James Nelson

In the mid-1970’s, parents in Linn County who had adult family members with developmental disabilities looked to the future with serious concerns. The local community had a growing variety of specialized programs, but residential services, such as small group homes, were few in number. Those that did exist were already full and had long waiting lists. Concerned groups from the community banded together to find a solution. In 1977, The Knights of Columbus formed a non-profit organization called Discovery Village (which would one day be renamed Discovery Living, Inc.) to meet this need.