CARC, Inc. Celebrates 50 Years

    CARLSBAD, NM, February 23, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- For half a century, CARC, INC. has been dedicated to providing high-quality care and support to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, helping them lead fulfilling and independent lives.

CARC, INC. was started in 1973 by former Carlsbad, NM mayor, businessman and philanthropist Bob Forrest, his wife Barbara Forrest, along with the help of many local community leaders.

Inspiration for the initial services & facilities came from Gary Forrest, Bob and Barbara's son who was born with Down Syndrome in 1963. Gary sadly passed away in October of 2022 and has been widely celebrated as the catalyst that changed our local community forever. Prior to 1973, there weren't a significant number of support services in the community and region, motivating Bob, Barbara, and many passionate volunteers to create a set of local programs to help families and their loved ones manage developmental disabilities.

This 50th year of service to Carlsbad, the surrounding communities, and across the nation also marks a major milestone in care. CARC, INC. has served over 3000 children and 500 adults over that time.

Over 70% of children, from birth to age 3, that transition from CARC, INC's early childhood intervention program have not needed additional support services once entering our local school systems. The scale of the adult program has now grown to include 12 residential homes, multiple work sites for individuals, and provide over 440,000 hours of annual care and support.

"We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the individuals and families we have served, as well as to our staff, supporters, and partners. Without their support and dedication, we would not have been able to achieve this remarkable milestone. The CARC, INC. operations in Carlsbad have grown far beyond the initial dreams of its founders due to the non-stop support of the local community. In addition to our child development / day care facility and 12 group homes, the past 50 years have witnessed the addition of a Bargain Store, Country Store & Greenhouse, pecan orchards and Pecos Valley Pecans processing, a planter barrel rental service, and document shredding services all maintained by adult CARC, INC. clients. We're so proud to see how far the residential program and work opportunities have expanded over the years. Thank you to our many staff, volunteers, board members, and donors for helping us get this far in the organization's history." said Mark Schinnerer, CARC, INC. CEO

CARC, INC. will be celebrating its 50th anniversary all year long, culminating with an end-of-year Gala highlighting major milestones & key individuals from the past 5 decades.

Follow CARC on social media https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064593556248 for 3 important date announcements.

• Ribbon Cutting This Spring at the main CARC campus
• Spring opening of Country Store & Greenhouse
• October Gala at the Walter Gerrells Performing Arts and Exhibition Center

About CARC, INC: CARC, INC is a state licensed, 501c3 chartered to provide care and services to children and adults with developmental disabilities. For more information, please visit www.carcinc.org.

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