The Arc San Francisco

We have donated to ARC for many years now because if does a great job for a worthwhile cause. We need more helping hands for adults with developmental disabilities, so that they can be the best that they can be.

In the year 2007 I was asked by the Director of the San Francisco Museums of Fine Art, to attend a fund raising breakfast of ARC as a representative of the Museums, on whose Board I had served for 9 years.
I had never heard of the ARC before, but listening to the "clients" of the ARC speak about how that organization helped people with disabilities live their lives independently and secure jobs in leading companies of the Bay Area, I was moved to personally donate to their cause.
After the breakfast I told the ARC's Executive Director that if 100% of the members of their Board donated something, and the total met or exceeded my challenge grant of $25,000, within a year, I would donate $25,000
I was elated to hear at the 2008 breakfast that not only did 100% give something, but the combined total far exceeded my challenge. I turned over my check at that breakfast gladly.
Since that time I have become a close friend of their Director, who is a dedicated individual adored by the "clients" and staff and all who come in contact with him.
I'm proud to have the opportunity of knowing about the good work this organization does.
R. Essey

The Arc is a passionate and supportive community of educators and advocates! My brother James, a 54 year old man with autism now has the independent life he has dreamed of. For six years, his instructors and loyal friends have encouraged his unique strengths and a confidence in himself has grown. He enjoys good health and has access to quality dental and healthcare services, thanks to The Senior Wellness Program.
My brother continues to go to the Friday night dances at The Arc where he spends the evening with many of his friends. He loves it!

My company employs two Arc clients and I am their manager. The clients are fantastic -- reliable and good workers. I attribute this to the job coaching staff of The Arc. They are dedicated people who do their jobs well and are of a tremendous help to employers. I also sit on an advisory council. I have learned that the managers, staff and board members of The Arc are intelligent people who are so diligent in their efforts on behalf of the clients. In my opinion, The Arc is a very supportive and necessary organization.

I have been to several of the fundraisers. I am so impressed with the organization, the clients and the staff

The ARC's Senior Program has been a life-saver for my 57-year-old Down Syndrome brother. He came to live with me 10 years ago after our parents died. Without this program, he would be alone at home watching TV all day long. Now he gets to go on outings, exercise, create art, help at other senior centers, and do a host of other activities that keep his mind engaged while I am at work. I am so grateful to the ARC for providing quality care to my brother.

I am pleased to give my time and resources to the Arc of San Francisco. I have worked with a numbernof non-profits in the San Francisco Bay Area, and am really impressed with the leadership of the Arc and the breadth of care offer to their clients. It is truly an amazing organization serving our friends with disabilities.

Last year I attended a special breakfast that celebrated the ongoing success of The Arc in helping people with challenges to lead fulfilling, independent lives. I was deeply impressed by the care, nurturing and dedication that I sensed from The Arc's staff and its Board of Directors. The quality and extent of it's programs seem to be exceptional. I felt so inspired by the way in which the organization empowers people with challenges, and their families, that I made a donation.

I think very highly of The Arc, its top-notch services, and its genuine desire to contribute happiness and well-being to the community. I support their endeavors wholeheartedly.

The Arc of San Francisco trained and helped my son Alex get well-paying jobs with benefits like Starbucks and now Salesforce.com. Without their care and help, my son would still be dependent on the government. Thank you Arc for your excellent work.

The Arc has shown leadership in developing health care for adults with disabilities and they are tireless advocates.

My son, Gerry, was a client of the Arc from the time of his transition from High School until the day he passed away from a stroke three weeks before his 28th birthday. He loved the program, his job coaches and the independence the Arc afforded him. He had classes at City College which totally fit his interests and abilities. As a parent, I appreciated the safe environment and the growth Gerry achieved day by day and year by year. As a classroom aide in elementary grades in Special Education for twenty-six years, I was thrilled to see many of my former students achieve similar growth and happiness under the aegis of the Arc as adults. That is why I continue to support the Arc.

The Arc is the primary resource for the often overlooked and most under-served members of our community. They strive to fulfill not just the needs, but the dreams of the clients they serve.

The Arc serves a very vulnerable population and fills a gap between families and the state. The Arc of SF really does a good thing and their staff is tremendously helpful and responsive to all requests. I plan on supporting the organization for many years to come.

I really like the ARC. The ARC has good teachers. I'm there to learn and I enjoy the classes that I take. I'm learning how to cook and I take an art class.The staff is very supportive.

as a past president of the Board I can attest to the good work this agency does bringing the needs of people with developmental disabilities to the fore. They are active advocates and provide much needed services and supports to people who have problems articulating their needs. The Arc of San Francisco enables people with developmental disabilities to lead full lives as tax paying citizens by supporting them in their work and enabling them to live independently.

The Arc of San Francisco is setting the pace for innovative programing. With an emphasis on providing dignified and meaningful support to their clients, they have a long history of creative programs that are sensitively designed to empower and nurture. The Special Hope Foundation has provided funding for several of these projects and looks forward to future partnerships.

I serve as a member of the Senate Select Task Force on Autism, a committee that is looking at ways to address various aspects of autism. Alan Fox is on that committee, and is sought out for his expertise and the inroads the ARC has made to the business world. When I visited the ARC, I was impressed with the "buzz" of engaged clients and staff. It's a good place doing good work.

My son has multiple disabilities. He is not presently a client of the Ark, however is and has been warmly welcomed there as if he were another son of the family. I as well have been welcomed. The Ark's vision is one where all persons are equal, worthy of respect, heard and responded to. This is no namby-pamby do-gooder group, this is a well connected unit where people have one goal, and that is to bring to light and to life that which has been hidden in the past: the worthiness, the contribution, the value of what in the past has been our most neglected population. The Ark truly personifies the phrase "speaking for those who are unable to speak for themselves" and they are enabling their clients to speak for themselves.

I worked with The Arc to provide access for clients and all people to the City's cultural organizations. The Arc is firm, but not dogmatic. Clients and staff are wonderful to have as partners in a collaborative effort. They make San Francisco a better city for everyone.

It's so heart warming to see how supportive and nurturing the members of The ARK are for its clients. They empower clients by teaching them how to be as self sufficient as possible by showing them how to use public transportation, care for themselves, and get jobs. This is a great group to support.

Our company has multiple Arc staffers her that take care of our kitchens and conference rooms.

They to a fantatic job and they are part of our team.

Our daughter has her day program and supported living through the Arc of San Francisco and it is LIFE CHANGING! If you want to have a great day go visit the ARC ON HOWARD STREET! The clients, staff and administration is the best and I am so thankful for all that the Arc does!

Our firm employees several members of ARC and they add a lot of the fabric of our company. The services ARC provides are invaluable.

Guido the Italian Kitty and I are a Team - via Animal Assisted Therapy and we've been visiting the Senior Center of the ARC for 3 yrs - I can't imagine our life without the ARC! It's meowvlaously wonderfully uplifting and so helpful to the Seniors

I like the arc of san francisco for servies they provide me for the 3 years
including the staff will you find jobs and housing we need the programs
beacuse what will happened the services will be cut and the clients
will be out in the streets nothing to do. We the 131 clients want more
purchase services, including social progams.

I like coming to Arc of San Francisco monday thru friday

The Arc is my second home. It is an organization that i have been working for decades. The Arc's integrity and commitment to provide quality services for our clients and their families despite of horrendous budget cuts touch my heart every day. I am proud of what we do and how we manage to continue being creative in supporting our clients to have a quality, independent, and happy lives integrated in the community.

The Arc San Francisco provides services that allow people with intellectual disabilities to lead self-directed, productive lives in our community. Many clients of The Arc are employed at businesses I frequent and I am so proud to be a part of a community that embraces full inclusion for everyone. Everyone should have every opportunity to reach their full potential and to have the chance to realize their dreams-The Arc San Francisco certainly shares this ideal and is committed to all the clients they serve.

I was contracted by the Arc in 2004 to teach theater classes and have since worked there through City College of SF. I have also directed a few theatrical productions there including "Grease" and an adaptation of The Wiz titled "Looking for Oz".. The Arc is a special place that many people call their home away from home. I love how the Arc involves people in a huge range of activities from work opportunities, creative persuits, dances, social gatherings and events. I love that place!

The Arc is an amazing organization serving a diverse population of Adults with Developmental Disabilities. The programs and care given to the clients is more than one can imagine. The staff at the ARC are very committed and many have been with the organization for 20+ years. There is a lot of outreach done at the ARC to ensure clients are supported in work programs and other activities. Close contact is always maintained with clients and family members to ensure the well-being of each and every client at the ARC. Many years ago the ARC had an Art program in place and the most wonderful pieces of art and ceramics came out of that program. I was lucky enough to purchase some of these pieces during an event and still treasure them to this day!

The Arc is a wonderful organization that helps enrich the lives of adults that are often left behind by the rest of society. I've helped out at the Arc's social functions for their clients and met employees and clients alike that were caring and kind people.

I have been involved with The Arc since August of 2010. I cannot adequately stress the significance of the services The Arc provides to adults with developmental disabilities. I have witnessed first hand the dedication and selflessness of volunteers, staff members, and members of the leadership team. The Arc provides much-needed and vital services to the developmentally disabled community, and I am honored to work with The Arc to further its admirable mission.

I bow in honor to the courageous people who keep the doors of the ARC open and all it's unique services up and running. We the general public benefit more than we would ever know. To the clients- the community who show up every day ready to learn, to the dedicated staff who are patiently managing daily, to the donors who connect with the vision and the foundations who provide large volumes to fund that vision. I say congratulations!! In writing this review I recently learned that ARC serves 500 + clients every day....WOW!! My sister is a person with different abilities who lives in the island of Trindad but must stay at home from the age of 16.....she is now about to turn 50.....There are no organizations for adults who are challenged developmentally. How I wish that my country had even 5% of resources leading to beautiful possibilities of what The ARC brings to it's clients, to us and to SF. Thank you!!

I have been involved with The Arc as a volunteer and now a Board Member since early 2008, and could not be more proud to be affiliated with this great organization. The organization works with an incredible group of clients who need The Arc's services to improve their lives. The leadership team, management and staff do a tremendous job of navigating this organization in spite of continued State budget cuts, and continue to provide excellent service to The Arc's amazing clients.

My firm has hired several Arc clients over the years and we are a better place for doing so. They quickly become part of the firm culture and are know and loved by everyone. Without organizations like the Arc most people would not have exposure to adults with disabilities and would not understand the vital roll they can play in any business.

People with developmental disabilities are, of course, complex people with specific wants, needs, feelings and aspirations. The very best part of the Arc, in my experience volunteering with them, was learning that first-hand through the prism of their institution.

The Arc offers the most dignifying thing I can imagine for folks who go their: choices. Choices about what they want to do. Choices about what they like or don't like. Choices about how they want to live. Choice is a tremendously dignifying force in the lives of folks who go to the Arc,

The Arc of San Francisco is a mission driven organization to serve clients with disabilities. Until you see the joy, freedom and respect this organization's work brings to so many clients it is difficult to understand the importance of The Arc. After seeing the dedication from the staff and the better quality of life the clients are able to obtain it is hard to turn away from this organization.

As the mother of a young son with autism and a volunteer for The Arc of San Francisco, I believe strongly in The Arc's mission and vision. My son is not yet a client (due to his age), but will certainly take advantage of all of the services they offera s he reaches adulthood. As a non-profit serving adults with developmental disabilities (and their families), The Arc provides access to a full range of services that advance self-determination, dignity and quality of life. They provide their clients with the opportunity to live, work and recreate in their community. The Arc is model to other non-profits serving the same community of what is possible.

The Arc of San Francisco is one of those non-profits that is quietly doing some of the best social work in the city. But as someone who has been a donor to them for years, I have gotten to know their work quite personally. The Arc helps people with developmental disabilities with all types of programs and services. And I know for a fact that other agencies around the country look to model their services after The Arc of San Francisco. They are truly pioneers, as this was the first agency to help adults with developmental disabilities to gain employment. The Arc also works one-on-one to help people like independently and function in their community. If you see an adult with autism on the MUNI, that person is likely accompanied by a trained staff person from The Arc. Affordable housing, health care, advocacy, socialization ... all of these areas are covered through services from The Arc of San Francisco. I am rating The Arc of San Francisco with 5 stars, and I put my money where my mouth is. I am one of their Arc Angels ... people who make a multi-year commitment to donate $1,000 or more a year. By no means am I wealthy, as I am squarely in the 35-44 age range. But I can go down to 1500 Howard Street anytime to "kick the tires" on my donation and see the great work they do.