Story
The beginning: 1979-1983
The idea of creating APASA comes from the courage of some families with mentally handicapped persons (with the support of many people from the civil and ecclesiastic society of Amposta) who decided mobilise in order to improve their situation.
First meetings to establish the institution were in the early seventies, but the Asociación de Padres de Alumnos Subnormales de Amposta (Institute of Families with Mentally Handicapped persons of Amposta) wasn't created until October 1976.
The incoming board of directors was formed by:
President: Mª Victoria Gallego Murgoitio
Vice president: Fernando Monllau Gil
Secretary: José Margalef Roda
Sub-secretary: Jorge Servià Drago
Treasurer: David Zaragoza Panisello
Board members: Josefa Balagué Caballé, Gumersindo Falcó Talarn, Ramon Romulo Cabanes
The first act of the institution was to create a School-Nursery for mentally handicapped persons. In the beginnings the school was located in the ground floor of the Unió Filharmònica, but then it moved to a small (and almost uninhabitable) country house near the Parc dels Xiribechs. Meanwhile social funds from the Government were provided to families. As an example of the limitations of the institution, at the end of the year 1978 the nursery instructor only earned 14.000 pesetas (84,14€) a month.
The board of directors changed in 1979 and Mr. Joan Salvadó Arrufat was made president (1979-1984). Then APASA moved to Europa Street and initiated a campaign to sensitize people through school visits, expositions in the Fira Amposta (Amposta Fair) or raffles for the benefit of the institution.
In 1980 the nomenclature of the institution changed to Asociación para ayuda a los subnormales de Amposta. (Institute to aid subnormal persons of Amposta). The 1980s were a decade of new projects: APASA acquired a lottery administration and created an early stimulation centre. Volunteer people were established as professionals, and there was an increase of outsider people participation. The foundation stone of the new APASA venue in the Parc dels Xiribechs was laid under the license of Mr. Josep Gil i Tordà, head of the City Council. It is important to underline that all the economic funds came from the families who wanted to accomplish their dream of creating a place for mentally handicapped persons.
In 1981 three groups were formed according to the children's age and their level of learning disability. Moreover, two more teachers were hired, and the transport service was expanded. With the purpose of coordinating the Institution with the School Nursery a technician was also hired. The intervention of new professionals helped to create new activities like swimming lessons, family outings and celebration of traditional festivities. In 1981 there was also an institutional crisis because of the participation of outsiders, that was solved when parents took the helm of the institution.
In 1982 were settled commercial agreements with YKK, a company in the Baix Ebre industrial estate. YKK gave zips to APASA in order to organize pre-workshop courses, and the professionals of the institution assisted to many courses to get experience about the needs of handicapped persons and educational sources. At that moment 15 boys and girls who had different ages and typologies were treated.
In 1983 the Generalitat offered APASA to build a new residential centre, and the Amposta City Council conceded a site in the Tosses area. The centre started making contacts in order to create a refectory service and to make an expansion of the School because of the lack of places. Most of the new places were requested by new patients from Sant Carles de la Ràpita, therefore the Centre became a Comarcal Centre instead of a Local Centre. These changes took place during Mr. Francisco Roca Codorniu's presidency.
