Mariann Frigo is a wonderful example of someone whose passion in life is giving back to others and the community in which she resides. Mariann was born in Chicago and later moved to Northwest Indiana, where she graduated from Portage High School. She then furthered her education at Chicago State University where she received an Occupational Therapy degree and a Masters Degree in counseling. She and her husband married after college and went on to raise four children together. As any extremely proud mother would do, she described her children to me at length. Her love for her family as well as for others is clearly evident.
Mariann serves as the Executive Director of Jacob’s Ladder, a not-for-profit organization in Portage that she opened in 1998 and named after her youngest son who was born with Down Syndrome. Their mission is to give hope to families with special needs children, and to provide comprehensive therapy and supplemental care so that those children may reach their full potential.
“We have a company that provides OT, PT, and speech to hospitals and nursing homes. First Steps Pediatric Therapy provides care for children from ages zero to three. Most children who need therapy will go through that First Steps system. At three years old, they graduate to the school system. However, the school system can only provide for about 30% of those children to receive services. At three years old, children still have a lot of developmental milestones to tackle. At that point, we decided to expand and start a not-for-profit specifically for pediatrics,” Mariann said with a smile.
Every day’s work is different for Mariann. She oversees the administration of Jacob’s Ladder. They are continually growing, interviewing, and hiring new staff and have been very blessed over the years with wonderful workers and volunteers. If a staff member, for example, goes on maternity leave or something comes up, Mariann will pick up a case load and and fill those shoes. Treating children and working with them one-on-one is her absolute favorite part of her job.
“We are one of the very few not-for-profits in all of Northern Indiana. We see children that have been waiting on another therapy waiting list for over a year, and that child is losing ground. We see a lot of kids that won’t be seen anywhere else,” Mariann stated.
Her focus especially lies in raising funds to cover children on their waiting list. They try to keep their waiting list as short as possible. It is extremely rewarding and truly a privilege when she is able to call a family and let them know that their child can come in and begin therapy.
That is what she believes is the best part about being able to give back. Mariann raises $25 per session or $100 a month to subsidize the cost of a child’s therapy on the list. Jacob’s Ladder started out with about forty children, and has grown to see around six hundred children a week. Because of their fantastic therapists and staff, they have been able to achieve that incredible milestone. They collaborate in creating new therapy programs such as Aquatics therapy, Respite programs, and therapy dog visits. It is the expertise and empathy of the therapy team that has grown Jacob’s Ladder’s reputation.
“I see how much potential we have in Portage. The population here is very giving. We are very blessed that the community is willing to help all the time. It fits us well geographically and is a great crossroads,” Mariann said.
Jacob’s Ladder has changed lives for children and their families from all over Indiana and Illinois. Portage is extremely lucky to have a such a giving and selfless member of the community. Mariann has continuously placed the lives of others in the spotlight, and I am honored to now do the same for her.