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Organizations, like people, have their own distinct character. At the Centers, the things we do and how we do them are based on our history, our shared values, and our vision of the future.

About Us

History

 

woman and little girlboy helps his friend who is on crutchesAt the end of the World War II, a group of parents and professionals joined together to address the needs of children with disabilities in Central New York. They formed the Cerebral Palsy Association of Ithaca, NY and began by providing physical therapies for children with special needs. The Association's goal was to offer service options to individuals and families. It was a new opportunity for families to be able to keep their children with disabilities at home while they received needed therapies in a community setting, services once only offered in an institutional setting. By 1963, the agency's services had expanded to include Cortland, Tioga, Tompkins, and Schuyler Counties, prompting the Association's name change to The Special Children's Center.

 

Throughout the organization's history, our goal has always been to be responsive to the needs of individuals and their families. To accommodate this growing need and acknowledge the diversity of all individuals the Centers serves, The Special Children's Center changed its name in 1999 to Franziska Racker Centers in honor of the agency's Medical Director, Dr. Franziska Racker.  Today Franziska Racker Centers offers people with disabilities (newborns to senior citizens) and their families a wide range of individualized programs, services, supports, and opportunities to reach goals of their own choosing. Franziska Racker Centers is a nonprofit dedicated to helping people improve their quality of life. 

 

Click here to view a printable historical timeline of Franziska Racker Centers!