2015 has been an exciting year for Lighthouse Autism Center. We celebrated three years of service in Northern Indiana, celebrated the one year anniversary of our third center, and opened a new location in Plymouth, IN. We have grown to a staff of nearly ninety and now serve nearly fifty families in the Northern Indiana area. Among those families, there were nine children who transitioned back to school – wow!

Furthermore, Lighthouse founders Gregg and Sandy Maggioli created the Lighthouse Families First Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping families with special needs. Over $30,000 was raised for the organization this year and as a result, families who could otherwise not afford therapy or communication devices for their children, were able to receive these crucial things.

We could have never guessed when Lighthouse started that this is where we would be. It is incredible to think of how much we have grown and how many families that we have been able to assist in Indiana. It is our hope to continue to bring ABA therapy to communities that need it and we plan to continue to spread that mission in the new year!

Each year Lighthouse Autism Center hosts a company Holiday Party  where employees from all four locations can come together for a night of fun and camaraderie. Staff are each invited to bring a dish for a potluck/family style type dinner. Music plays, gifts are given, and all employees are recognized with a gift from Lighthouse. Perhaps the most anticipated part of the evening is when we do the family readings. Prior to the party, we invite parents to send in a letter telling us how LAC has impacted not only the life of their child but of their entire family. We then choose several of these letters to read to all guests at the parties. It is a time for us to truly reflect on the good work of our employees and the deep impact they have on the families we assist.  We would like to thank the Oaks at SouthPaw Farms for helping us to host a wonderful event, as well as all of those who made it possible. We are already looking forward to the party next year!

Each year, Lighthouse Autism Center works with local organizations to give back to families in need. This year, all four centers in Mishawaka, Warsaw and Plymouth came together to give back to two local families. LAC staff and families purchased various items from skateboards to dishes and bath towels to give to these families. We recently dropped off these gifts to one of the families and they were absolutely overjoyed. Their children were at school and they couldn’t get over how excited they would be to get home and see the transformation from a tree with no presents, to a tree overflowing with gifts. For their children who still believe in Santa, Santa had come a little early this year and it will truly be a Christmas to remember for them. We would like to thank all of our staff and families who participated this year – without your support and generosity we would not be able to keep this tradition going!