Our History
The Early Years
The agency was established in 1953 by parent volunteers who met that January, seeking an alternative to the institutionalization of children with developmental disabilities. In an era where the prevailing practice of the medical community was to advise families to institutionalize children with developmental disabilities, these parents began asking how they could positively impact the future for all people living with developmental disabilities. Each of these caregivers saw the potential of their child, despite a medical profession that downplayed the ability for people with mental retardation to grow and develop. The parents’ frustration over the lack of opportunities for their children motivated them to take action. In a one room schoolhouse parent volunteers began teaching skills of daily living to a handful of children with mental retardation.
Clifford MacDonald, the founder and first president of the HARC changed the communities beliefs regarding the mentally handicapped, and described the spirit of the association as “the awakening of parents to the recognition of the handicap of their child; the intention to do something about it rather than hide it”. Other officers included: Fred Conn, vice president; Alvero Garcia, treasurer; and Robert Gruetzmacher, secretary.
The opening of the MacDonald Training Center in the fall of 1953, composed of the Drew Park Training School, the Nursery (officially opened in 1954) and the Sertoma Sheltered Workshop (officially opened in 1955), marked the first time 24 children were able to attend school, as well as socialize with other children. HARC, the Junior League and the Hillsborough County Board of Public Instruction sponsored the Training Center. The community effort in donations as well as volunteers was overwhelming. The training Center was the first of its kind in the country and would soon serve as a national demonstration center. Its purpose of the Training Center was to provide education to the mentally handicapped, work opportunities, and the opportunity to become partially self-sufficient. The Training Center provided services for all ages, from kindergarten and up.
Robert G. Ferguson was appointed research director at the MacDonald Training Center. Nationally, he served to demonstrate success in educating and employing the handicapped. In August 1954 the Junior League of Tampa sponsored training workshops for educators and volunteers at the MacDonald Training Center. The workshop was geared toward educating individuals in the special needs of the mentally handicapped and dispelling any myths about them. That November, Clifford MacDonald was appointed to the State Children’s Commission and recognized by Governor Johns for his dedication and unselfish service to the community of mentally handicapped.
In 1955, Clifford MacDonald was elected president of the National Association for Retarded Children. The agency continued to grow and in 1958, the 89th candidate for admission to the Sertoma Sheltered Workshop was processed. In addition, the agricultural workshop was in full operation to meet its goal of 25,000 fruit trees. During the year, the center built 2 chicken broiler houses, sold its first flock of birds, and over 8000 orange trees were in blossom. Finally, the major accomplishment of 1958 was the opening of Oak Glenn Hall for handicapped young men. Clifford MacDonald was appointed to the budget committee of the United Fund, which was an agency of the Sertoma Sheltered Workshop.
In June, 1959, HARC elected new officers including: John Chilldon, president; Rev. John Largent and Mrs. C.E. Seehof, first and second vice presidents; Mrs. H. Colmer, secretary; and Mrs. L. Simovitz, treasurer.
In May 1960, HARC hosts the Florida Council for Retarded Children national convention, and that December, HARC was named the second most outstanding program in the nation of service to the mentally handicapped by the NARC. HARC investigated parent-child training program and helped a TB clinic in Orlando convert its self to serve as a hospital for severely retarded children.
In March 1961, Clifford MacDonald resigned his position on the Board of Directors, and was replaced by Herbert Colmer. HARC received a reward for the most outstanding exhibit by the State Federation of Garden Club; the children at the Drew Park School created all items in the exhibit. HARC participated in the annual HealthORama, by educating the public about the services offered at the MacDonald Training Center and the Sertoma Sheltered Workshop.
By January 1962, HARC membership reached over 650. In addition, the purpose of HARC was reiterated; research, education of parents and the community, teacher scholarships, sponsors, summer recreation programs, and publication of The Challenge to inform the community of the program and accomplishments of the mentally handicapped individuals in Hillsborough county.
During HARC’s tenth anniversary in 1963, HARC was named in national rankings as the second best organization in America serving youths with developmental disabilities. Later that year, founder and first president of HARC, Clifford MacDonald passed away. Five weeks before his death he was nominated to receive The Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. That November, President John F. Kennedy recognizes MacDonald Training Center as one of the contenders for the Kennedy Foundation Award.
In January 1964 The Drew Park School is renamed as the DeForest LeVoy School, honoring DeForest LeVoy, Coordinator of Special Education. In April, the Tampa City Council donated 23 acres of land to the HARC, which will utilize the land to further expand the MacDonald Training Center.
Further, throughout the de-institutionalization of people with developmental disabilities in the 1970’s the organization was the local leader in providing residential facilities and day programs to help with the transition from institutions to community life.
In the 1980’s attendance to HARC swelled as hundreds of youths and adults with developmental disabilities entered the community needing housing, jobs, and healthcare options. The 1990’s saw an increase in HARC’s employment programs that successfully assists hundreds of individuals with disabilities find long-term community-based employment. In 2001, HARC opened one of the only residential facilities in the nation for consumers with Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. That same year, HARC was invited to become a member of the ElderLink Consortium whose mission is to link homebound elderly citizens with community-based services.
In 2000, HARC was an agency that received consultation from the Florida Outcome Improvement Project (FOIP). The FOIP is an intensive strategic planning organization housed at the University of South Florida that increases organizations’ abilities to offer consumer-centered programming. In 2001, HARC opened one of the only residential facilities in the nation for consumers with Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. That same year, HARC was invited to become a member of the ElderLink Consortium whose mission is to link homebound elderly citizens with community-based services.
In 2001, HARC opened one of only two group homes in the nation, serving individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. HARC was the first local organization to spearhead a community inclusion program with a grant from the City of Tampa that enabled HARC to hire a full-time Community Inclusion Specialist whose sole focus is creating community partnerships that lead to inclusion activities for youths, adults and seniors with disabilities. In 2004, HARC received the Beverly Chapman Award for Outstanding Employment Program given by the Florida Governor’s Alliance for the Employment of Citizens with Disabilities and an advocacy brochure created by HARC won a top design and content prize at the Tampa Bay Addy Awards held in February.
Today, HARC continues the mission of its founding families. All of HARC’s programs have specific goals and measurable outcomes that have been carefully crafted by consumers and stakeholders. HARC’s objective in all aspects of its operations is to develop and implement consumer-centered programs and services and to partner with the community and stakeholders to ensure that people with developmental disabilities have the resources and opportunities required to achieve their potential within the community.
Since the acquisition of a full-time grant writer in 2001, 30 percent of the overall organizational budget is comprised of funding sources other than the state reimbursement. For example, HARC is one of the highest funded organizations in Hillsborough County, Florida, obtaining funding for the rehabilitation of sites, to support community inclusion, and to acquire new facilities to serve more people. HARC also receives funding on a federal level from the Florida Department of Transportation to provide transportation to over 200 individuals with disabilities. Since 2001, HARC has received grant funding to support elder care programs and community integration programs from the USAA Corporation, Florida Attorney General’s Office, United Way of Tampa Bay, the Able Trust, City of Tampa, the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, the Saunders Foundation, the Glazer Family Foundation, the Kaul Foundation and the Sieben Foundation.
HARC was the first local organization to spearhead a community inclusion program with a grant from the City of Tampa that enabled HARC to hire a full-time Community Inclusion Specialist whose sole focus is creating community partnerships that lead to inclusion activities for youths, adults and seniors with disabilities. In 2004, HARC received the Beverly Chapman Award for Outstanding Employment Program given by the Florida Governor’s Alliance for the Employment of Citizens with Disabilities and an advocacy brochure created by HARC one a top design and content prize at the Tampa Bay Addy Awards held in February.
In 2005, HARC developed HomeLink, an innovative program in which individuals with developmental disabilities provide chore services to at risk, homebound, elderly in our community.
HARC continues the mission of its founding families and has continued to build on the legacy of our founding parents by creating and implementing person-centered programs for individuals with disabilities, and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities to reach their potential.