Lafayette’s Wabash Center receives $2.5 million gift

The Wabash Center in Lafayette has received a $2.5 million gift from former board member Erika Steuterman. The organization, established in 1953, provides services across a continuum of care to support people with disabilities and special needs. 

The legacy gift is designated to fund three initiatives in perpetuity: Wabash Center’s supported living program, its guardianship services program, and a new endeavor called Jessie’s Attic, which is named for one of Steuterman’s children.

Steuterman, a retired U.S. Air Force major general, was a board member at the center from 2009 to 2015 serving two 3-year terms. She said her family has felt the impact of the organization’s services.

“My late husband, Ron, and I have had direct experience with Wabash Center’s mission and services with our girls, and with my brother too,” Steuterman said in a news release. “We saw how the staff made a difference each day, and we knew we wanted to ensure they continued to thrive.” 

Beyond helping her own family, Steuterman said, “I wanted to be sure people Wabash Center cares for have good, safe places to call home, people to help them make hard decisions when family and friends are not available to do so, and the ability to make choices and create home environments they are proud of.”

The center provides a variety of services for people with disabilities or special needs of any age, including supported living, employment services, guardianship and family supports.