BARC supporting able citizens
| Monday, Dec 14 2009 10:20 PM
Last Updated Monday, Dec 14 2009 11:27 PM
BARC
2240 S. Union Ave.
barc-inc.org
834-2272
Vice President and Assistant Executive Director Paula Johnson, noted that one of the biggest roles of the organization "is to let the community know we have 'abled' citizens, not disabled. That they are reliable and have many abilities people need to know about."
The organization relies on a variety of funding -- government, grants and donations -- and has a complete wish list on its website.
Donations of time as a volunteer, equipment or cash directly improves the quality of life for BARC clients as the organization works to enhance its facilities and programs as it attempts to become more self-sufficient and less dependent upon ever-shrinking government allocations.
Among items needed: are Sea Train storage containers; work bench tables; wet/dry vacuums; push brooms; riding lawnmower; 10 Blackberry 8830 smart phones; heavy-duty outdoor tables and chairs; skip loader; pickup truck; portable welder and solar panels for a new building.
Bakersfield is a generous community, particularly during the holidays. To help readers find new ways to give back to neighbors and friends, The Californian is featuring a wide array of nonprofit organizations this season.
Whether he's mowing grass, watering trees, raking leaves or checking in a visitor at the guard shack, it's a good bet Noe Varvao has a smile on face.
After taking off about a dozen years to raise his son, Varvao is back at work at the Bakersfield Association for Retarded Citizens (BARC) and loving every minute.
"It doesn't really matter where I'm (stationed), I don't really have a favorite spot," Varvao said. "I just like to work."
Started by a group of 13 local families in 1949, BARC has evolved over the years and today serves around 600 adults and is recognized throughout the state as one of the premier educational and work services provider for persons with wide-ranging developmental disabilities.
The private, nonprofit organization provides clients with more than 19 specifically designed programs and Varvao has participated in several of them.
"When I first started here I worked in the wood shop, then janitorial, then packaging," he said. "I stayed (in packaging) awhile and met my future wife, Francis."
When the couple's son, Daniel, was born, it was determined that Noe would become a stay-at-home dad while Francis continued her work at BARC.
"I went on a hiatus," Varvao said, with a laugh. "Now that's (Daniel) is in junior high I've come back. To me, BARC is like a regular job. It's like how someone would go work at CalTrans or PG&E. I don't think of it as a disabled job."
Paula Johnson, vice president and assistant executive director for BARC, said that Varvao, unlike the majority of clients BARC serves, could work outside of BARC, but prefers to be on campus where he is a leader.
"He's just getting back into the work world and he's one of our leaders and role models here," she said. "He's the assistant chairman of our art council and is a member of our People First chapter."
"We try to do things for the community," Varvao said of the mission of People First. "We have dances and I help plan. We've visited the elderly and (collected) donations for them. This month we're going to help serve dinner at the homeless shelter and we're donating blankets we've collected.
"I'm a busy man and I like it."
Mike Griffith is the caretaker for his sister, who is a client at BARC. He is also a member of the BARC board of directors.
