ABOUT GTI

50+ Years of Advocacy in Northern Michigan

For 50 years now, GTI has grown from serving 10 persons with developmental disabilities living in Leelanau and Grand Traverse Counties to serving over 500 persons (clients) annually with a wide range of disabilities, needs, and services.

OUR HISTORY

Founded in 1974,
Still Growing Today

Grand Traverse Industries, Inc. (GTI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in May 1974, for the purpose of developing and providing comprehensive services for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities residing in Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties. Since that time, GTI has grown to provide vocational training, employment, and habilitation services to persons with any disability in the seven counties of Northwest Lower Michigan.

Additionally, GTI created a plastic bag manufacturing business early on with the goal to train and employ IDD clients, and bring in revenue to support our mission. GTI incorporated LIS'N (Local Interpreter Services Network) into our organization to provide interpreter services for our hearing impaired/deaf clients throughout 30 northern Michigan counties.

Job Training, Employment & Day Programming

WHAT WE DO

We provide job training and employment services, as well as day programming for our clients. GTI has several community partners locally where our clients are employed and earn a paycheck (work enclaves), which gives our clients the opportunity to lead a more independent life. Our work enclaves provide dependable and steady staffing for our area businesses, who are so thankful for the amazing work our crews accomplish.

PACKAGING & SHIPPING

LINER BAG MANUFACTURING

CUSTODIAL

FOOD PREP & FOOD SERVICE

LABELING

ASSEMBLY

Learn More About Our Services

Business Services

PROGRAM SERVICES

Austin Darga

MEET OUR SPOKESPERSON

Austin joined the GTI team a few years ago in factory production. Today he's the organization's first-ever spokesperson, drawing on his own experience as a blind man to advocate for people with disabilities across northern Michigan, including a featured appearance at the Incompass leadership conference in Traverse City.

“This is the perfect opportunity for me to give people out there who wouldn't normally have a voice, a voice.”