAF) are joining forces to create a larger and stronger organization to be more responsive to the needs of individuals with disabilities, their families and the community. More than a year ago, MRI and PAF entered into a strategic alliance to integrate back-office functions and evaluate further opportunities to improve and expand services. And today, the organizations announced they have set June 30, 2017 to formally merge into one.

The services provided by the two organizations complement each other well. MRI’s primary emphasis has been providing facility-based habilitation and vocational services to over 200 individuals, while PAF has focused on residential supports for nearly 100 clients—the vast majority of whom already attend MRI’s day services. This merger will allow the newly-formed organization (the name is yet to be set) to increase the range of services available, as well as enhance the experience for individuals through multi-disciplinary supports.

Bill Trowbridge, who has been serving as President and CEO of both MRI and PAF since the beginning of their strategic alliance, said that this merger is about managing scarce resources to fulfill mission. “Reimbursement rates have always been insufficient to cover the real costs of providing services, and we are one of the very few developmental disability organizations in the State that does not receive funding from its County,” said Trowbridge. “We’ve survived by adhering to sound fiscal principles and business acumen. But to meet the growing needs of our community, we need to be more innovative, relentlessly pursue collaborations, and aggressively grow to scale.”

MRI and PAF support persons with developmental, intellectual and other disabilities to ensure their clients have equal opportunities to live, learn, work in the community. Jointly, they have a team of over 220 employees providing nearly 1 million hours of service every year.