VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - The Lowndes Advocacy Resource Center (LARC) is a private non-profit agency dedicated to serving adults with disabilities.

Now LARC serves approximately 150 people from Lowndes, Echols, Cook, Lanier, Berrien, Brooks and Tift counties at its Main Center, Recycling Center and in the community.

LARC Executive Director Dr. Harry Hamm said, “When COVID came, many of the other centers who offer services like we do closed their doors thinking they were going to reopen [after the pandemic]. But they never did, so we picked up the slack.”

Hamm said thanks to the donation of the neighboring building, LARC was able to hire additional staff and expand services to more critical-need individuals.

For the last 55 years, LARC’s mission has been to enhance the quality of life for each individual served.

Hamm said, “We teach them things that are lifelong skills, and its very important. But primarily they get to come to a place where they are with their friends and colleagues, and they get activities for six hours a day.”

LARC has acquired another building, hired additional staff to meet the demand and extend services to consumers with critical needs. In addition, they teach skills and create job opportunities.

For consumers like T’Challa Brown, without LARC, he said, “I’d be bored for real.”

Brown said he has learned skills like cleaning and yard work, but more importantly, he’s built relationships.

“They are more like my family here. They are like my family we go out, we talk, we laugh, we cry. Even though I’m a little bit of jokester, I like to make people laugh,” he said.

On Tuesday, May 27, LARC hosted its annual meeting with a group activity, this year’s theme was “Once Upon A Time.” Consumers dressed in fairy tale costumes and told the story of LARC.

Hamm said, “We believe in choice and if they choose to come here and to enjoy what they do at this place, then that’s what we want them to do.”

Now LARC is planning for the next 55 years as the services continue to be critical in the community.

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