Somewhere in this community a parent of a child with a disability is feeling overwhelmed because his child is struggling academically, and he doesn’t know where to turn for help. Somewhere in a nearby school, a dedicated teacher wants to make a difference in the life of a child with a disability, but is frustrated by not knowing how to help. Somewhere in the area, a student with a disability is desperate to be a part of the educational experience that seems to be designed for students without disabilities. Our mission at IN*SOURCE is to provide parents, families and service providers the information and training necessary to assure effective educational programs and appropriate services for children and young adults with disabilities. Proclaiming IN*SOURCE as winners for assistance in brand development and marketing will help parents, school officials, and service providers know they are not alone in advocating for students with special needs. We understand the challenges they face, and we address these challenges by encouraging, educating and empowering.

IN*SOURCE was founded in 1975 when a group of parents came together to understand what attending school would mean for their children with special needs. Prior to that, most of these children were not permitted to attend public school because of their disabilities. For over 35 years, IN*SOURCE has helped individuals to understand the special education process, their rights, how to advocate for the needs of their students, and how to work together for the benefit of the student.

We joke in our office about being South Bend’s best kept secret. Sometimes we’ll get a call and the first thing we hear from the voice on the line is, “I was told to call IN*SOURCE, but who are you and what exactly do you do?”

Sometimes parents and/or teachers will call us as a last resort – when the relationship between the parents and the school has deteriorated to the detriment of the student. This is where the joke stops. It’s not funny when students end up quitting school. It’s no laughing matter when students do not reach their academic potential. There’s nothing humorous about a student’s future being jeopardized because the people responsible for making educational decisions on his behalf lacked knowledge of the special education process, or became discouraged for lack of direction and support.

IN*SOURCE has long been the quiet voice for those who sometimes cannot speak for themselves – children with special needs. It’s been said that it takes a village to raise a child. IN*SOURCE is dedicated to working with both parents and schools – to all who have an interest in raising the bar of education for children with disabilities. But, how will they call if they don’t know about us? With help in our branding and marketing materials, our voice can be amplified to broadcast our services:

• We are a federally funded Parent Training and Information Center
• We offer one-on-one assistance to families with special needs
• We offer training in both a classroom setting and online for parents, school personnel and other service providers.
• All of our services are free

Last year alone, IN*SOURCE assisted over 17,000 parents. In addition, we provided classroom training to another 3,894 individuals, and 468 people took one of our online training classes. There are many others who would benefit from our services. Please help us reach them.