MANTECA CAPS

HISTORY

Note: we tried to include a many important events as possible. Some major donors have been omitted we are sure but they have been thanked at the time of the donation, we apologize for that.

1976 A group of concerned citizens contacted the Manteca Kiwanis and together founded Manteca "Handi-caps" (CAPS, Community Action Program and Services) in order to provide quality habilitation programs and services for disabled adults in Southern San Joaquin County. The first location is the old administration building donated by the City of Manteca.

1977 The Board of Directors incorporated and continued to pursue assistance for the disabled from City, County, State and Federal levels as well as private agencies, groups and clubs.

1978 Manteca Unified School District provided two full-time instructors and the Department of Rehabilitation awarded the program with a grant used to hire a full-time Director.

1979 The program was certified to provide Day Training and Activity Center services (DTAC) to developmentally disabled adults.  That same year, the City of Manteca began construction of a building to house the CAPS program and the Senior Citizens services. We became a member agency of the United Way and today Manteca CAPS continues to receive an annual allocation from them.

1980 Two local service organizations, the Soroptomist Club and the Lion’s Club, donated a 12-passenger van and we moved into the newly constructed facility located at the City of Manteca complex. 

1981 After five years our enrollment had doubled with an average attendance of 37 and we needed another van.

1982 We acquired another van with a wheelchair lift from Cal Trans.  During this time, CAPS was instrumental in bettering the community of disabled individuals by coordinating the designation of disabled parking spaces and installation of the necessary signs.

1983 Manteca CAPS’ first student graduated from the educational program to attend regular adult education classes and pursue her high school diploma.

1984 In order to use our funds more efficiently, we began the sometimes-painful process of computerizing our office procedures.  In addition, we began to explore funding options to provide additional space for the program as demand for services continued to grow.

1985 CAPS was one of six agencies to receive funds from the annual Bacon Bash charity football game between the San Joaquin Sheriff and Stockton Police Officers Association.

1986 We celebrated our 10th anniversary with an enrollment at 45, & three students graduating.

1987 Manteca CAPS was awarded a $122,000 Program Development Fund Grant from the State Department of Developmental Services to provide services for develop-menttally disabled adults who need a behavioral treatment program.

1988 This year brought about improved teaching techniques used at CAPS:  Work study and research projects conducted by The University of the Pacific Graduate Students helped to perfect our training techniques.

1989 Manteca Unified School District granted CAPS the use of three acres to house a new, larger home for our program.

1990 With assistance from the City of Manteca, S.H. Cowell Foundation, Bank of America Foundation, Security Pacific, Gannett Foundation, various community organizations, private donors and interested community members, we were able to move to the new facility on Austin Road on January 20, 1990.  We are licensed for eighty-four consumers.

1991 The San Joaquin County Special Education Class became CAPS’ new neighbors when they placed a building on the grounds.  Various Service Clubs and individuals raised funds to finish the landscaping project at the new facility.

1992 Manteca CAPS prepared to become a smoke free campus to cooperate and support the Manteca Unified School District program. Clients and staff went through an educational program.  Received a donation from Raymus Foundation to buy computer equipment for one of the classrooms.

1993 Leased two new much needed vans to expand the Community Program.  A new partition was placed in the Behavior Program.  Landscaping was completed on the East Side of the facility, including a sprinkler system.  CAPS became a smoke free campus.  Program Consultants were hired to restructure the Activity Center Program.  Indy Electronics donated a van.

1994 Received a $1000 donation from Kiwanis.  Programming continued with an average attendance of 81 clients per month for the year.  Senator Patrick Johnston held a press conference at our facility on the state of the State in regards to Developmental Disabilities.

1995 We began the development of a community inclusion program, called Volunteer Integration program (VIP), Person centered planning for clients which give them choices for their future.  The Students formed a chapter of the People First organization, a self-advocacy group.  The application to pay consumers based on their productivity was approved by the State and Federal Labor Department.  The Raymus Foundation gave CAPS a grant for computer equipment to, in part, help track all the outings.

1996 The Volunteer Integration Program [VIP] has been funded in part by a generous grant from the San Joaquin County United Way.  VIP helps people be included in the community. A Celebration took place in October to honor the twenty years CAPS has been in existence.

1997 Purchased two Chevy vans to help us in our goals of Community Involvement.  Revised the class curriculum and increased the number of volunteer sites. Staff organized their own group, the ASSET team and the Management team was defined to help with greater business efficiency and better delivery system.

1998 Obtained twelve-passenger van with wheelchair accessibility.  School District donated a large building we refurbished for large meetings and office space.  In Home Tutoring program to help home bound and hospitalized consumers was started.  Started the WAGES program through which we are now paying consumers for work performed.

1999 We purchased the buildings we have been renting for last 9 ½ years.  A $100,000 remodeling fund raising campaign started. It is not too late to participate in the 10/20 program. Manteca CAPS starts the Home Tutorial program to help on a one to one basis temporarily, off campus for students in transit or hospitalized.

2000 We started two new programs: PATCH, ratio 1:1 for consumers requesting special assistance for a short period of time and SENIOR CAPS, ratio 1:6 for consumers 50 years and older wanting to enjoy leisure life.

2001 Happy Anniversary Manteca CAPS! Twenty five years of success, a growth from 3 to 100 consumers, from $3,000 to a million four. The community support is still as strong as when we first started. Received grants for two accessible vans, one for the Senior CAPS and one for PLUS.

2002 Some consumers requesting better community access will now have the option to attend CAPS PLUS program which moved downtown at the corner of Main and North in a Building newly acquired by CAPS. We have been adopted by the Manteca Rotary (Rotary Community Corps, RCC) for support in our volunteering in the community.

2003 Manteca CAPS tripled in the last five years but yet we still have the feel of a small community program giving the utmost attention to the wants and needs of its consumers. We have 3 locations, about 150 consumers, 45 employees and a 2 million budget.

2004 Because of the demand, we have now started at a new fourth location, a program for seniors in Lathrop. We also purchased two new vans and started a $2 million campaign toward a new campus. The PLUS program increased it licensed capacity to 56 consumers. We now have over 65 employees for over 175 consumers.

2005 Our 9 van fleet will now be upgraded annually by replacing the two oldest with new vehicles. Because of the demand and our waiting list, we purchased a new double wide steel frame unit and obtained a new license to serve up to 135 consumers just on the Austin Road Campus.

2006 Celebration of our 30^th anniversary. Believe it or not we have now over 230 consumers and 75 employees. Our budget jumped to 3.3 million. We will maintain a fleet of 10 vans getting newer as we replace 2 oldest every year. PLUS is now licensed for 75. We have obtained a 99 year lease with the School District for the Austin campus, started negotiations with Satellite Housing for a low cost housing project on 3 acres on Airport Way and are developing a plan to start Modesto CAPS. We continue to receive a $3000 annual donation from the Kiwanis and $1,000 from the Manteca Rotary.