HISTORY
DePaul Community Resources traces its roots to St. Vincent’s Home in Roanoke which closed in 1975. On March 1, 1977, The Achievement Center Specialized Foster Care, Inc. was incorporated on the grounds of the former St. Vincent’s Home. The Achievement Center was a residential school for children with learning disabilities. In addition to placing children with special needs in foster care, Specialized Foster Care had a weekend program for students attending the Achievement Center. Each organization gradually evolved with the Achievement Center closing its residential program in 1978 and this organization moving to separate offices in 1979.
In 1981, the name was changed to DePaul Children’s Services. As with the former orphanage, this organization is named after St. Vincent DePaul who lived in the 17th century helping the poor and caring for children. The Achievement Center and DePaul Children’s Services continued to share an Administrator and office staff until 1984 when the remaining ties were dissolved.
Although the organization continues to carry the name DePaul in recognition of the saint’s care for children and others in need, it became an independent not-for-profit corporation in 2005. It is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of members of the community from many backgrounds.
Over the years, our organization has opened additional offices and developed new programs:
1987: Lynchburg office opened
1990: Christiansburg office opened
1991: Developmental Disabilities Program started
1992: Organization’s name changed to DePaul Family Services
1992: Charlottesville office opened
1995: Abingdon office opened
1995: Clinical Services Program started
2000: Adoption Program started
2001: Waynesboro office opened
2002: Danville office opened
2005: Harrisonburg & Cedar Bluff offices opened
2007: Amelia office opened
2008: South Boston office opened
In 2009, our name changed again to DePaul Community Resources. This name change encompasses the broad range of services we provide to individuals in our communities, as well as our traditional clients in foster care adoption and developmental disabilities. At the present time we serve over 800 clients and have a staff of approximately 300.