EP!C

EP!C Inc is a comprehensive support and services organization dedicated to empowering individuals with developmental disabilities and their families since its founding in 1950. Established by a group of Peoria-area parents seeking to provide education and opportunity for children with disabilitiesservices that were unprecedented at the timeEP!C was... originally incorporated in 1957 as the Peoria Council for Mentally Retarded Children and later evolved through organizational name changes to become the Peoria Association of Retarded Citizens (PARC) before adopting its current name in 2013, which stands for Empower People, Inspiring Capabilities. Under the leadership of founding visionary Barbara Smiley, who served as the organization's first Executive Director, EP!C developed a mission-driven approach to helping individuals discover their potential and cultivate their abilities regardless of diagnosis. The organization expanded significantly throughout the late 1960s and beyond, establishing the Allied Agencies Center to provide comprehensive support services at a single location and founding Illinois's first early intervention program for children from birth to age three. EP!C's service portfolio grew to include residential care, respite services for families needing temporary support, and specialized programming tailored to individual needs. The organization operated two major residential facilitiesthe 56-bed Barbara P. Smiley Living Center established in 1970 and a 114-bed facility in West Peoria opened in 1977and subsequently transitioned during the 1990s and early 2000s toward smaller, community-based homes that prioritize personalized care and integration. As EP!C expanded its programs and service locations throughout the Peoria region, the organization consolidated its operations into a centralized facility on Townline Road in 1995 to enhance efficiency and coordination. From its initial service to ten individuals, EP!C has grown to serve over 600 people, establishing itself as a trusted regional provider ...Read More