Cedars Celebrates 100 Years In Marin County

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Artist. Cook. Weaver. Monica Farwell, 55, is known for her many interests and talents at Cedars, a residential and day programming community in Marin County for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

But perhaps she is best known for her outgoing personality and love for others at Cedars.

"I am very well coordinated at Cedars," Farwell said. "I have a family."

Cedars has helped people with disabilities live creative and productive lives for a century. The nonprofit celebrated its 100-year anniversary this fall.

Farwell is one of the nearly 200 participants in the organization's residential and day programs.

Although she has been with Cedars since 2016, she is considered a "newcomer." Many of the residents have called Cedars home for years. In fact, the oldest resident is 88 and came to Cedars in 1935.

In just a few years, Farwell has become well integrated into the Cedars community. She participates in three programs at the Cedars Textile Arts Collective day program in San Rafael: art, cooking and weaving.

She loves to cook, and has even taught cooking to other residents and staff members. Quinoa and pasta are some of her favorite dishes to make for others. Farwell's passion for healthy cooking at Cedars has also helped her lose nearly 50 pounds.

"Monica's vibrant personality stands out here at Cedars," Executive Director Chuck Greene said.

"She does all her activities with gusto, whether it's working at her weaving loom or tackling an art project. She is also really focused on her health and loves to cook, and has even taught some of the other residents and staff a few tricks in the kitchen."

A Milestone Anniversary

Cedars is one of the oldest continuous programs of its kind in the U.S.

In 1919, Cedars was founded by two school teachers from Philadelphia, Cora Myers and Gabrielle Renshaw, as a home-based school with four children. They relocated to California and selected Ross for their school's site.

At the time of Cedars' founding, families who had children with special needs had limited options. Cedars was an entirely new model of support for these families, giving them an opportunity for their child to live in Marin with support from programs that encouraged growth and independence.

"One hundred years is a milestone for any organization, and it is even more so for a nonprofit like Cedars," Greene said. "The fact that we have been supporting individuals with intellectual and development disabilities with the highest quality of services for 100 years is remarkable.

"Cedars' founders began with a clear vision that remains true today: to inspire creative, productive and joyous lives," he added. "They had a strong sense of what mattered most: programs that have a real impact for our participants, partnership with our local community, adaptability to cultural changes, financial sustainability and dedicated staff who are committed to our mission and advance our work forwards."

The first dormitories at Cedars were established in 1936. In 1956, Cedars purchased 20 acres in San Rafael. The site eventually became the Textile Arts Collaborative, which today offers a variety of activities including animal husbandry, art, beekeeping, cooking, gardening and weaving.

The San Rafael-based site features a large weaving studio, several art rooms, beehives, an animal area and a garden that is run by the Hands and Earth Co-Op, an associated nonprofit business operated by Cedars residents. The garden produces flowers, fruits and vegetables that are sold at local farmers markets.

In 1968, the nonprofit opened its first group home in Marin.

Today, individuals live in the organization's Generoso Pope Jr. Residences in Ross, which were rebuilt in 2007 on the original 1919 site, or in one of the 10 group homes in Novato and San Rafael.

Part of the Community

Participants at Cedars day programs are animal caregivers, chefs, working artists, master weavers, co-op owners managing a 2-acre garden, and volunteers who support the local community. Some participants are recent school graduates attending programs for the first time, and others have been at Cedars for most of their lives.

"Cedars' organizational culture is all about finding new and innovative ways to make the lives of our participants more vibrant, richer, bigger, and then offer them choices on how to do so," Greene said.

In 1989, The Cedarchest, now known as Artist Within – A Cedars Gallery, opened in downtown San Anselmo. The gallery gives Cedars artists the opportunity to sell their work and earn income.

Two years later, Cedars launched its community engagement program, Community Connections. The program gives participants more opportunities to integrate into the community through volunteering. Today, Cedars residents support local organizations, such as MarinHealth Medical Center and The Marine Mammal Center, with roughly 1,600 service hours a year.

In 2004, Cedars Fine Art Studios opened in San Anselmo, giving participants the opportunity to create artwork and craft artisan jewelry.

"Over the last century, Cedars has maintained our standard of excellence, but recently we have reinvigorated our commitment to leading and innovating in this field for our participants," Greene said. "Cedars has always embraced integrating our participants within our local community, but what we are really focused on now is de-stigmatizing the differences people might see in our individuals and inviting community members to actively engage with them."

Cedars also offers a variety of activities to ensure that residents have the chance to enjoy arts and theater, musical performances, professional sports, Special Olympics and other community events.

Some of Farwell's favorite trips have been visiting China Camp State Park, seeing Disney On Ice and touring the aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences.

"I enjoy going out with the people out in the community," she said.

Always looking for more ways to integrate Cedars residents into Marin, Greene encourages community members to contact the nonprofit to collaborate on a project or invite residents to participate in a local event.

"Marin County is our home and has been for 100 years, and we want everyone throughout the community to get to know every one of our folks," Greene said. "A stiff challenge, maybe, but Cedars is committed to integrating our participants into the towns in which they live and work. We are passionate about de-stigmatizing their perceived differences and helping the general public recognize the true light that our participants bring to the world."

Learn more and donate at cedarslife.org.