NMTC Case Study for Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities, Inc.
June 15, 2021
ProjectTurnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities, Inc. (Turnstone Center) is northeast Indiana’s only not-for-profit organization that provides a full range of rehabilitative, wellness, athletic and recreational programs and facilities for persons with disabilities and their families. Since 1943, Turnstone Center has continually evolved and expanded to respond to the needs and desires of the people it serves – a population whose needs are underserved and often neglected. Each year, Turnstone Center serves approximately 2,100 children and adults through childcare, preschool, adult day services, and speech, fitness, physical, occupational and aquatics therapy, culminating in providing over 78,000 hours annually of services. They also loan equipment, such as walkers and wheelchairs, at no charge. Turnstone Center is the only organization in northeast Indiana that provides therapeutic services on a sliding fee scale to persons with physical disabilities, and over 95% of all clients receive services at a reduced rate. Turnstone of Tomorrow is a five-year dream come true that was initiated when Turnstone Center’s Chairman of the Board challenged his team to dream about what they would do with $1 million. What transpired was $18 million worth of “projects that would allow more accessibility, more services for people with disabilities and make us a premier location in the nation for people with disabilities,” says Cindy Geisman, Turnstone’s Chief Operating Officer. Through extraordinary donor and partner support, that dream is coming true. This NMTC project includes a 125,000 square foot addition named the Plassman Athletic Center for expanded sports, recreation and wellness programming. At the heart of the addition is a new 65,000 square foot field house complete with four collegiate-sized basketball courts; a 230 meter six-lane track; a fitness center that doubles its current capacity; a warm water therapy pool with zero-depth entry, chair lift, transfer wall and stairs; fully accessible bathrooms, locker rooms and showers; and administrative offices. Community OutcomesThe Turnstone Center will serve 2,750 total people per year, a 30% increase. Not only does this provide countless more opportunities for people with disabilities, it makes significant strides in positioning Turnstone Center as the nation’s gold standard for empowering individuals with disabilities. With total project costs of $17.7 million, FWNMRF’s $8 million of NMTC Allocation was co-invested with $2 million of NMTC Allocation from PNC Community Partners, Inc. In addition, the project leveraged over $5.3 million of PNC Bank debt, philanthropic grants and Project Sponsor funds. “Some people describe this as the happiest place on earth for people with disabilities,” says Geisman. “Every employee believes it could be any one of us or a family member needing our services. We never lose sight of the vision.”
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