marcfirst - Normal, IL - About marcfirst

marcfirst's mission is to guarantee the personal dignity of people with developmental disabilities and to promote their personal achievements based on their dreams, desires and abilities.

marcfirst’s vision is to become a bridge to a community where all people can pursue and achieve their dreams throughout their lives.

marcfirst will endeavor to operate under the following principles:

We support people and promote individual abilities based on their hopes and dreams throughout their lifetime.
We treat people with dignity and respect.
We promote an atmosphere of personal growth, development and continuous quality improvement.
We value a diverse community for all.
We value a partnership within our community.

marcfirst's services are for people who
1) have a developmental disability including mental retardation, autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and have the need for support in three or more life-function areas; and
2) infants from birth to age eight who have a developmental disability or delay or who are at risk of delay.

marcfirst has been a leader in the field of the developmentally disabled for more than 50 years. Through many evolutions in its history marcfirst stands today as a not-for-profit agency dedicated to the personal dignity of people with developmental disabilities and to helping people with developmental disabilities achieve their dreams, desires, and abilities.

marcfirst is supported through its annual fund drive, individual and corporate donations and sponsorships, grants from private foundations and from the State of Illinois.

marcfirst was started in 1955 by a group of families of children with disabilities in order to provide support to each other and to their children during a period in American history when children with disabilities were often excluded from the public school system.

On November 18, 1955 the original non-profit corporation was incorporated as the McLean County Association for Mentally Retarded Children, which was later changed to Marc Center in 1980 and to marcfirst in 2007. The agency started as a school serving five students. By 1972, the program had increased to 36 students, five classrooms, and five teachers with aides. In the fall of 1979, a federal court decision held that school districts would be required to provide appropriate programs for children with developmental disabilities between ages 3 and 21, so these children entered the public school system. marcfirst continues to provide supports for families of children in the public school system through advocacy, linkage supports and transition planning for students
finishing school.

As young people developed into adults, young adults and their families faced new challenges. There were limited options for families to find adult living situations for their adult child with disabilities. The children often remained at home until their parents were too aged to care for them or they were institutionalized far from their families. These family concerns precipitated the development of various residential supports by marcfirst. In 1979, marcfirst began providing community residential alternatives. Over the past several years, marcfirst established group homes for adults and children, apartment buildings, H/IP (Home/Individual Program) homes and other alternatives based on the needs of the individuals we supported. Our goal has always been to provide an array of housing options that will enable families to remain close to their adult children and yet provide the adult child with the opportunity to maintain their independence and choice in where and with whom they live.

Another challenge historically faced by families and their adult children was how to support adults with developmental disabilities in having a meaningful day. Originally, people with disabilities were sent to sheltered workshops or developmental training centers. These environments did not allow for individuals to integrate into the community. In 1995 marcfirst closed its sheltered workshop and began to assist people with developmental disabilities develop vocational skills and gain employment in our community by providing supports for the persons in the community or in their work environment. Our focus is to help individuals with developmental disabilities develop natural supports in our community as part of a meaningful life.

Today, marcfirst provides a continuum of services and supports for families, children and adults throughout their live-time including residential, vocational development, employment, respite, community, and early intervention supports. Our early intervention program called SPICE provides therapeutic services including physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and developmental therapy to infants and children from birth to age three who have a developmental disability or delay, or who are at risk of delay. Therapeutic services are also available for children through age 12 on a fee-for-service basis.