SCARC plans 50th anniversary celebration

Augusta — Andy Sharick, president of the board of trustees of SCARC, Inc., recently announced that the organization will celebrate its 50th anniversary, throughout calendar year 2007. Formed by a small group of parents of children with disabilities in 1957, SCARC has grown to be the largest organization in Sussex County serving persons and families with developmental disabilities. Parents in the middle- to late-1950’s began to meet together to organize programs and services for their children with disabilities. For the first fifteen years of the organization’s history, volunteers facilitated recreation and day care programs. “The budget was small and SCARC employed about 3 staff to run its programs,” says Dr. Richard Lecher, CEO of SCARC, Inc. In 1972, the board of trustees voted to employ an executive director of the organization in order to accomplish a greater vision and more comprehensive goals. An office was established in Newton, and new services were created. State and federal grants were obtained to expand SCARC services throughout the county. Currently, the SCARC organization employs over 300 full-and part-time staff, provideing services in over 30 locations in Sussex County, each week. SCARC’s residential service incorporates 17 group homes and additional 24 persons living in supervised apartments. SCARC’s six-day program locations and its Employment Connections department serves over 200 adults with disabilities each day. SCARC’s Transition program serves 25 classified high school students as they transition from high school to adulthood. The Family Support program serves more than 300 families. For more information about SCARC services in Sussex County, contact Dr. Richard Lecher, CEO at SCARC’s Augusta administrative headquarters, at 973-383-7442.