Families & Communities Rising, formerly known as Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project, was established in 1969 with funding from the federal government as part of our nation’s earliest attempts to provide education services to young children with disabilities. Under the direction of Anne R. Sanford, who was the founder of FCR, the strategies and material developed by FCR during these early years became known as the Chapel Hill Model. The Model included assessment instruments, curricula, and strategies for parent involvement and family-centered programming. In 1983, the Chapel Hill Model vas validated unanimously for “exemplary program status” by the U.S. Department of Education’s Joint Dissemination Review Panel (JDRP). Recently, the Capel Hill Model was named the LAP System.

FCR strives to continue this innovation with FCR University, our professional development and community education resource tool in hopes to fulfill the mission and vision of our organization.