In 1956, a group of dedicated parents created the Opportunity Center to provide a school for children with disabilities. The center has evolved drastically over the years, all while operating under one mission: providing training, advocacy, and support to individuals with disabilities so they can feel empowered to achieve their life goals.
With the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Act in 1975, integration was at the forefront of educational policy, and the center shifted its focus to assisting with vocational skills. This was evidenced when the group purchased Pinocchio’s Restaurant and offered clients employment.
“The restaurant was in the community for many years and then transitioned into the concession stand at the Bingo Hall,” said executive director Sally Phillips. “The concession stand still provides paying jobs for our clients. The Opportunity Center has focused more on teaching independent living skills than vocational skills in recent years.”
In 2021, the agency consolidated two working sites into one at 3560 New Hartford Road, and legally changed its name from Arc of Owensboro to the Opportunity Center of Owensboro.
The center offers services through the Supports for Community Living and Michelle P. Medicaid waivers. Those services range from adult day training and case management to community living supports and personal care services.
“We are proud to have served Owensboro and the surrounding area for over 60 years,” Phillips said. “Just like Owensboro, we have changed and progressed since our inception. We have always been an active provider in the community, with the willingness to serve and support as many people as possible.”
Phillips said the center embodies the Owensboro community’s family atmosphere and strives to make people feel cared for and welcomed.
For more information, visit the Opportunity Center on Facebook here or access its website here.
“The clients we serve have various interests, and we strive to serve them by addressing their individual life goals,” she said. “We have clients that have been with the agency since it started as a school. Rich history combined with dedicated staff is what makes us the right place to come for services.”
By John Kirkpatrick The Owensboro Times