The Arc
by Lorine Parks
Most of the club remembered we were meeting at the Arc, and those who came were treated to a generous Mexican fiesta lunch, complete with big brownies for dessert. The Director of the Culinary Arts program acted as Chef for the day, and she and her staff were introduced and took bows when they brought out the coffee urns.
As we sat in the attractive Bennie and Anne Reagan Banquet and Conference Room, Ray Brown took the podium to tell us about the State of the Arc in the State California. Using his brother Stanley’s experiences as an example, Ray showed us how valuable the Arc’s programs can be.
For anyone new to our Club, here is a quick rundown: The Arc's Center for Human Rights is an outreach service which enhances life opportunities for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, and their families, to assess needs and determine applicable services.
The Arc's Center for Human Rights mission is to provide advocacy and referral services through extensive community outreach.
Ray described how many services are offered at the Downey Arc, which is a regional center. There are four different job programs, which have ranged from jobs at Downtown Disney to building #3 here, which houses the assembly line for filling and stuffing of sample and gift bags. There are classrooms equipped with up to-date-computers, and also a suite of rooms which help Arc clients learn to get used to living in an assisted manner away from home.
Unfortunately, Ray told us, there has been a shrinking of orders for the assembly line in Building 3. And the Arc gets 46% of its funding from the State of California, which comes from taxes and the general revenue, and some of that funding has been cut.