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NILES — After a year of delays, two health care organizations celebrated their new Niles home this week.

In honor of the recent expansion and relocation of services to Niles, Caring Circle and Spectrum Health Lakeland Homecare hosted a community open house Thursday to invite community members to learn more about available services and tour the new shared office space.

Caring Circle and Lakeland Homecare offer a wide range of services for those who are recovering, disabled, or chronically ill and in need of medical, nursing, social, or therapeutic treatment as well as assistance with the necessary activities of daily living.

“We are having an open house where people can finally come in and see our new space and celebrate that we are finally here in Niles,” said Heidi Hanley, community liaison for Caring Circle. “I think this is really going to help us get our name out in the community because not a lot of people know we have moved and that we are together now.”

The new Niles office, 60 N. St. Joseph Ave., was opened last year, but the COVID-19 pandemic prevented a welcome celebration. Previously, Spectrum Health Lakeland Homecare was located down the road on St. Joseph Avenue, while Caring Circle was previously located in Buchanan.

“Both Caring Circle and Lakeland Homecare are committed to improving the health of all members of our community by providing exceptional, patient-centered care,” said Melinda Gruber, vice president of continuing care services at Spectrum Health Lakeland. “By offering these services in one centralized location we are able to better meet the needs of residents in Niles and the surrounding communities who are suffering from an illness or disability and wish to remain in their home, close to family and friends.”

Hanley said she believed the relocation for Spectrum Health Lakeland and Caring Circle benefitted not only the organizations, but the community at large.

“Being right in the heart of the Niles community where we serve, close to Cass County, and especially being right across the street from the hospital has been a much better position for us,” she said.

Carrie Freeman, community relations representative, agreed.

“We are so happy to be here,” Freeman said.

Going forward, both Freeman and Hanley said they hoped to continue to serve the greater Niles community and increase their outreach.

“We definitely want to reach more people and get the word out,” Hanley said. “I think a lot of people know the bits and pieces of what we do, but we want to get the full spectrum of what we do out there and make sure that everyone knows we have a lot of services available here in the community for them.”