(V): 937-222-2434   (VP): 937-203-3853  (Email): info@dcrcohio.org

Our History

In 2005, a group of individuals from the Dayton Deaf and Hard of Hearing community came together with a shared vision of establishing a Deaf Center in the Miami Valley. Their goal was to create a welcoming place that would provide support services, resources, and opportunities for social connection for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind individuals, and their families.

The vision was to establish a center where services would be provided by and for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community in the communication mode most comfortable for each individual. American Sign Language (ASL) would be respected and embraced, alongside other communication methods, ensuring equal access and inclusion for all. The group initially organized under the name Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center (DHHC).

The early years were devoted to developing the organization's vision, raising funds to bring that vision to life, and pursuing nonprofit status. Community support was evident through the success of the organization's spaghetti dinner fundraisers, which demonstrated the strong desire and need for a Deaf Center in the Miami Valley.

As momentum grew, the founding members invited additional community leaders to serve as the organization's first official Board of Directors. In 2006, the organization received a provisional Tax Identification Number and officially adopted the name Deaf Community Resource Center (DCRC). Final approval as a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code was granted in 2007, marking the beginning of DCRC's mission to serve the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind, and their families throughout the region.

Our Roots