:: A History of Innovation ::

A fulfilling life for people with developmental disabilities was unthinkable 55 years ago. Back then, these individuals were kept hidden from the rest of the world. Their families had two options: place them in a state institution or hide them at home.

Many families couldn't accept that. Indianapolis businessman Frank Scherrer and Rabbi Maurice Goldblatt, both parents of children with mental retardation, placed an ad in The Indianapolis Times inviting parents of children with disabilities to a meeting at the War Memorial Building. Hundreds came and made the unanimous decision to found Noble School.

In September of 1953, Noble School opened, and while these children were finally in a real school, older children and adults with developmental disabilities quickly demonstrated that they needed more than a classroom. Soon, a sheltered workshop was created to enable them to contribute to the workforce.

It still wasn't enough--families across the country wanted their children to go to school with the neighborhood kids. In 1973, Congress passed a law requiring public schools to provide an education for all school-age children.

Over the years, services moved into the community for both children and adults. With a growing number of adults in Noble's sheltered services wanting to join the workforce, Noble launched the state's first Supported Employment service in 1986, enabling hundreds to become skilled, dependable workers and taxpaying citizens. Supported Employment also makes good business sense for employers, who are tapping into the strengths of a loyal, diverse workforce.

In 2001 Noble launched Noble Communitas, a groundbreaking demonstration project that moved individuals from a life of segregation and limited choice to one directed by their hopes and dreams. This move was bolstered by the Center for Family Leadership, a parent-to-parent support network to provide families of children with disabilities with the resources and education to cope with daily challenges and help their children achieve their fullest potential.

And so what began as a group of families determined to give their children a life outside the walls of an institution has rippled into an impact that today is reshaping the entire community. And yet, this is only the beginning. With the community's support, we can create another 50 years of possibilities for every member of our community and achieve things of which we have not yet even dreamed.