The Stevens Center
Mission Statement
The Stevens Center provides people with disabilities opportunity to pursue
their dreams as part of the community.
The Stevens Center is a nonprofit agency located in Sanford, North Carolina. The Stevens Center philosophy is based on treating all people, including those with disabilities, as equals and with respect. Services provided by the Stevens Center are designed to provide the support people with disabilities need to be an active member of the community, to empower rather than control.
The Stevens Center began as an idea in the 1980's by Jane Stevens. Ms. Stevens had created and begun teaching a Sunday school class for youths with disabilities in the mid 1970's. In 1989 Ms. Stevens told Ron Huber, a father of a daughter with an intellectual disability, that she wanted to donate a parcel of land to be used "to create a place where people with disabilities were treated like first class people." A nonprofit agency, the Stevens Foundation, was created to accept the donation and begin making that dream a reality. In 2007 the agency name was changed to the Stevens Center.
In 2001, after years of fundraising and planning, construction of an education/recreational facility began. The facility was dedicated in May, 2002. The center was run entirely by volunteers until January 2004, when an executive director was hired.
From this point on the employee base has grown, but volunteers continue to play a key role. Volunteers permit the organization to provide services to people in the community with disabilities at a reasonable cost.
Donations to the Stevens Center are tax deductible as permitted by law.
1576 Kelly Drive
Sanford NC 27330
www.stevenscenter.org
The Stevens Center is a 15,500 square foot multipurpose facility designed to support the Center in meeting its mission. The Center is located at 1576 Kelly Drive, 1 mile east of Central Carolina Community College and the Dennis Wicker Civic Center.
All rooms of the Center are designed to accommodate persons with disabilities. Features of the Center include:
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Multi-Purpose Room/Gymnasium |
Locker Room |
Kitchen |
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Computer Resource Lab |
Classroom (The Red Room) |
Main Hallway |
We would love for you to come by and tour our facility. We also welcome group tours with prior reservations.
COLLABORATIVE AGENCIES
From its beginning the Center realized that in order to meet its goals it needed to collaborate with other agencies that provide programs and services to assist individuals with developmental disabilities in our community. The following organizations have offices in the Center or have representatives on the Center's board of directors:
The Arc of the USA
is a national organization of and for people with mental retardation and related
developmental disabilities and their families. The Arc was founded in 1950 by a
small group of parents and other concerned individuals who wanted to improve the
quality of life for persons with mental retardation and related developmental
disabilities. Today, this grassroots organization, with over 140,000 members,
work to ensure that the estimated 7.2 million Americans with mental retardation
have the services and supports they need to grow, develop and live in
communities across the nation.
The Arc of Lee County, formed September 1997, is a chapter
of The Arc of North Carolina and has worked
hard to support and enhance the quality of life for persons with developmental
disabilities and their families. This has been accomplished by promoting
community integration and development of friendships by providing social and
recreational programs, providing information and support, workshops and
seminars, promoting public awareness, and encouraging persons with developmental
disabilities to speak up for themselves, make choices in their life, and pursue
their goals and dreams. Everything the Arc of Lee County has accomplished has
been possible due to the support offered by parents, professionals, and caring
members of our community.
In addition the above the Center provides conference rooms, classrooms and and other facilities to many other support agencies at little or no cost.