About Us

Milestones

1949 - 1959

1949

Westchester Arc founded.

1951

Westchester AHRC opens its first school with three young pupils.

1954

The agency hires its first executive director, Elizabeth W. Buck.

1955

The first workshop is opened in Mount Vernon with five individuals.

1956

The Children’s School for Early Development is established.The first of its kind in the county.

1960 - 1969

1960

Employment workshop moves to White Plains.  Forty people attend program.

1963

The Yonkers League, a parents auxiliary, holds its first meeting.

1967

Agency’s first community residence opens in White Plains.

1970-1979

1972

PACDS (Parents Association for Children with Down Syndrome) support group formed.
Guardianship program established.

1973

Building at 121 Westmoreland Avenue, White Plains, is named in honor of Herbert Katzenberg.

1977

Mount Kisco Doris Hosmer training center opens.
Camp Echo opens.

1980-1989

1980

Workshop-to-community employment program starts.

1981

Agency opens Westchester’s first pre-school class for children with autism.

1984

MBIA Golf and Tennis Invitational kicks off.

1986

Crisis intervention program established.

1987

First Spring Ball held for program participants.

1990-1999

1993

Transitional services launched to prepare high school students for the adult world.

1994

Pre-school children begin to move into inclusionary settings.
Dr. Beth Mount trains staff in person-centered planning.

1997

The Ann Manzi Center in Mount Kisco opens..
First annual art show held.

1999

NYS CARES housing initiative launched with first house in Bronxville.

2000-Present

2000

Children’s School opens first inclusion class for children with autism/PDD at Small Miracles Pre-School Center, Ossining.

2001

First Annual Golfing for Kids Fundraiser for PreSchool.
Agency launches pre-vocational services

2002

Adult day services pilots “Without Walls,” through which participants go directly from their residences to in-community activities.
Pre-school staff attends verbal behavior workshop conducted by Dr. Vince Carbone.
Echo College holds first on-campus program

2003

The Arc Westchester Foundation established.
Agency purchases land in Hawthorne for new resource center.
Pre-school collaborates for first time with a public school system, Lakeland School District, to operate an inclusion class.

2004

Recreation pilots Echo Onstage.
First A Matter of Taste Fundraiser is held.

2006

The Arc Westchester and The Arc Westchester Foundation launch capital campaign.
Groundbreaking for Gateway to the Community, a new resource center in Hawthorne, N.Y.

2007

The Arc Westchester opens its first residence offering medically enhanced services.
Agency acquires new building for mailroom, micro graphics and e-DocNY business services.

2008

The Arc Westchester closes White Plains Workshop due to successes in community employment. Administrative Headquarters move to new Gleeson-Israel Gateway Center in Hawthorne.

2013

The Arc Westchester achieves National Standards of Excellence accreditation.

2014

Closed all our sheltered workshops and moved into community placement.

2015

Ann Manzi Center opens community garden in collaboration with Food Bank for Westchester.

2016

The Arc Westchester is awarded Westchester Green Business Certification
The Arc Westchester becomes certified by The Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL)
The 1st Technology Conference for Cognition was held at Mercy College

2017

Opened new home in Westchester for young adults graduating from residential schools
The Youth Connection site based program opens in Yonkers and Mount Kisco
Establishment of The Virginia Donovan Charitable Fund
Tibi Guzmán appointed Executive Director/CEO

2018

Opening of Senior Connection, a multi-generational space at The Ann Manzi Center
The Arc Westchester receives Feeding Westchester Award for voluntary services
Richard Swierat receives Lifetime Leadership Award from The Arc US

Art by: JOHN ISRAEL
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