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The Arc promotes inclusion and choice vigorously
to allow individuals to become their most unique selves. This
includes promoting the inalienable right to become totally immersed
in one’s community of choice and to participate in the same activities
as persons without disabilities. Arc will continue to promote
self-determination by advocating for appropriate funding allocations
as well as system changes that are effective in shifting control
of resources for services to the customer and away from institutions.
This includes lobbying in the school system, health and human
services system, governmental system and in the legal system for
self determination-quality services and supports for persons with
developmental disabilities.
The Arc of the United States was established 50
years ago as the result of families wanting, needing and demanding
services and supports for their family members. While the mission
language has been updated from time to time, we have always been
driven by a pledge to support the lives of people with disabilities
and assure, through advocacy, a responsive, efficient system of
services that is accountable to the people receiving supports
and to the public. The Arc of the United States develops position
statements on various important issues affecting the lives of
persons with disabilities, to which the local chapters subscribe.
The core values of the Arc of the United States
include diversity, democracy, people first, visionary leadership,
community participation, integrity and excellence. The Arc is
an organization made up of people with disabilities and their
families, dedicated to reducing disparities for persons with disabilities
as our primary mission. This is a civil rights organization
for facilitating the best quality lives and social justice for
persons with disabilities.
The Arc of NC is the largest advocacy organization
in the state focused on improving the quality of life for all
people with developmental disabilities and their families.
The Arc of NC was among the first and most successful organizations
to provide Supported Employment, Supported Living, Support Brokerage,
Community Coaching, self-employment options, Employer of Record
services, and corporate guardianship services.
The Arc of Mecklenburg County, Inc. a United Way
organization, is a local affiliated chapter of Arc national and
state, and is driven and managed by its board and membership.
The Arc of Mecklenburg County, Inc. works diligently to promote
individualized, community-based supports and services to people
of all ages with developmental disabilities.
Services of the Arc of Mecklenburg County include
case and class advocacy, support and outreach, information and
referral, education and training, public awareness of disability
and special projects.
For instance, in 2002-2003, the Arc of Mecklenburg’s
Self-Determination/POWER project, with the NC DD Council and Local
Management Entity, worked with adults with developmental disabilities
and their families to organize financial and human resources to
facilitate thoughtful life plans for living in a world not designed
for their success. POWER project participants bought new
homes, started businesses, gained financial stability, developed
informal support networks and many other less radical successes.
The Arc’s Self Determination/POWER project was an incubator
for implementation of person-centered, cost effective, flexible
services and is the model for all future service delivery for
persons with developmental disabilities in Mecklenburg County,
in accordance with the North Carolina Mental Health Reform plan.
The Arc Aktion Club is a partnership between three
South Charlotte Kiwanis groups (Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville)
and adult self-advocates who wish to perform community service
projects. This very exciting club has just completed their
first project, painting a mural on the fence at the Arc of Mecklenburg
offices. The plan for the Aktion Club is to teach self-advocacy
workshops and to complete several service projects in 2005.
The Arc sponsors workshops and educational programming
along with media events and written materials to profile and promote
the service provider network and good services for persons with
disabilities. We educate the general community about issues
that affect people with disabilities, through workshops, trainings,
news articles, radio spots and Arc newsletter to reach diverse
audiences. Advocacy at the state and federal levels is accomplished
in conjunction with consumer members via their work in the legislature,
regular visits to representatives, speeches before the Board of
County Commissioners etc. Parents and professionals are
taught about advocacy in various settings, such as schools, residential
and health care programs.
The Arc partners with Council for Children's Rights
to provide IEP trainings for professionals and parents, for accurate,
reliable information about special education law, education law,
and advocacy for children with disabilities.
The Arc is always looking to develop new and innovative
programming for our constituents. Give us a call or suggest
a new project, and we will certainly consider finding funds to
make great things happen for folks with developmental disabilities
in Mecklenburg County. Thanks for your interest.
The Arc History
1953 - The Association for Retarded Children was
started by Vita Bryant and others, mostly parents of children
with disabilities.
1959 - Nevins Center was started as a sheltered
workshop for individuals with moderate retardation, ages 16 and
up.
1959 - Ramsey Kindergarten was started at Park
Road Baptist Church.
1960 - The Arc, in cooperation with the Junior Women’s
Club, sponsored the first day camp for children with mental retardation
in Mecklenburg County. Twenty-six children were served.
1968 - Ground was broken for Phase One of the
Center For Human Development. This new concept was to provide
day care and other work for individuals with disabilities.
1971 - The Auxiliary for the Retarded, which assisted
and supported individuals in the community with disabilities.
Most of the members were not parents of children with disabilities.
1971 - The Arc filed a lawsuit against the State of North
Carolina demanding appropriate education
for children with mental retardation. The state Arc picked up the lawsuit after this.
1971 - Myers Street School was
given to the “Trainable Retarded”, but the building was unsafe. This led to the starting of Metro School.
1973 - St. Marks was started by St. Marks Lutheran
Church. This day program was for individuals with more severe
retardation.
1974 - The
first group homes were started.
1975 - Mecklenburg Respite Care started under the leadership of
Arc President, Chuck Boles.
1976 - Metro School was started.
1976 - Public Law-142 was passed guaranteeing
individuals the right to free and appropriate education in the
least restrictive environment, regardless of type or degree of
disability. The community colleges began serving those who had
not received an appropriate education.
1978 - The Autistic Group Homes were founded.
1986 - Howell Center opened.
1986-1992 - During these years, Arc members were
busy. They worked with legislators to facilitate building the
Marion Diehl Recreation Center, they assisted the county in developing
a centralized waiting list to document the need for residential
services, and they started Operation Santa Claus, among other
things.
1993 - Arc members received training in Circles
of Friends and began the first circles in NC.
1995-1996 - A community liaison program through
a grant from Elizabeth Crockett Fund was started to pair people
with MR with volunteers from the community to help them learn
to access their community. The program was turned over to RSS.
1995 - The Arc Dream Team (now The Advocates Powered
Up), an adult self-advocacy group, was formed.
1995 - Formed a pilot project for First in Families,
a program that uses cash grants, vouchers, and community resources
to help people with MR and other DD meet their needs with less
red tape.
1997 - Purchased 4 condos jointly with RSS.
1997 - Received grant from DD council to start
My Future, My Choice, a program aimed at transitioning students
with severe disabilities to help the find competitive employment.
1999 - Family Support Network of Mecklenburg County
was started.
2002-2003 - Self-Determination/Power Project was
developed and implemented. This pilot project was then turned
over to RSS.
2003 - Latino Outreach activities, including education,
advocacy and support group functions, were outsourced to a Lifespan
employee.
2003 - Started Project IMPACT, a collaborative
project with The Children’s Law Center. IMPACT provides a trained
volunteer to accompany parents to their child’s IEP meeting.
2004 - Started Aktion Clubs, a joint venture with
Kiwanis clubs. Started the Arc Leadership Initiative Project.
2005 - Partnered with Habitat for Humanity to
build homes in the community for individuals with disabilities
and their families. Partnered with Substance Abuse Prevention
Services and the Chemical Dependency Center to form a Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders Committee for Mecklenburg County.
2006 - Expanded the Aktion Club to North Mecklenburg.
Formed a partnership with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department,
Council for Children's Rights (previously the Children's Law Center
& The Council for Children) and Disability Rights & Resources
(formerly Programs for Accessible Living) to expand our Partners
in Justice project to help individuals with disabilities avoid
the criminal justice system and to learn their rights.
2007 - Coordinated and facilitated a successful
WrightsLaw workshop at Queens University in partnership with the
Council for Children’s Rights. 360 Parents, educators, advocates,
and attorneys attended for accurate, reliable information about
special education law, education law, and advocacy for children
with disabilities. NICU project at Presbyterian comes
back to life with the help of the United Way's Leading the Way
Team. Habitat for Humanity Home for an adult lady
with disabilities scheduled to be built by end of summer!
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