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Since the late 1950s, Arc Rehab has stayed in the background in Boone County, serving people with disabilities that all too often is ignored.
"We are trying to maximize everyone's potential, whatever that is for that person," said Cardin, Arc's executive director.
"The ultimate goal is someone gets a job that we helped them get, and they don't need us anymore."
The nonprofit agency, which incorporated in 1970, has grown into a business that serves 150 adults and 190 children in Boone, part of Hamilton and northwest Marion counties. About 500 families also participate in Arc's Women, Infants, Children program that provides supplemental food for low-income families.
With roughly 3 percent of the American population having various levels of disabilities, the need for services has grown quickly. Arc recently completed an expansion of its Lebanon facilities at 900 W. Main St.
Arc's services begin shortly after a child with a disability is born. Its First Steps program provides therapy for children up to 3 who are experiencing delays in development.At that point, Arc pulls back its services as schools take over.When people with disabilities graduate from school, Arc Rehab re-enters the picture, offering a variety of services to help clients take a productive place in society.
Those offerings include:
• Mainstreet Enterprises Work Services, which offers work experience -- either at Arc's facility where local companies send piece work or other routine tasks to be done, or by working on a cleaning crew.
• Job Connection, which helps people with disabilities get jobs in the community that fit their abilities.
• Personal and Community Services, which trains people in daily life skills such as learning how to manage money or work with others.
"We want to transition people into a good working life in the community," Cardin said. "We are there as much as a person needs us."
Becky Oaks, 22, has participated in the Mainstreet program and secured a part-time job at the Ponderosa restaurant in Lebanon. Two days a week, Oaks cleans the front windows.She started the job on a trial basis, but it took only one visit to convince Ponderosa's general manager, Mike Timmons, that she is the right person for it."The first time she cleaned the windows, I was like, 'Oh, my gosh,' " he said."She started out on Arc's payroll, but now she is on mine. I think it is money well spent and so does the owner."She is a valuable asset to us."Timmons plans to get Oaks, who has worked there for about three months, more involved when warmer weather arrives. He said he will train her in additional duties.
Cardin said Oaks, who has a mild intellectual disability, is among those who just need an opportunity to show what they can do. They usually reach higher levels than anyone expects.Oaks said she hopes the experience and training at Arc and Ponderosa will lead to a full-time job so she can afford a place to live on her own.
Sue Swindall couldn't be happier that someone is helping her son, Tony, 36, who has a goal of working at Wal-Mart.She has seen major changes in her son, who has cerebral palsy. "They've done wonders," she said. "They all would be sitting at home, mentally wasting away, if it wasn't for Arc. "It means a lot to him to go there and accomplish something -- and it means a lot to me to see him happy."
Call Star reporter Josh Duke at (317) 444-2605.