History

The Rehabilitation Center for Children & Adults, Inc., formerly the Palm Beach County Crippled Children's Society, Inc. and the Crippled Children's Society and Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adults, Inc., was founded in 1940 by Margaret Pope Hovey. Mrs. Hovey had polio and traveled to New York for physical therapy.

Mrs. Hovey, together with several Palm Beach friends, opened the Center in a room donated in the State Board of Health Building on Fifth Street in West Palm Beach. In 1941, the Society rented two rooms on Datura Street and in 1942 rented a three room building at the present location in Palm Beach.

The property was donated by the Wiley R. Reynolds family in 1946. A one story building was erected in 1949 with a second floor added in 1955. Through a generous legacy from Mrs. Mae Rovensky adjoining property was purchased in 1963.The Samuel E. Paley Pavilion was built in 1966 with funds donated by Mrs. Paley along with matching federal monies. An appearance update interior renovation was completed in 1991.

The Rehabilitation Center for Children and Adults assures that quality rehabilitation is available to everyone. Our clean, safe, well-equipped facility in Palm Beach includes a unique indoor heated pool and licensed therapists provide one-to-one individual care to about one hundred people each day. Children and adults from all corners of Palm Beach County are receiving help so they can improve their quality of life.