History

The Arc-Dane County is a non-profit organization that believes people with developmental disabilities are valued members of our communities. We believe that people with disabilities have an equal right to education, training, job opportunities, and social supports necessary to fully participate in our committees.

1951-The first minutes of Madison Area Council on Retardation were recorded.
1952-MARC became a member of the newly formed WARC, Wisconsin Association for Retarded Children .
1952-First nursery for retarded children opened at the First Congregational Church.
1953-First class of seven students at South Side Community Center.
1957-A city-wide fund drive was conducted for the purpose of becoming eligible for entry in the Community Chest.
1958-Madison Opportunity Center opened with a $10,000 allocation from the Community Chest.
1960-A class for trainable children of Intermediate age was started. A separate group of parents formed a class for emotionally disturbed children that later became known as Portal Foster.
1961-Name changed from Madison Area Council on Retardation to Madison Area Retardation Council, Inc.
1962-MOC became a United Way Agency separate from MARC.
1962-Following the passage of the Wisconsin Day Care Services Act, an application for State Grant-in-aid and a Day Care application were approved.
1965-MARC leased the former Madison Lutheran School on Jenifer St.
1966-Pre-nursery Program for 1 1//2 to 3 year olds was organized. The Stoughton Nursery Program started. The Trainable Class was funded by Madison Public Schools and held at the Jenifer St. location. Name changed to Madison Area Association for Retarded children, Inc.
1967-First budget presented to Dane County. Behavior Modification Procedures established. Madison Public Schools assume transportation costs for school age children attending MARC programs. Mom’s Club formed.
1969-Sun Prairie Program started sponsored by Sertoma Club. Title I funds received for the first Home Training Specialist. MARC retirement plan approved.
1970-RFDF (Residential Facilities Development Foundation) was formed. Beginning of the Stoughton Adult Program.
1972-MARC Development Center moved to Lakewood School. Two Mt. Horeb programs-Nursery and Adult-were started. Ground breaking for RFDF-Orchard Hill. Information and Referral Service funded.
1973-Orchard Hill opened. Community employment began. MARC(Madison Area Rehabilitation Center) and ARC-Dane (Association for Retarded Citizens of Dane County).
1975-Citizen Advocacy Program was established.
1976-Mandatory education in Wisconsin for retarded children (chapter 115)
1977-MARC formed two corporations-The MARC Voluntary Services Corp.and The MARC Developmental Centers Corp.
1978-Voted to have two organizations-MARC Volunteer Service Board to serve all of Dane County and MARC Developmental Center Board to run the six Centers. Fran Bicknell served as President until the division was completed. Tony Frey became the Volunteer Services Board president and Bill Burns became the Developmental Center Board president.
1982-Dale Heights Group Home opened. There was a great deal of talk on mental retardation prevention.
1984-Sibling Support Program funded by Alliance for Children & Youth.
1985-Guardianship Committee formed
1987-Corporate Guardianship Program submitted to the state. Residential Services Committee formed to monitor group homes.
1988-By-laws were changed to totally separate the two organizations
1989-Wisconsin Family Community Trust established. Supported Parenting Project received grant of $5,000 from the city plus $9,000 support from United Way. ARC-Dane County disaffiliated with Arc-Wisconsin. Wisconsin Lifetime Services Corp. formed to oversee and monitor the lives of disabled persons after family members have passed away.
1992-Changed name to The Arc-Dane County. Re-affiliated with Arc-Wisconsin.
1993-The Arc-Dane County legislative committee sponsored county supervisor forums in member homes.
1994-Published The Arc-Dane County cookbook with brief oral and picture history.
1995-Co-sponsored legislative candidates forums. Dan Remick, President of People First, elected to The Arc-Dane County board of directors.
1996-Re-created sibling activities, including newsletters and sibling workshops.
1997-Co-sponsored legislative breakfast and sponsored Spring Ball (dance).
1998-Co-sponsored Fall Ball with the Dane County DD Coalition. Received DD Council grant to video tape parent forums for statewide use.
1999-Applied for and received a grant from Dane County for educating parents, self-advocates and providers about Self-Directed Services (SDS). Co-sponsored Legislative Breakfast with 200 participants in attendance. Adopted Mission and Vision Statements.
2000-Celebrated our 50-year anniversary on April 24 at the awards banquet held at CUNA. Published a policy advocating that we keep services and begin economizing where possible.
2001-First ever web page is established and in operation for The Arc-Dane County.
2001-Published a list of attorneys who are skilled in Guardianship in the Madison (Dane County) area. Held the first new guardianship workshops in three parts of Dane county.
2001-Conducted Self Determination workshops for Dane County high school teachers.
2002-People Can’t Wait grassroots advocacy organization was organized.
2003-Received grant from The Capital Times Kids Fund for conducting Job Development Workshops for Dane County HS Teachers.
2003-Expanded The Arc-Dane County’s web site to include the Guardianship information page.
2004KASA project was organized– students served in a project at Madison Memorial High School.
2004-The Arc-Dane County assisted in conducting a survey of County Board Candidates.
2004-Advocated successfully for 2005 graduates and the Brain Injury Waiver to be reinstated in the 2005 county budget.
2004-Advocated successfully for MARC to stay open during the holidays as a result of negotiations among county staff, families and providers.
2005-Received a grant from WCDD and CUNA that allowed The Arc-Dane County to go through out the state and talk about the new special education law.
2005-Two of our members served on the Dane County committee to evaluate Self Directed Services.
2006-Assisted in planning the disability rally at the state Capitol.
2006-Conducted IEP and Guardianship workshops.
2006-Hosted a regional Long Term Care informational workshop at CUNA.
2006The Arc-Dane County’s Executive Director served on the steering committee of a grant to plan Long Term Care for the Future in Dane and Rock Counties.
2006-New phase of Guardianship Workshops began.
2006-Assisted in planning, coordination of activities for The Arc-WI state convention held in Madison, WI.
2006-Advocated and presented testimony at the Dane County budget hearing.
2007-Received a generous contribution to provide Arc Dane County sponsored summer camperships. Distributed 3 camperships this year.
2007-Continued Family Care planning involvement with Dane County’s committee with representation provided by a past president of The Arc-Dane County.
2007-The Arc-Dane County re-affiliated with The Arc-U.S. after a 5 year non-affiliation due to unaffordable affiliation fees.
2007-The board of directors committed funds to 1) create an enhanced membership brochure and 2) hire a consultant to enhance the current web site.
2008-Worked with a pro bono marketing firm to conduct a membership needs assessment so that The Arc-Dane County can enhance services to better serve The Arc-Dane County membership.
2008-Continued to play an active role in promoting adequate funding in the Dane County human services budget by organizing family members and self-advocates to present testimony on any service cuts.
2008-Co-sponsored. With Imagine A Child’s Capacity and Stafford Rosenbaum law firm, an educational seminar pertaining to Wills and Special Needs Trusts.
2008-Worked with the State’s Protection & Advocacy agency, Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW), to arrange a meeting of parents that had been denied service dollars in the Dane County Human Services budget.
2008-Created a Family Care Task Force consisting of one Arc-Dane County board member and several members of the Arc-Dane general membership to review and monitor Dane County’s decision-making process for implementation of Family Care.
2009-Added a new social function, Spring Ball, so that our membership, self-advocates, and community members have another opportunity for a social event. (in addition to the Winter Ball and Halloween party)
2009-Continued to monitor Dane County’s efforts to review and evaluate the potential for Family Care in Dane County.
2009-Decided that The topic of aging should continue to be researched by The Arc-Dane County and continue to be a focus in future years with information to be distributed to our membership.
2010-Celebrated 60 years of advocacy with the annual awards banquet on April 21, 2010 at The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club.
2010-Celebrated 25 years of our annual fruit sale. Co-sponsored a seminar on Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities. Worked with Waisman Center LEND student team to write a grant proposal on Transition in the 21st Century.