After a few years of searching, a Bristol-based provider of services for the intellectually disabled has found a new home for some key programs.
ADEC, whose name is an acronym for A life of their own, Dignity, Employment and Community, on Wednesday announced it’s bought a new building that will help further that mission. Starting late this year or early next year, ADEC’s newest location will be at 1205 Middleton Run Road in Elkhart. The building formerly housed Disabled American Veterans, a nonprofit veterans assistance group that moved out in 2022 amid declining membership.
ADEC will keep its headquarters in Bristol. The new building will house a range of services, including the Elkhart Day Program, Skills and Training program, Therapy services, ADEC’s Summer Camp program, and several administrative offices.
ADEC now leases space downtown Elkhart for the day program. Transporting clients will be easier at the new building, which will have a large parking lot and a pick-up and drop-off canopy.
Chris Kingsley, ADEC’s president and CEO, notes that the building already is wheelchair accessible since it was designed to serve veterans.
"And it's also, with it being a steel frame construction, it's a blank slate on the inside, where we can really design it according to what works best for our needs," Kingsley said. "We're really excited about it. We think it's going to be a great location for us, and a location that will serve us well long into the future."
