DCRC-Disability Community Resource Center

The Disability Community Resource Center (DCRC) is a Center for Independent Living dedicated to supporting the equality of life for people with all kinds of disabilities. The goal of our peer-led programs and services is the elimination of economic, social, attitudinal and environmental barriers people with disabilities face in their daily lives. Independent living for persons with disabilities means achieving self-determination, the least restricted style of living, and the fullest possible participation in community life. This includes access to the same opportunities and resources that are available to people without disabilities. The Disability Community Resource Center was established to facilitate independent living for people with disabilities through a variety of non-residential programs and services by:

• increasing the individual’s ability to deal effectively with environmental, social, economic, and attitudinal barriers, through education, access to information, and advocacy;
• supporting and providing services conducted predominantly by peers;
• recruiting persons with disabilities for staff positions that offer various levels of career training, experience, and growth;
• supporting the formation and activities of both formal and informal groups in the disability community dealing with disability issues;
• assisting people with and without disabilities in promoting public policies to eliminate obstacles and discrimination against people with disabilities through issue based advocacy and education.

The Center finances these activities with public grants and service contracts and private grants and donations. The Center accepts funds to provide specific services to individuals in the Center’s service area that do not duplicate appropriate and adequate services offered by other organizations or businesses. The Center also accepts funds that are not restricted in purpose to provide issue based education and advocacy, services not otherwise funded, and to support the facility as a meeting place. The Board of Directors must be and staff are primarily persons with disabilities and serve as role models and leaders. The members of the Board, which includes DCRC members, bring a broad range of disability experiences and community access. The staff positions at the Center provide opportunities for various levels of career training as well as the base for peer-conducted services.