WARSAW — Joe's Kids has successfully reached its first fundraising milestone in a transformational challenge grant campaign with the Dekko Foundation, securing $25,000 in new and increased monthly Child Sponsorship commitments.

As a result of achieving the initial goal, the Dekko Foundation will now provide a dollar-for-dollar match of $25,000, bringing the total impact of the first phase of the campaign to $50,000 in support of pediatric therapy services.

The Challenge Grant was created to grow Joe’s Kids’ monthly Child Sponsorship Program, giving donors the opportunity to help close the gap between what insurance covers and the true cost of providing life-changing therapy services for children with diverse abilities throughout Kosciusko County and twelve surrounding counties.

Under the full terms of the challenge, Joe’s Kids now has the opportunity to raise an additional $25,000 in monthly sponsorship commitments, which the Dekko Foundation
will again match dollar-for-dollar. If fully completed, the campaign could generate up to
$100,000 in total support for therapy services.

Joe’s Kids’ mission is to equip children with diverse abilities to realize their full potential
through care, community, and connection. In 2025 alone, Joe’s Kids served more than
700 children through physical, occupational, speech, and Dyslexia therapy and tutoring
services.

Rebecca Bazzoni, Founder and CEO of Joe’s Kids, expressed gratitude for the continued
partnership with the Dekko Foundation. “We are incredibly thankful for the Dekko Foundation’s ongoing support and belief in our mission,” said Bazzoni. “Their partnership is helping ensure that children with diverse abilities have access to the therapies and support they need to grow, gain confidence, and reach their full potential. This challenge grant is not only an investment in Joe’s Kids, but an investment in the
future of children and families throughout our region.”

The Dekko Foundation’s mission is to foster economic freedom through education. The
Foundation invests in the healthy development of children and young people — from birth
through age 18—to support self-sufficiency, helping them create value for others and
achieve economic independence within a free-enterprise system.

Through this partnership, both organizations are investing in the long-term success of
children across the region — ensuring they gain the skills, confidence, and independence
needed to thrive.

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WARSAW — Joe’s Kids, a nonprofit children’s achievement center providing physical, occupational, speech, and dyslexia therapies for children with special needs, is honored to announce the award of two major grants from the AWS Foundation.

These investments will support critical accessibility improvements to the organization’s facility and strengthen the clinic’s long-term operational stability as demand for services continues to grow.

Over the past year, Joe’s Kids has served over 700 children from Kosciusko County and
twelve surrounding counties. In January 2024, the organization moved into a new facility
to better meet the needs of children and families, completing Phase 1 and Phase 2 of a
multi-stage capital campaign.

These phases included the renovation of 12,000 square feet of interior space, exterior upgrades and installation of an accessible playground.

Grant #1: Facility Accessibility Enhancements

As part of its continued campus development, Joe’s Kids has already launched Phase
3, which focuses on critical site renovations. This phase includes essential upgrades to
the parking lot and site drainage, construction of a new drop-off canopy at the main
entrance, and improvements to the kitchen and gymnasium.

The AWS Foundation awarded $97,300 to support key accessibility features, including:

• Five additional ADA automatic push-to-open door buttons throughout the facility
• Two automatic sliding glass doors at the main entrance

These improvements will significantly enhance safety, independence, and accessibility
for children and families.

Grant #2: Strengthening Operations and Expanding Therapeutic Services

Demand for pediatric therapies continues to exceed capacity across the region. In
response to this growing need, Joe’s Kids expanded its team with one full-time
occupational therapist and three full-time speech therapists—progress that is already
helping to reduce wait times for families.

Looking ahead, Joe’s Kids aims to build a comprehensive child achievement campus
where the whole needs of the child are supported, and families find community,
connection, and hope.

AWS Foundation’s $90,000 renewal grant ($45,000 per year for two years) will support
continued strategic growth. The funding will strengthen general operations and enable Joe’s Kids to expand capacity, reduce wait times for care, and deepen the services available to children and families.

“We are deeply grateful for the AWS Foundation’s continued belief in our mission,” said
Rebecca Bazzoni, Executive Director of Joe’s Kids. “Their generosity supports both the
immediate accessibility needs of our facility and the long-term vision for a campus where every child can thrive. These grants directly impact families in our community and help ensure that children receive timely, life-changing care.

Joe’s Kids remains committed to equipping children with diverse abilities to realize their
full potential through care, community, and connection.

For more information about Joe’s Kids or to support its mission, visit joes-kids.org.

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WARSAW — Joe’s Kids, a nonprofit pediatric therapy clinic serving children with physical, occupational, speech and Dyslexia therapy needs across Northeast Indiana, has announced plans for a transformative facilities improvement project made possible by a generous $1.5 million grant from United Way of Whitley and Kosciusko Counties.

The comprehensive renovation and accessibility project will enhance safety, expand
therapeutic capacity, and improve the overall experience for the nearly 700 children
served annually at Joe’s Kids.

“We are deeply grateful for this incredible investment in the children and families of our
community,” said Rebecca Bazzoni, executive director of Joe’s Kids. “These improvements will not only create a safer, more accessible environment — they will strengthen the quality of therapy we can provide and allow us to meet the growing needs of the kids we serve.”

The project includes major upgrades to the parking lot and drainage systems, the installation of a more accessible and family-friendly drop-off zone, and significant
remodels of both the gymnasium and the kitchen area. The redesigned kitchen will
become a functional therapy space tailored to support older children in developing real-
life skills through occupational therapy.

The improvements reflect Joe’s Kids' commitment to providing high-quality, evidence-
based therapy in an environment designed to support children’s success and independence.

“We believe in Joe’s Kids and the powerful impact they have on families in our region,”
said Randy Polston, with United Way of Whitley and Kosciusko Counties. “This investment
ensures that children with varying abilities have the resources, space, and support they
need to thrive.”

Construction and renovation efforts began this past summer with project completion
anticipated by the spring of 2026.

Joe’s Kids extends its heartfelt gratitude to United Way for their continued dedication to
strengthening families, supporting child development, and improving the quality of life in
Kosciusko and Whitley Counties.

For more information about Joe’s Kids, visit JoesKids.org.

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WINONA LAKE — Two like-minded groups providing specialized care for young people — Joe’s Kids and Magical Meadows — are formalizing a more structured approach that will start in the Spring of 2026.

The new arrangement was celebrated at Joe's Kids' 11th annual fundraiser at the Miller Sunset Pavilion in Winona Lake Saturday night.

[caption id="attachment_120214" align="alignright" width="450"] Several hundred people attended the annual Joe’s Kids fundraisner Saturday at Miller Sunset Pavilion. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

Joe's Kids Director, Rebecca Bazzoni, made the announcement Saturday about a new transformational program overseen by Joe's Kids at Magical Meadows that can yield significant improvements for recipients with various needs and can be billed through Medicaid and insurance, thereby helping expand access for life-changing care.

The program, Hippotherapy, uses the horse’s natural movement to engage a child’s body and brain in ways that are difficult to replicate in a traditional clinical setting. 

The rhythmic, three-dimensional motion of the horse challenges balance, strengthens muscles, and improves posture. For children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, sensory processing disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and developmental delays, 

Through the partnership, Joe’s Kids will manage all scheduling, billing, and communication with client families, while The Magical Meadows will provide the therapeutic setting, specially trained therapy horses, and an experienced equine handler to facilitate safe, effective interactions between the children and horses.

Hippotherapy can lead to gains in mobility, communication, motor coordination, and emotional regulation. By incorporating this evidence-based practice, therapists can help children reach milestones that might otherwise take longer to achieve.

A select group of Joe’s Kids physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech language pathologists are currently completing specialized training and certification to provide Hippotherapy.

Both organizations have been in expansion mode in recent years. Joe's Kids is in its third phase since the organization moved to its new location on Old Road 30 several years ago, and Magical Meadows broke ground last week on construction of two indoor riding arenas that will greatly expand services at its facility north of Warsaw.

Kuhn said he and his board were looking at ways to expand services to the most vulnerable and that Joe’s Kids was the first to come to mind.

Bazzoni and Tammgy Stackhouse, the founder of Magical Meadows, have known each other for many years … "so it just seemed like a no-brainer to see what that would look like,” Kuhn recalled.

Brainstorming and research led to the development of the plan

"It all became clear and we realized this would be a such a win-win-win," Kuhn said.

Joe's Kids worked with 700 different children in Kosciusko County and ten surrounding counties in the past year with a diverse array of special conditions and need.

Many of Joe's Kids patients have used Magical Meadows in the past, but this program will be more specialized and structured.

Bazzonni talked about one patient named Charlie who had significant limitations, including language and balance, among others, but excelled while on top of a horse at Magical Meadows.

"Even though he might not have been able to verbalize it, he knew how to communicate joy, and he knew how to communicate love," Bazzoni said.

"If you have never been to a horse show at Magical Meadows, I highly recommend you go see one," Bazzoni tol several hundred guests at Saturday night's dinner. "It's pretty amazing to seee our kids on horses and see the pride in their faces and how they're doing," she said.

"I'll tell you, there is something pretty magical happening there at the meadows," she said.

Saturday's event was Joe's Kids' biggest fundraiser of the year.

A more detailed news release will be issued later this week.

Magical Meadows will be the subject of the public affairs show, In the Know, that will air next weekend on Kensington Digital Media radio stations.

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WARSAW — Rebecca Bazzoni, executive director for Joe’s Kids, recently learned that the Dane & Mary Louise Miller Foundation has awarded Joe’s Kids $275,000 in a grant.

A $25,000 matching grant will provide a 1:1 match for new donors or a 2:1 match for new child sponsors.

Through the child sponsorship program at Joe’s Kids, donors commit to recurring monthly giving increments of $40, $80, $160 or more to help offset the cost of providing therapies for special kids in the community.

Joe’s Kids is a nonprofit pediatric rehabilitation clinic that provides physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and tutoring services to help each child reach their maximum level of independence.

Joe’s Kids recently moved into their new facility at 1692 W. Lake St., Warsaw, and the remaining $250,000 of this grant will help offset the cost of renovating their new facility.

“We are very blessed to have the Dane & Mary Louise Miller Foundation in our community. This foundation believes in our mission and understands our dedication and passion for serving our children,” Bazzoni said.

To learn more about how you can help Joe’s Kids, visit the website.

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WARSAW — After renting two facilities over the past ten years, Joe’s Kids has found what can only be described as a forever home.

The non-profit, which provides specialized services for children with special needs, had a ribbon cutting last week and on Sunday, hosted an open house at its new facility on West Lake Street.

A bigger facility was needed to serve a growing demand, said Executive Director Rebecca Bazzoni.

Joe's Kids received 400 referrals in 2020 and over 700 in 2022.

"We had 250 children on a waiting list for care last spring because we didn't have enough capacity to see them," she said.

The new facility encompasses 18,000 square feet  – four times bigger than their more recent home, Bazzoni said.

Behind the building is a large lot that leaves plenty of room for future growth.

The overall project, including renovations, cost $1.1 million.

Bazzoni tipped her hat to K21 Health Foundation, which has been a leading financial supporter of the organization for years.

Other support came from the AWS Foundation, Dekko Foundation and Kosciusko County government which provided money from the American Rescue Plan Act.

[gallery columns="1" size="large" ids="90783,90782,90781,90779,90780"]

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