1951 -- Reverend Samuel Orr Capers organizes the San Antonio Council for Retarded Children; at the request of the Council, the San Antonio School District opens 2 classes for children with mental retardation

1953 -- Child Development Center for pre-school children with mental retardation and children with special needs above the age Of six is organized and housed in the basement of Central Christian Church with a grant from the Junior League

1954 -- The San Antonio Council for Retarded Children Is chartered, beginning the official 50-year Journey

1956 -- First year of United Way funding (then known as United Fund)

1958 -- First year of serving adults with mental retardation

1959 -- Received first federal grant through the Department of Health to establish an Opportunity Workshop and Training Center

1961 -- Broke ground for a new facility that would house the new Opportunity Workshop (the facility built was at 227 West Drexel -- the current location of the Center for Health Care Services)

1966 -- New Child Development Center Is dedicated and opened

1966 -- Name of Council changed to San Antonio Association for Retarded Children

1967 -- Completed an addition to the facility that housed the Opportunity Workshop

1971 -- Moved into new Group Activity Center

1974 -- Name is changed from the San Antonio Association for Retarded Children to the San Antonio Association for Retarded Citizens

1981 -- Name is changed to the Association for Retarded Citizens - San Antonio

1982 -- Dove Manor, a semi-Independent apartment program was established

1985 -- Developed after school and summer programs for children with special needs

1985 -- Opened two group homes: Mayfair and Sunny Grove

1988 -- Transferred responsibility of residential services to Reaching Maximum independence (RMI)

1992 -- Received first state contract from the Department of Human Services for a collaborative demonstration project to bring a comprehensive approach to early childhood development

1993 -- Received state contracts from the Department of Human Services to facilitate the Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) program and from the Department of Health to facilitate the Comprehensive School-based Case Management (CSCM) Program

1994- Adopted the DBA (doing business as) The Arc of San Antonio (the name we are known for today)

1998 -- Opened Project Choice adult day habilitation program

1999 -- Began Phase I of Building Safety and Renovation Campaign (purchased faculty on West Avenue - our current home - in 2000)

2002 -- Completed Phase I of the Building Safety and Renovation Campaign, which included a brand new parking lot in the back of the faculty, new accessible ramps, new flooring and renovation of bathrooms; Phase I also enabled The Arc to reduce the debt owed on the building by $500,000

2003 -- Inauguration of young adult program, serving 18 young adults with developmentally appropriate summer programming

2004 -- Celebrating 50 years of serving children and adults with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities with an array of programs and service.

2005 -- Completed Phase II of the Building Safety and Renovation Campaign which included finishing out the second floor for administrative and case management offices, leaving the first floor entirely for day programs.

2006 -- Launched pilot program for the Green Clean Team, a vocational training & employment program for adults with developmental disabilties.

2007 -- Began "Growing to Serve" Capital Campaign to purchase and renovate the former YMCA on Wurzbach Rd. into a second location for the Arc's childcare and young adult programs.

2008 -- Completed Phase 1 & 2 of the "Growing to Serve" Campaign and opened the 12,000 s.f. Pam Stephens Center for weekday Life enrichment programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities.  Also made the gymnasium and classrooms at this site available free of charge to other nonprofits in the evenings and on weekends for programs that serve people with disabiltiies.