VARC celebrates their 50th anniversary of being in business on March 28 of this year, founded in 1975 in Viroqua, WI. VARC is nonprofit organization dedicated to providing residential, vocational, and community services to adults and children with disabilities and other life barriers.
In the 1970’s a group of parents and educators in Viroqua, WI were active in championing the needs of people with disabilities. They succeeded in getting special education services started in Viroqua, Westby, and Cashton schools. The group also had a goal of starting a day services care program for adults with disabilities to help participants develop skills in daily living, socialization, education, employment, and community integration. In April of 1975 the HOPEFUL Center (Helping Our People Enjoy Full and Useful Lives) began its mission by providing services to 6 clients in two rooms of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Viroqua. The number of clients and employees quickly grew, and they began adding additional space and locations to accommodate. In 1979 the nonprofit organization renamed to become VARC (Vernon Area Rehabilitation Center) to serve disabled adults, later adding additional facilities and serving about 70 clients, transportation for 60 clients, and employing a staff of 28 people. The number of VARC programs were also growing, offering Day Services, transportation, housing options, and employment. VARC provided employment options with furniture restoration and contracted assembled work at their facility, also helped clients with employment options at businesses in the community.
The organization purpose and mission of VARC is to develop and provide meaningful employment, skill-building, and community inclusion services for individuals with varying abilities and other life barriers. Tony Ugo was one of the original instructors, advocates, and CEO of VARC. His daughter, Liz Filter, continued the legacy by becoming VARC President | CEO. “As we reflect on our growth, we are realizing just how much we have to be proud of and grateful for. We especially want to think of VARC’s first leaders. The formative vision of Tony Ugo and Dawn Simonson’s compassionate legacy are still deeply felt half a century later, and will continue to reverberate throughout the organization going forward. I am thankful for the dedication, kindness, and empathy of our current employees to serve clients that will carry VARC forward the next 50 years.”
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During its 50 years in operation, VARC has had strong and steady growth, now with 13 total locations in Wisconsin including Viroqua, La Crosse, Portage, Mauston, Baraboo, Reedsburg, Richland Center, Racine and Burlington. Today, VARC serves nearly 1,000 individuals with disabilities across Wisconsin and has about 250 staff. Additional VARC services have evolved over time, now including Day Services, Employment Services, residential programs, transportation, recovery-informed services, licensed childcare, child and youth programs, and customized community-based services tailored to individual needs. VARC is committed to empowering their clients to achieve their goals and live fulfilling lives and make a positive impact in the community.
VARC remains one of the state’s broadest disability service providers and advocates for people with disabilities. Participants in VARC’s programs could have a variety of disabilities and other barriers to employment, including developmental disabilities, cognitive and behavioral support needs, autism, down syndrome, ADHD, recovery from addiction, mental health diagnoses, or physical disabilities. “Instead of focusing on their disability and what they cannot do, we look at their abilities, interests, and what contributions they can make.” explained Shelby Neubauer, VARC Director of Client Services. VARC embraces individualism and is dedicated to helping clients realize their potential.
VARC’s seven production facilities allow them to partner with commercial businesses to provide contract assembly, labeling, and packaging services while providing a diverse range of employment opportunities integrating individuals with and without disabilities. VARC is a third-party contract manufacturer that is well-suited to handle assembly, sub-assembly, packaging, labeling, warehousing, fulfillment, and food grade packaging. Manufacturers may delegate the production of certain components or the entire assembly of a product with efficiency and precision. Businesses can contact VARC for an estimate to outsource manufacturing, packaging, contract assembly, and sub-assembly for consistent production schedules or a one-time project.
