LOGAN's Newman Fest raises thousands for disabled adults

An organization that helps the disabled here in Michiana needs help of its own. LOGAN hosted its second annual Newman Fest Saturday to raise money for its protective services division. 

With the funds raised, its hoping to hire another caseworker who can help speak up for the voiceless.

For the past 40 plus years, LOGAN’s Protective Services has been creating a ‘community that included all of us and excluded none of us.’

“We focus on the special needs population, folks with an IDD diagnosis who have been abused or neglected or exploited in some way or find themselves in danger,” said Protective Services Director Jack Daly.

Those folks include Francine Gordon, who has a mild to moderate intellectual or developmental disability.  She is a ward of LOGAN.

 “I like it, because I’m a hard worker at LOGAN. I do the cash register thing, and I’m the best worker there,” said Gordon.

One board member’s son is also a beneficiary.

 “This is my son Victor, and Victor and people like him with disabilities around this community are what protective services is all about,” said Chair of the Protective Services Board, Bonnie Raine.

It’s about making sure people with disabilities don’t get forgotten when they’re left on their own.

But, LOGAN is receiving more cases every year. Last year, it was over a thousand.

Funding, however, has been decreasing.

“As the direction for funding goes that way, the surge in the increased need for our services goes in the opposite,” said Daly.

To help out, they hosted the second annual Newman Fest Sunday, which was named after their founder Joe Newman, to fill in the funding gaps.

 “The money raised--you can’t…underestimate it,” said Raine.

It continues to make sure that people like Francine always have a home.

Last year, LOGAN raised over $17,000.

This year, they made that amount that just in sponsorships.

They estimate that the total will be between 20 and 25 thousand dollars, which will all go to LOGAN’s Protective Services division.

If you want to read more about the organization, click here.

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