Driven To Help Others
Ball State graduate Tina (Prather) McIntosh, BS ’94 MA ’95, was having fun and making a good living as an event planner for several years after graduating. But after experiencing some personal tragedies, her life’s passion for caring for older adults—which she originally discovered while attending Ball State—resurfaced.
Ms. McIntosh quit her event planning job and started Joy’s House—a nonprofit organization in Indianapolis that offers daytime care to adults with life-altering diagnoses, plus services
for caregivers.
Twenty-four years later, Joy’s House is still operating—now, with two locations in Indianapolis. Ms. McIntosh remains the president and CEO of the organization. But with this fulfilling career came some major ups and downs.
“We’ve seen a lot. Recessions. Growth. Having to restructure. We’ve made it through a worldwide pandemic,” Ms. McIntosh said. “During my time at Joy’s House, I’ve birthed three children, and my husband and I lost three babies. I’ve had cancer twice. My husband has had cancer twice. I’ve had more surgeries and treatments than I care to tally up. And somehow—to me, it was due truly to the grace of God—we continued to do the work at Joy’s House and provide these services that are so desperately needed.”
Ms. McIntosh, who is a Women of Beneficence member, has been honored for her work through Joy’s House. She was named the 2023 Indiana honoree of USA TODAY’s “Women of the Year,” which recognizes women who have made significant impacts in their communities and nationwide.
She also made an impact while attending Ball State by engaging in volunteer activities, including work at an adult day service provider in Muncie.
“There was something about working with all of the older adults that just stuck in my spirit,” she said. “Throughout the years, I carried with me those moments I spent with them. My personal tragedies happened, and then it became clear to me in my mind. I saw what Joy’s House was supposed to become, and I realized I should be doing that. So, I did it.”
Tina McIntosh shared many of her life lessons in her recent book, “Embrace the Imbalance.” (embracetheimbalance.com)
