Our History

In the 1950s, there was no place for parents to find education and work experiences for their children with disabilities in DeKalb County.

Parents established a school for children with disabilities with the help of community members.  By 1957, the DCARC had nine students, and within two years, it had grown to 25 students.  Additional space became necessary.

In 1963, the community had raised the funds to address another need: providing each individual with hands-on work experience.  It was through this that Wee Haven Workshop was formed.

Over the years, the need for the school declined as public schools began accepting disabled children into their special education classes.  In 1997, with continued growth driven by a focus on workforce development, another expansion became apparent.  In August of that year, building expansion and renovation were completed, and the employees chose our new name, Alliance Industries.

Alliance Industries’ mission is to provide job training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Northeast Indiana. This initiative is designed to create lasting opportunities. 

Alliance Industries offers full- and part-time, meaningful employment to forty-seven individuals with disabilities, ages 18 to 60+.  We specialize in hand packaging work and light subassembly kits for area manufacturing companies like Rieke Corporation, Fastenal, Dekko, SCP Limited, Hendrickson, and Eaton. We offer a safe and needs-based work environment, assigning tasks that match each employee's skill set. 

We believe in promoting employee independence by offering a wage. This approach helps our employees recognize their value and promotes positive self-esteem, purpose, and fulfillment by enriching their life skills through meaningful and sustainable relationships within a framework of security.