Our son has been an active member of the recreation program operated by The Arc of Tempe. It has provided him with the opportunity to go into the community with his friends.... and has provided us an opportunity to go out without having a concern for his safety and well being. I know the organization has members that have helped other parents gain much needed services from governmental agencies. The one problem I see is a great need for additional space to better meet the needs of the people that they are providing services to in the recreation area.
Previous Stories
Our son has been a participant in the recreation program for many years. This provides him with many friends and the opportunity to become involved with most every aspect of our community. For example, they attended a city council meeting and this has resulted in his attending other government functioned activities. The program provides us some free time and provides him the time to be with his friends in a fun setting.
I have been involved with the ARC in several roles in the past 5 years. I started as a volunteer arts/crafts teacher. I was a board memeber for a year or two and I chaired the Program Committee. I am now a part time staff person as of last week! My co-workers have all been there for years...many 5+. This is a true testament to The ARC and all that it stands for. I had volunteered and worked with children for many years before making the switch to work with adults. I found out about the ARC through a community Volunteer Fair at our public library. I believe that services for adults are largely overlooked and services for adults with Developmental Disabilities even more so.