| 1951 |
Six families begin meeting as Parents of Mentally Retarded. |
| 1953 |
Parents of Mentally Retarded is charted as an Illinois not-for-profit corporation with the registered name Aid to Retarded Children (ARC). |
| |
Classes begin in the basement of a Springfield church with five children, ranging in ages from five to nine years, with monetary and volunteer support principally for the Junior League of Springfield. |
| 1954 |
ARC of Springfield becomes affiliated with the ARC of Illinois and the ARC of the United States. |
| 1957 |
Programs for children begin in "The Little Red School House," a leased facility at 8th and South Grand Avenue in Springfield. |
| |
ARC becomes a member of Springfield's United Community Services, predecessor of the United Way of Central Illinois. |
| 1962 |
A "vocational evaluation and training center for handicapped adults" is established. |
| |
Adele M. Karlson is named first executive director to manage a total agency budget of $25,000. |
| 1963 |
ARC of Springfield is among 12 organizations, statewide, to being receiving funding from the State of Illinois. |
| |
ARC of Springfield is among 12 agencies, statewide, to begin receiving funding from the State of Illinois. |
| 1970 |
ARC opens the first downstate Illinois residential facility (Argyle House) in which "mildly and moderately retarded adults...can learn independent living skills." |
| 1971 |
The David Epstein Summer Camp, a six-week day and one-week residential program for 80 children, begins. |
| 1974 |
The corporation's registered name is changed from Aid to Retarded Children to Aid to Retarded Citizens. |
| |
ARC of Springfield serves 165 individuals, ranging in ages from one to 80 years, with a full and part-time staff of 44 and an annual budget of $521,000. |
| 1975 |
Early childhood intervention services for infants and toddlers from birth to three-years-of-age begin. |
| 1976 |
ARC of Springfield is the first Illinois community agency |
| 1977 |
The organization is selected by the Illinois Department of Mental Health as the first site for a family support program. |
| 1978 |
The Boaden Work Activity Center for adults opens. |
| |
Family support service, including respite services, begin. |
| 1979 |
The 70-bed Karlson Specialized Living Center opens. |
| 1981 |
The first single-family home is purchased as a residence for individual served by the agency. |
| 1985 |
Pat Wear is named executive director. |
| 1986 |
The first supported employment program in Illinois, which trains and places individuals in jobs in the public and private sectors, begins. |
| 1987 |
The corporation's registered name is changed from Aid to Retarded Citizens to Association for Retarded Citizens of Springfield. |
| |
And endowment fund is chartered as a separate Illinois not-for-profit corporation with assets of $73,248. |
| 1988 |
Michael W. Fortner is named executive director to manage a total agency budget of $4.8 million. |
| 1991 |
Construction of a 17,000 sq. ft. dedicated developmental training center is completed. |
| 1992 |
A contractual care component of the residential program begins. |
| |
The first Springfield Charity Golf Challenge is held to raise funds for children's programs. |
| 1993 |
Carlissa Puckett is named Executive Director to manage a total agency budget of $4.2 million and 180 full-time employees supporting approximately 450 individuals. |
| |
The registered name of the corporation is changed from Association for Retarded Citizens of Springfield to Springfield Association for Retarded Citizens, doing business as "Sparc". |
| 1994 |
The first agency five year strategic plan, Sparc 2000, is published. |
| |
Sparc is among the first downstate not-for-profit corporations to begin the computerization of all records. |
| 1995 |
Construction of SPARCenter, a 15,000 sq. ft. administrative headquarters and support services facility, is completed. |
| 1996 |
All major Sparc programs are accredited by CARF, the nationally-recognized accreditation commission for rehabilitation facilities. |
| |
Sugar & Spice Nite, which began as a chili supper hosted by the parents of individuals served by Sparc, is named Springfield's "best fund raising event" in the annual Illinois Times "Best of Springfield" edition. |
| 1997 |
The Epilepsy Resource Center of Central Illinois is consolidated with Sparc. |
| 1998 |
A senior (developmental training) center opens. |
| 1999 |
A developmental training center opens in Jacksonville. |
| |
A developmental training center for individuals who are medically fragile and have severe impairments opens. |
| |
A success center opens. |
| |
Sparc joins the worldwide web (Internet) at www. SpfldSparc.org |
| 2000 |
Adventure Academy, a childcare center for children with and without disablities, opens. |
| |
Sparc hosts its first black tie event, Starry Night, to raise funds for the establishment of the Sparc Child Development Center. |
| |
Assets of the Sparc Endowment Fund, Inc., reach approximately $4 million. |
| |
Sparc serves more than 1,000 infants, children, adults and seniors with developmental disabilities; has an annual budget of more than $8 million; and a work force of 414, including 226 full-time employees. |
| 2001 |
Sparc commemorates its fiftieth anniversary. |
| 2001-2010 |
Bought & sold a number of group homes in response to changing financial and program environment. Numerically expanded supported employment and Success Center. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|