MARC Non-Profit

BY MAGGIE OLIVE KLEIN 

KONKLIFE STAFF WRITER AND EDITOR 

The Monroe Association for Remarkable Citizens (MARC) is a non-profit agency that serves developmentally disabled adults within Monroe County. MARC has been operating for over 50 years, and prioritizes acceptance and interaction for the developmentally and intellectually disabled. As said on the website, marchouse.org, “MARC provides numerous services for our clients. These services are designed to ensure that each client receives training and support that enhances his or her individual abilities to understand daily community routines and learn social, self-care, vocational skills.” MARC is dedicated to the work that they provide to the community, and strive to normalize the lives of their clients, as well as grant them the space to socialize and enjoy their lives. 

One of the many missions of MARC is to ensure that all people are valued and contributing citizens through providing training and long term support within obtaining and sustaining paid employment. Through supporting clients with employment, MARC has various clients that work at Fausto’s, Publix, Naval Air Station, and Dairy Queen. 

Rosi Ware, a well known, recognizable and involved Key West local recently stopped working for MARC, after having hip surgery. She worked for the non-profit for 22 years, and speaks very highly of the experiences she had. Ware worked within community inclusion for clients, so she planned events like going to the movies, attending festivals, going to the beach, having meals, etc. Ware says, “Some of the outings are little but big experiences. Everybody enjoyed the times we spent together, we did loads of different things, and the community was always so nice to us. Key West is so accepting.” She goes on to say that nobody has filled her role since she left back in the Spring, and that the program could benefit from having someone fulfill the position. Ware explains that clients are provided with different activities by MARC that sharpen certain basic life skills, but emphasizes the importance of having a social life and participating in outings, which is why the weekly activities Ware used to plan were so important. 

The staff at MARC do honorable work for their clients, by helping them navigate a world that they might have a hard time doing on their own. Ware describes her role as mainly teaching clients how to behave in public, as well as developing social skills, and fundamentals of finances, by taking them shopping, advising on how to tip in restaurants, and how to interact with others. Ware noted that the group she worked with was usually better behaved than most children! The work she did with the program was absolutely incredible, and the role should be filled by somebody that is as passionate as Ware. 

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