The Arc Westchester Celebrates Progress for People With Disabilities With Statewide Week of Service
HAWTHORNE, NY – May 31, 2024 – The Arc Westchester is joining people with disabilities, staff and families across the state to celebrate The Arc New York’s 75th Anniversary with 75 Acts of Service. The Week of Service, which runs June 1-8, serves as a commemoration of the organization’s historic achievements for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), a celebration of inclusion, and a call to action for continued engagement from communities across New York.
Local Chapters of The Arc New York provide support and services to more than 60,000 people with I/DD in every county of the state, including The Arc Westchester. Together, they’re mounting 75 service projects in a single week to improve parks, neighborhoods, and communities across the state.
Representatives from The Arc Westchester will be volunteering for 914Cares in Armonk, NY. 914Cares works to ensure our neighbors in need are cared for by collaborating, supporting, and providing resources to local organizations, educating the community about poverty, and encouraging actionable generosity. On Monday, June 3 and Thursday, June 6 our staff and program participants will assemble Bags of Love packages, which will be distributed to over 95 local organizations serving their communities’ most vulnerable. These packages include laundry kits, essential hygiene packs, menstrual supplies in Flow Kits, and sorting and packing infant items for our baby bank clients. Additionally, we’ll be delivering Bags of Love directly to public school locations throughout Westchester County. This essential service ensures that educators and administrators can access necessary items without leaving their schools.
“We are thrilled to join The Arc New York in celebrating 75 years of service with 75 acts of service,” said Tibi Guzman, CEO, The Arc Westchester. Seventy-five years ago, the people we support today would often have been isolated or institutionalized. These projects showcase their contributions as active and engaged members of their community and serve as a reminder that opportunity for people with disabilities benefits us all.”
“This statewide effort is a reminder that we are stronger together,” said Erik Geizer, CEO of The Arc New York. “We can each make a difference in our own community. Together we’re rallying hundreds of people to make positive change together. That’s how the parents who founded The Arc New York drove progress, and we best honor their legacy by continuing their work.”
Celebrating 75 Years of Advocacy & Opportunity
One mother’s three-line ad in the New York post ignited our entire system of support for people with disabilities
In 1949, Ann Greenberg placed a classified ad in The New York Post, seeking other parents in need of support for their children with disabilities. Her son Jerry had been denied admission to public school due to his intellectual and developmental disabilities. A handful of parents responded to the ad and started meeting in Ann’s NYC apartment. Within just a few months, hundreds of parents got involved. There were virtually no supports or opportunities available at the time, and it was common for doctors to tell parents that the best place for their child was in an institution. But these parents wanted more for their children.
The organization they founded evolved to become The Arc New York, the largest provider of supports and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York state. Today, 35 local Chapters of The Arc New York provide supports and services for more than 60,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in every county of New York state, and The Arc’s full reach extends nationally.
In the 75 years since its founding, The Arc New York has driven transformation and progress in the lives of people with disabilities, fought and ended the abuses of institutionalization, and developed a robust system of community support in our mission “to provide people with intellectual, developmental and other disabilities the ordinary and extraordinary opportunities of life.”
About The Arc Westchester
The Arc Westchester, founded in 1949, is the largest agency in Westchester County supporting children, teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including individuals on the autism spectrum, and their families. The organization’s 700 employees provide nearly 2,000 individuals throughout the county with a broad range of innovative and effective programs and services designed to foster independence, productivity and participation in community life.
Their mission is to provide innovative supports for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, to build independence, achieve personal goals and strengthen community participation.
The Arc Westchester is a chapter of The Arc US and The Arc New York. For more information, visit www.arcwestchester.org
About The Arc New York
The Arc New York is the largest family-based provider of services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York State. Since 1949, The Arc New York has been a strong advocate for the rights and inclusion of people with I/DD. For more information, visit The Arc New York.
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