40 years of Progress

As important as it is that Progress Industries moved to a more visible and appropriately sized facility near downtown Newton this past year, perhaps the nonprofit organization’s biggest accomplishment is its commitment to serve the community for 40 consecutive years.

Still, the new location along the 200 block of North Third Avenue West is a welcomed addition to the longstanding organization devoted to providing assistance to individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities by giving them opportunities for supported employment, residential services and day habilitation services.

Albeit much smaller than its past home along the 1000 block of East Seventh Street North, the new building is considered a perfect fit and has encouraged more interaction between staff members and individuals receiving services, bringing everyone closer together and strengthening the team.

Melissa Butler, communications director of Progress Industries, said the community’s visibility of the building and the organization’s services has grown since the move. In close proximity to the Newton Public Library, the building and grounds are already turning heads.

“I see a lot of people walking by and looking,” Butler said. “They go down the sidewalk and down past our building. It seems like they’re just dying to get in here, and we really want to encourage people — and that’s why this was put here — to come on in, walk that pathway and look at the sculptures out front.”

To further coax folks through the doors and celebrate its 40th anniversary, Progress Industries will hold an open house and sculpture garden rededication from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday. The P.I. Foundation’s sculptures “Annie” and “Communion” were returned and reinstalled on the new property in early June.

Also on display is the completed brick pathway on the south side of the building, made from commemorative and engraved bricks that had surrounded the former Progress Industries headquarters.

Sandy Ham, president and CEO of Progress Industries, largely credited the staff as the reason the organization has maintained services for hundreds of people in Jasper and Polk Counties for four decades.

Even though she has only been involved with Progress Industries for the past three years, Ham said she knows one of the reasons the nonprofit has stuck around for so long. The board and employees, she said, are committed to “helping people who need some help.”

Progress Industries is certainly no stranger to tackling challenges and coming up with creative solutions.

“And (we’re) not just sitting around and having a pity party about the problem,” Ham said. “That’s really been what it’s about is just knowing what we do is important enough that we have to figure out how to overcome the next challenge. There will be another one, I have no doubt. Together we’ll figure out how to overcome it.”

For instance, when reimbursement rate reductions from Medicaid resulted in Progress Industries receiving less funding from the state earlier than originally anticipated, the nonprofit buckled down and took the hit. Ham told the Newton Daily News in March that Progress Industries would fight to make sure services are not negatively impacted by the state’s funding.

Maintaining Progress Industries’ reputation for providing services is a top priority no matter the funding, no matter the year.

“There’s a need for the service,” Butler said. “Our leadership and vision and board of directors over the years have been committed to ensuring these services are sustained. When others have come in and gone away, P.I. has maintained.

“I think that is a commitment from our leadership (and) it’s a commitment from the community recognizing this service.”

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com