The ARK History
- Started in 1996 as a Community outreach of
St. Luke's Lutheran Church (www.sllc.org),
Initially serving 13 families.
- In 2004, a bus was acquired through
grant funds to help families attend
- In 2010, The ARK operates a four-day
a week Summerville program with ten participants per day serving the
Tri-county, Orangeburg and Colleton County
- A Satellite respite day is offered
in rural St. George serving families in Dorchester, Colleton and
Orangeburg counties
- To date over 450 families have been
served with countless others receiving information and referral to
other services.
The ARK's efforts and expertise have been
recognized by the SAGE Institute (in collaboration with the South
Carolina Hospital Association and the Duke Endowment) with a 2004
Geriatric Best Practices Award. The ARK's presentation was one of
sixteen programs chosen (out of two hundred sites interviewed) to be
honored. In addition, government agencies such as the Lt. Governor's
Office on Aging and the local Area Agency on Aging have selected The ARK
as a model respite program for replication across South Carolina.
The ARK has gained a reputation as a refuge for families who are coping
with caring for people with dementia and as a community information and
referral source. On a daily basis, The ARK receives referrals from area
physicians, The Alzheimer's Association, programs at the Medical
University of South Carolina, churches, and other agencies. The ARK has
cultivated a wide network of geriatric resources in the Lowcountry, and
these relationships have proven invaluable as sources of help for the
families served. Collaboration with other groups has been the key to The
ARK's success. The ARK has successfully administered grants from the
Alzheimer's Resource Coordination Center, as well as grants from other
local, state, and national foundations and organizations.
The ARK's respite programs in Summerville and St. George 2009
statistics:
| ►
Hours of Respite --- 9,350 |
►
Volunteer Hours (Respite Only)
--- 6,302 |
| ►
Scholarships Given --- $22,961 |
►
Support Group Attendance
--- 435 |
| ►
Outreach/Education --- Hundreds |
►
Bus Mileage ---
17,079 |
|
