ap ies , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁educational ▁and ▁day ▁programs . ▁With ▁a ▁mission ▁to ▁make ▁every day ▁life ▁possible ▁for ▁individuals ▁with ▁prof ound ▁dis abilities , ▁Mark l und ' s ▁vision ▁is ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁happy , ▁safe , ▁purpose - filled ▁life ▁for ▁every ▁individual ▁with ▁intellectual ▁and ▁development al ▁dis abilities . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 4 , ▁ped iat ric ian ▁Mary ▁Ellen ▁Red dy , ▁M . D ., ▁asked ▁Cla ire ▁Ha verk ampf , ▁R . N ., ▁to ▁provide ▁fost er ▁care ▁for ▁a ▁ 5 - day - old ▁infant ▁named ▁Mark ▁William ▁Lund ▁who ▁had ▁Down ▁Sy nd rome ▁and ▁severe ▁card iac ▁comp lications . ▁On ▁Christmas ▁Day , ▁Cla ire ▁and ▁her ▁husband , ▁Stan , ▁agreed ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁baby ▁into ▁their ▁home ▁and ▁give ▁him ▁the ▁best ▁care ▁they ▁could . ▁▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁the ▁Ha verk ampf ▁family ▁grew ▁as ▁the ▁couple ▁c ared ▁for ▁more ▁children ▁with ▁development al ▁dis abilities . ▁Their ▁decision ▁to ▁take ▁on ▁children ▁with ▁special ▁needs ▁ful filled ▁their ▁belief ▁that ▁the ▁able - b od ied ▁are ▁bound ▁– ▁and ▁privile ged ▁– ▁to ▁care ▁for ▁those ▁who ▁cannot ▁care ▁for ▁themselves . ▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁▁ ▁Event ually , ▁the ▁Ha verk ampf ’ s ▁North la ke , ▁Illinois ▁house ▁became ▁too ▁small ▁for ▁the ▁growing ▁family , ▁and ▁they ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁larger ▁home ▁in ▁Blo oming dale , ▁Illinois , ▁known ▁today