Our Mission
DSC’s mission is to empower people with Down syndrome and their families through life-long learning and experiences, while building an accepting and inclusive society.
Our Vision
Building a world where people with Down syndrome participate fully in inclusive schools, inclusive activities, and inclusive workplaces.
Our History
The Down Syndrome Community began over thirty years ago, in 1988, when a small group of parents began meeting on a regular basis to support each other in raising a child with Down syndrome. The first meeting drew parents from Federal Way to Woodinville.
On March 23, 1998 DSC became a Washington Nonprofit Corporation, complete with bylaws. Five years later, on September 19, 2003, the DSC became recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) public charity.
Having reached a critical mass financially, the DSC began a significant restructuring in 2015 in order to more equitably and effectively offer a comprehensive vision that includes public outreach, self-advocacy, and community groups in addition to our traditional strengths of education and community events.
In 2019, DSC hired its first full-time staff person, an Executive Director. In 2020, DSC invested in infrastructure, including the expansion of its board of directors, the launch of a new user-friendly website to better serve clients, and the expansion of services, programs, and personnel.
In 2022, DSC opened the doors to a new Community Campus—an inclusive, welcoming place dedicated to housing our educational programming, therapies and social events for people with Down syndrome of all ages and their families.