March 28, 2024

Progress Industries: helping those in need

Prior to Progress Industries founding in 1979, there were no services available to assist children who were disabled.

Back in the 1950s, Lee Zmolek did not know where to take his son, Stuart, after he was diagnosed as disabled with Autism. Zmolek and his wife were even turned away by schools because Stuart was disabled. Zmolek often remembers when people would laugh at Stuart for being disabled.

"The young people today are so understanding and compassionate with handicapped people. They were much better than we were years ago as a society. It is such a different world," Zmolek said.
 It was indeed such a different time back in the 1950s; people with disabilities were often institutionalized and kept away from society. However, there is now organizations like Progress Industries that provide housing for Stuart and offer weekend visits with family.

Concerned parents, much like Zmolek, established Progress Industries 36 years ago. Now the organization serves all disabilities — physical, mental, intellectual and behavioral.

The new CEO of Progress Industries, Jim Merulla, understands the importance of the organization well.

“My son Sam is 24 and has Down syndrome. That is another reason why Progress Industries is near and dear to me and I have been on the board here for five years,” Merulla said.

Progress Industries’ mission is to teach and support people with disabilities to live more independent lives, a task.

Merulla says is not only from 8 to 5, but whenever their assistance is needed. Merulla hopes all of his employees think of the people served when their heads hit the pillow much like he does. Progress Industries’ communications director, Melissa Butler, could not agree more with her CEO.

“To live a self-determined life that is our whole goal here at Progress Industries and our services here. We operate on a set of values. Every decision and every move should be based on the values of integrity, passion for people, excellence and teamwork,” Butler said.

Merulla explained in the state of Iowa there are about 167,000 people ages 18 to 64 that have some kind of disability, and there are 20.3 percent of Iowans with disabilities that live in poverty compared to 8.6 percent of Iowans without disabilities.

Additionally, adults with disabilities in Iowa have a medium earning of about $19,000 compared to about $29,000 for those without disabilities. Progress Industries can address these issues, but Merulla knows if the organization was not funded properly, people with disabilities would have nowhere to go. Newton High School Special Education teacher, Tina Stammeyer, is also thrilled to have Progress Industries’ services available.

“Progress Industries offers an avenue for our students to go to upon graduation. They offer services for our students to put into practice the academic and work related skills they have learned in high school. Progress Industries gives options for many students who may not have otherwise had other opportunities to be employed, earn money, or be contributing members of society.  Progress Industries also offers the students and clients opportunities for social activities and connecting with friends,” Stammeyer said.

Progress Industries is one of the larger employers in Newton and Jasper County with approximately 275 employees throughout Jasper, Polk and Story County. The organization provides residential services, day habilitation and employment training and placement for people with disabilities in these areas also.

For residential services, Progress Industries offers 24-hour Home and Community Based Services. The organization has provided this support to more than 70 people in 11 homes throughout Newton, and nearly 20 people in seven homes in Polk County. It also offers a Supported Community Living Service that assists children and adults in receiving support and training on an hourly basis in their own home. This support may include training in self-advocacy and daily living needs like community access, socialization and transportation.

The Intermediate Care Facility for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities is a program in which Progress Industries assists individuals who need more supporting needs to live and work in a more unified environment. The Day Habilitation Program offers training and activities during the day for people with disabilities of all levels and ages. This program provides people with disabilities the ability to develop, maintain and increase skill development in major life functioning areas.

In relation to employment training and placement, Progress Industries offers its job prep and supported employment services. This program provides work training services for individuals to develop work habits and skills to achieve community employment. Progress Industries is top rated in its delivery of employment services from the classroom to the employer.

In 2014, the organization expanded its supported employment services to include Story County, where about 60 people who are currently employed or are seeking employment, work with Progress Industries’ employment consultants.Additionally, Progress Industries helped 23 people find jobs with 15 different employers.

“Progress is big on choices. We want our people to make good choices but we want them to have choices. They need to be able to run their lives. We are there to serve them,” Merulla said. “Every day they are getting better. They are a little more involved in the community and the skill levels are there. Ultimately, they are more in charge of their life as we want them in charge of their life.”

Although Progress Industries has had much success, it is still looking to improve as an organization. For instance, April 11 will be the 8th annual Where the Rubber Meets the Road —an 8K run at the Iowa Speedway with proceeds benefitting Progress Industries. The organization has achieved about half of its $1.2 million mark, and has no plans to stop until its goal is reached.

The event will also benefit the organization’s “Doors of Progress” housing campaign; a fundraising project that provides homes to people who face various disabling conditions. Currently, Progress Industries is focusing on Polk County to replicate an environment similar to Newton’s. Overall, the campaign is funded to add additional sites, but to also sustain and maintain all of the organization’s homes no matter where the services are provided. Butler provided a question that every employee at Progress Industries ask themselves when assisting people who are disabled:

“Is the end result good enough for me? If it’s not good enough for me, then it isn’t good enough for them,” Butler said.

Progress Industries is also excited to welcome Merulla as a CEO — one with the experiences of being a parent and a community advocate. Merulla also understands the impact of Progress Industries and what services the organization provides. It has been a sudden transition for the company, but they welcomed Merulla with open arms — something that he plans to give right back by taking care of all those included in Progress Industries.

“Newton is very important to Progress Industries and we hope that Progress Industries is very important to Newton,” Merulla said. “This big of a facility in Newton is a huge credit to Newton supporting Progress Industries as long as it has. We couldn’t have asked for a better community to be located in.”

Contact Scott Thenhaus at 641-792-3121 or newsroom@newtondailynews.com