A year ago members of the Arc of Missouri piled 5,000 shoes onto the floor of the State Capitol rotunda to represent the number of people with developmental disabilities waiting for state services.

What a difference a year makes.        

Last week, members of the advocacy group honored…

For most of us, spending time with friends and families is the highlight of our holidays. Nobody wants to be alone when it seems the rest of the world is celebrating.

That’s why staff members at BCFR’s supported living sites went out of their way this…

     If you want proof that early intervention can make all the difference for a child with a developmental disability and his family, you need look no further than 11-year-old Brayden.  He is a portrait of hope.                     

     Brayden, who lives in Boone County with…

Maureen had little hope that volunteers last summer with Lose The Training Wheels could teach her son how to ride a two-wheel bike. She's thrilled to admit she was wrong.

In less than a week, 12-year-old James and other young people with developmental disabilities were pedaling across the parking lot of Christian…

What Nancy wants for her 12-year-old son is what most parents want for their children – a happy life and independence.

Alex is happy, but for him, reaching self-sufficiency will require a mix of education, therapies and family and community support. Alex, who has Cerebral Palsy and…

Daniel has always wanted to be a police officer. Ask him what he wants to do for a living, and he’ll answer, “Stop the bad boys.” His favorite characters on television are the investigators on Law and Order and CSI.

So when staff at the BCFR…

Every Monday through Friday, Norma Anderson oversees the “cat room” at the Central Missouri Humane Society. Sometimes she cleans cages. Other times she refills food bowls and makes sure the felines have plenty of water, especially on hot summer days. But best of all, Norma…

Tina was overwhelmed with her daughter’s diagnosis: Autism and a learning disability. She knew 5-year-old Adora needed help, but she didn’t know where to turn for assistance. That changed last year when the Jones family moved to Columbia and discovered Boone County Family Resources and he…