At F.C. Tucker we talk a lot about “paying our civic rent,” so for the month of November, we would like to express our gratitude to the many organizations and individuals who serve their communities tirelessly and make Indiana a better place to live and work. We obviously can’t highlight everyone, but we would like to salute these 30 organizations that are making a difference.
30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 8: Damar Services
Damar Services was founded 50 years ago by Theodore and Beverly Farkas with the goal of providing support for individuals with disabilities and their families. The Farkas named the organization after their children who both had developmental disabilities, David and Martha. The organization now helps over 1,500 clients and families each day.
Damar Services offers a range of services to children and adults with varying needs. Damar’s services allow clients to address specific needs while receiving cutting-edge treatments from industry leaders. Damar’s service team is top notch and is the reason why Damar Services is, “a national leader among organizations serving children and adults with developmental and behavioral disabilities.” They offer these services through several channels: outpatient services and education. Outpatient services include: counseling, behavior management, and intensive behavior intervention. These same services are also offered in Damar’s two educational institutions: Damar Charter Academy and Damar Academy. This past year, 22 students graduated from Damar schools.
In some cases, it may be in the client’s best interest to relocate and receive care on a 24/7 basis. Damar Services’ residential facilities and group homes allow individuals with disabilities to receive the care and services they need to gain greater independence. Residential facilities are designed to mimic a village and are available to school-aged children. If, however, individuals with disabilities are living on their own, they are eligible to receive independent living services. These services can include anything from finding employment to managing finances. Of course, any type of move can prove to be very alarming for clients. Damar has addressed this challenge by offering transitional services. Damar transitional services team is equipped to address anything from counseling to community integration.
With all the changes and difficult decisions that come with a diagnosis, parents are often left feeling overwhelmed and underprepared. Damar Services has designed programs to help parents cope with this often-confusing process. Parent Voices is a group designed for parents to meet other parents in similar situations. They host everything from workshops on disability-related topics to informal social gatherings. If parents are in need a break, respite care is also available on a short-term, in-home care basis. A Damar staff member will come into the family’s home and learn the client’s routine to ensure the best possible care for the client.
If that was not enough, Damar Services also functions as a fully licensed, not-for-profit child placement agency. Damar processes potential foster parents, in turn teaching them what it means to be a foster parent and what they will have to do to assume responsibility of foster children. It is important to note that even though Damar Services primarily works with children with disabilities in their other services, children in the foster-care system will not necessarily have disabilities. The Damar Foster Care Services team offers numerous services to ensure foster family success including: specialized training and education, licensing support, 24-hour crisis intervention, respite, and many others.
