This year, as Fello celebrates 65 years of supporting people with disabilities and building inclusive communities, we’re honoring our legacy by looking back at the movement that started it all.  

Fello was founded in 1961 by a group of families who believed their children deserved a different future than what was available at the time. They came together to advocate for opportunity, dignity, and belonging—fighting for their children’s rights and creating the foundation for the work we do today. 

A Response to Institutionalization 

For much of the 20^th century, if you had a child with a disability, doctors told you there was only one option available: institutionalization. By 1955, over half a million Americans lived in facilities that isolated them from the community and denied them the ability to make decisions. 

Families knew their children deserved more. They believed lives defined by connection, opportunity, and choice were not only possible—they were essential. 

In 1953, these families formally organized as the National Association for Retarded Children (NARC) to advocate for their children’s right to live, work, and thrive in the community. In Maryland, local families were taking action—laying the groundwork for what would become Fello. 

They weren’t alone. Across the country, a movement for disability rights was beginning to take shape, fueled by parents, self-advocates, and allies who refused to accept the status quo. 

Building a Movement 

The early 1960s marked a shift in how the nation viewed disability. President John F. Kennedy, moved by his sister Rosemary’s experiences, brought disability policy to the national stage. His administration launched the first presidential panel on disability and, in 1963, passed legislation that strengthened a community-based approach to supporting people with disabilities. This move signaled a growing acknowledgement that people with disabilities belonged in their communities, not institutions. 

As disability rights activists organized alongside other civil rights movements, people with disabilities began winning their own legal victories. In 1965, Title XIX created Medicaid, providing access to health care services for people with disabilities. Three years later, the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 required that federal buildings be accessible, removing a major barrier to employment, education, and public life. 

Inspired by this growing national movement, Fello’s founders championed rights for children with disabilities in their communities. They built connections, provided resources for families, and offered community activities that created spaces where people with disabilities could belong.  

Their early efforts helped foster a local movement rooted in belonging, equity, and equal rights for people with disabilities. 

In these foundational years, Fello’s work reflected the simple but powerful idea: community is something that you build together. 

From Then to Now 

The grassroots advocacy of Fello’s founders paved the way for an organization that has grown dramatically over the past 65 years. What began as a group of parents advocating for their children has become a statewide network of services, housing, and advocacy designed to support people with disabilities to live the lives they choose. 

Today, Fello carries forward the legacy and vision of its founders by creating opportunities for inclusion, dignity, and choice. Through programs like Living Boldly, our inclusive housing initiatives, and community-focused services, we provide the supports and spaces where people thrive—just as our founders intended. 

Fello’s founding and the civil rights movements of the 1960s were about challenging assumptions and creating new possibilities. That same spirit of innovation and commitment to equity continues to guide Fello today—shaping our programs, driving our advocacy, and strengthening the communities we serve. 

As we celebrate our 65th anniversary throughout the year, we continue to explore and honor the work of our founders. Next month, we’ll take a look at the 1970s, when Fello opened its first home and disability rights activists achieved major victories in the movement.