AREA RESIDENTIAL CARE, INC.

AREA RESIDENTIAL CARE, INC. Private, nonprofit corporation established on August 18, 1968, to provide services to mentally handicapped people living in Dubuque, Jackson, Delaware, Clayton, and Jones counties.

Based on the belief that the handicapped have the right to live a life as close to normal as possible, ARC services provide work training, alternative interest day programs, sheltered workshops, dormitory treatment center, group homes in Dubuque, and supervised apartment living. Among the support programs offered are behavior modification, speech, music and recreational therapy, occupational, social work, and nursing.

The early years of the organization were difficult. Food costs had to be pared by asking parents to take their children home on Thursday instead of Friday. Because no money was available for painters, parents often volunteered to paint their own children's rooms as well supply furniture and bedding. Parents also held raffles and bake sales to purchase furniture for the dining rooms. Education classes were held in the facility during the first years. In the early 1970s, these classes were transferred to the public schools.

Wayne Nielsen, the first director, left after two years, and Edward Skarnulis became the executive director. Several interim directors followed him until the appointment of Gary L. WARNER on July 1, 1972.

Warner envisioned community living homes and apartments and stressed the importance of vocational training that began at the facility on Kaufmann Avenue. A workshop was also opened on Central Avenue. The recognition of the fine work done by the clients of ARC led to the need for expanded facilities. The Vocational Services Center was moved to the building formerly used by the Brown Publishing plant on South Locust and later to 2455 Kerper Boulevard.

In 1973 the first community living home was opened in a home at 1335 University Avenue. The first organized opposition to the selection of a home came with protests against the Broadway Horne. This site, however, was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Adeline Home site also met with opposition. The denial of this location by the Commission led Thomas J. JOCHUM to sponsor legislation exempting homes for the mentally handicapped from needing Planning and Zoning approval.

Accreditation, another of Warner's goals was achieved in February 1982 when Area Residential Care, Inc., of Dubuque became Iowa's first facility having full accredited residential and vocational programs for the developmentally disabled. The Accreditation Council for Services for Mentally Retarded and Other Developmentally Disabled Persons rated the ARC center at 2909 Kaufmann Avenue. Council accreditation, a voluntary process, called for the agency to complete a self-assessment of its compliance with council standards. Four days followed in which operations of the center were evaluated by two examiners from the council.

The budget of ARC grew from $25,000in 1968 to $4,300,000 in July 1988, with an economic impact of $12,928,884 to the community. In 1985 ARC ranked the eleventh largest business in Dubuque in terms of number of employees.