Sycamore Services Celebrates Disability Awareness Month
DANVILLE, Ind. — For over six decades, Sycamore Services has been a cornerstone of support for Hoosiers with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
As Indiana marks March as Disability Awareness Month, the nonprofit is using its platform to amplify voices that often go unheard and celebrate the milestones of the thousands of individuals they serve across more than 35 counties.
Headquartered in Danville, Sycamore Services was founded in 1959 by a group of Hendricks County parents seeking better educational opportunities for their children. Today, the organization has grown into a statewide leader, providing a continuum of care that spans from infancy to adulthood.
For CEO Yolanda Kincaid, who has spent 25 years in the industry and has a family member with a disability, March is more than just a spot on the calendar—it is a time for intentional community engagement.
“I think that for March Disability Awareness Month, it’s really an opportunity for communities to just have conversation and be able to listen to the voices of those that may not be heard every single day,” Kincaid said during a recent interview. “It’s a great month to celebrate the successes that folks are having, the goals that people are reaching, and those that people are aspiring to achieve.”
Sycamore’s impact begins with First Steps, providing physical, occupational, and speech therapies to infants and toddlers. Kincaid describes witnessing these early milestones as “the best job,” noting the “lightbulb moments” when a child learns to communicate or walk for the first time.
As individuals grow, Sycamore provides:
Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS): Helping students ages 14 to 22 navigate the “cliff” of leaving high school by providing real-world job experiences.
Employment Support: Assisting adults in 37 counties with resume building, job shadowing, and on-the-job training.
Residential & Day Services: Offering everything from 24/7 in-home care to creative outlets like their recently opened art studio.
Public Transportation: Filling critical gaps in rural and urban areas to ensure everyone can reach their jobs, grocery stores, and social circles.
Kincaid highlighted the importance of Universal Design — features like adult changing tables now appearing in venues like the Fishers Event Center and Noblesville Arena—as a major win for the community.
“How great that is to go to a place and feel like you’re welcomed and that you belong no matter what challenge or barrier you may have to address,” Kincaid noted.
Despite recent challenges in the nonprofit landscape, including shifts in state funding and doubled grant requests, Sycamore Services remains committed to innovation. Kincaid’s team is currently exploring “remote supports”—using technology like medication sensors and door alerts—to help individuals maintain independence while lowering costs.
How to Help
As Sycamore Services celebrates its 65th anniversary this year, Kincaid encourages Hoosiers to lead with “person-first” thinking.
“It’s the person first and the disabilities after the person,” Kincaid said. “I urge people to just pause and ask the question: ‘Can I help you? Do you need help with that?’ and to wait for that response from the person… being respectful of those boundaries.”
To learn more about services or to support their mission, visit Sycamore Services online at https://sycamoreservices.com
