Marshall Starke and Boys & Girls Club update Commissioners on programming

During Monday's meeting, the Marshall Starke Development Center and the Marshall County Boys and Girls Club updated the County Commissioners on their programs.

Jessye Gilley, the new Vice President of Mission Advancement, informed the Commissioners that Marshall Starke is a non-profit organization located in Plymouth. It serves clients from eight counties: Marshall, Starke, Fulton, Pulaski, Lake, Kosciusko, and St. Joseph, with physical facilities in four of the counties. Marshall Starke assists adults with developmental and physical delays.

Gilley stated in April that they would be transitioning away from the Sheltered Workshops on-site, where clients perform third-piece work for local companies. She explained that the change is due to new legislation concerning minimum wage and pay benefits. Marshall Starke will be shifting toward Community Integration, focusing on clients who are cognitively and physically able to engage in community interfacing jobs and volunteer work, with an emphasis on life skills training and pre-vocational training.

Marshall Starke currently has about 170 clients in the day program, 19 of whom are residential clients who live in the community independently with some assistance. Gilley stated that they are growing exponentially.

Part of her duties includes providing updates to the counties that help fund the services at Marshall Starke, and she will also implement a quarterly appeal process. Towards the end of this month, they will initiate a direct ask appeal to those who have previously contributed to Marshall Starke. They are seeking financial donations and looking for volunteers, individuals interested in employment, and employers willing to hire their clients.

Marshall Starke plans to launch a capital campaign to renovate the current facility or construct a new one over the next four to five years. This decision stems from increased attendance, the demand for additional services, and access to more resources.  

Commissioner Adam Faulstich asked about Marshall Starke’s funding sources and asked if all eight counties contribute. 

Gilley stated that Marshall County contributes the most, followed by Starke County and Fulton County noting that the client population is smaller in the other counties. Additional funding comes from Medicaid, and most of their clients use these funds for the services provided.   

Andrew Fitzpatrick, CEO, and Joanna Flora, Director of Operational Advancement at the Marshall County Boys & Girls Clubs, expressed their gratitude to the commissioners for their support. The county contributes $8,000 to both the Plymouth and Bremen programs. Fitzpatrick mentioned that they have various funding sources, including the county, the City of Plymouth, and several large annual fundraisers each year. They also receive funding from the state, the Department of Education, the Boys & Girls Club of America, and some national sources. However, the most significant aspect is that local individuals contribute to the program.

Flora highlighted the program, noting that their registered membership in the club and at community events was just over 1,500 last year. A total of 660 different kids visited the clubs last year, and this year, they have already reached 412, indicating it could be a record year. Their highest attendance was 293 across both sites, marking a record day. Flora mentioned that the clubs have provided the kids with over 44,000 free snacks and meals. 

They provide a program supported by a state grant that offers tutoring sessions for members, either individually or in very small groups. One example given was a teenage girl who had Cs and Ds when she began the tutoring program. After putting in extra effort and working through the lessons, she achieved straight As by the end of the following semester.

Fitzpatrick stated that 79% of their members receive free or reduced meals at school. He then urged the commissioners to remember them during the 2026 budget process.