In 1972, the ARC Nature Coast began an adult training program for 30 intellectually and physically challenged individuals on a former chicken farm. Back in August they celebrated the opening of a new group home that serves 6 residents, while the construction of two more group homes is underway. However, the administration offices on the Neff Lake Campus are still housed in what was the chicken run, while the enrichment center operates out of the original farmhouse built in the 1950’s.
Walking through the buildings, it is evident that not many renovations have taken place since the original remodel in the mid 1970’s by prison laborers. There is a narrow workspace that doubles as a kitchen, small common areas, well worn cabinets and flooring, and a hodge podge of furnishings. Yet smiles, hugs, and warm greetings abound when you step through the doors, a stark contrast to their well used surroundings. The joy of The Arc’s clients is a testament to the service they receive here.
The clients at Neff Lake face more severe intellectual and physical disabilities than those being served at the newly built educational facility in Spring Hill. Additionally, with recent medical advancements this population is living longer. Although this is great news, there are challenges that come with this gift.
Nancy Stubbs explained that those with Down’s Syndrome are more commonly affected by Alzheimer’s Disease which requires close care. Another factor relates to how a longer lifespan affects caregiving dynamics. Nearly 75% of those with intellectual and physical disabilities are cared for by their parents. It is now common for this population to outlive their caregiver parents or outlive their parents’ ability to care for them. This makes the demand even greater for the one on one services provided at the Neff Lake campus and it’s likely to increase in the future with the growth of the county.
It was not on purpose that their “most challenged population” is being served at The Arc’s most run down facilities, stated Mark Barry, Executive Director of The Arc Nature Coast. Barry explained that about five years ago, the Arc Nature Coast was awarded a grant to construct a new facility for their Enrichment Center that would also double as a hurricane shelter on the Neff Lake Campus. Senator Mike Fasano at the time was instrumental in securing the funds. However, the county determined that the sparsely populated and heavily wooded Neff Lake area was not an ideal location for a hurricane shelter. Instead, the county donated a 6 and a half acre parcel of land in the heart of Spring Hill off of Mariner Blvd for an enrichment center. Today that center serves 120 physically and intellectually disabled individuals who live throughout the county.
However, the need for such a facility on their Neff Lake campus persists. The families of potential clients naturally wish to have their loved ones cared for at a state of the art facility like the Spring Hill Center. However, for clients with greater needs, that facility is not set up to provide the individual attention required, whereas the Neff Lake facility is. Although the buildings are dated, many families overlook that because their hearts are won over by the staff and quality of care at the Neff Lake Campus, explained Barry. He described the clientele at the Neff Lake Campus as a melting pot of our community with families on both ends of the financial spectrum who look beyond the aging buildings.
Barry also explained that The Arc is a private, nonprofit organization and they do not have the entitlements that government entities do have. It is directly up to the community to support them and any improvements that need to be made. “If we don’t do it as a community, it won’t happen,” stated Barry. It is also an investment in the community. Many people moving to the area look for these types of resources, Barry added.
The Arc Nature Coast is working with Legislators Blaise Ingoglia and Wilton Simpson to procure $850,000 in State funding for the new enrichment facility. However, they will need at least $500,000 more from private community donors. If the state funding does not come through, then that number will be higher, Barry explained. So far the community response has been strong. Private and corporate donors have given $150,000 to date for the enrichment facility.
The new facility will be 6105 square feet under air. One side of the building will be devoted to sensory activities while the other side will be devoted to supporting memory, each with large multi-purpose rooms. On the sensory side, there will be a room for sensory therapy, while the memory side will have a computer lab. The building will also have a classroom, a conference room, kitchen, 4 bathrooms and office space.
Other developments on the horizon for the new year at the Neff Lake Campus include the construction of three more group homes which will serve 6 residents apiece. Two homes have been funded through the Florida Home Finance Corporation program at $367,000 each and are expected to be finished in June 2016. The County is required to give at least 20% of their annual SHIP (State Housing Initiatives Partnership) funding to special needs housing. SHIP funding is an incentive by the state to provide affordable housing to those in need. The county allocated $150,000 in SHIP funding to the construction costs of the two group homes. These homes will be similar to the first home completed last Summer. When all is said and done, The Arc Nature Coast hopes to support 24 people in residence and 75 through day services on their Neff Lake Campus.
I wrote about a Neff Lake resident and day client named Ann back in August when she spoke at the opening of the first group home. On my tour of the current enrichment facility, I had the privilege of meeting her again along with many of her friends. She said that she is loving her new home and looks forward to a new enrichment facility. Since I visited a few days before Christmas, she was excited for the upcoming holiday. “Merry Christmas to everyone,” Ann stated.
The Arc Nature Coast will honor their donors through various naming opportunities, engraved pavers, and a giving tree display. Mark Barry stated that the facility will “serve the population for years to come.”