Many people have heard of The Arc through its thrift store chain, but, a little bit like The Salvation Army, the organization is so much more than that. Specifically, The Arc – now with hundreds of thousands of members – is the world’s largest organization advocating for people with developmental disabilities. To put our local group in perspective, the ACL in Boulder is just one of the 1,200 chapters across the nation.
Of course, they haven’t always had such prominence. The Arc has existed in various forms (and under various names) since 1960, but they have evolved as understanding of developmental disabilities has expanded. It began mainly as a group of concerned parents advocating for their children. Sadly, the law once gave people with developmental disabilities little recognition or assistance, and it ultimately condemned many to institutions. Indeed, The Arc would later go on to advocate for laws to protect and assist these people, but they first had to change public perception at a grassroots level. Even today, this grassroots basis is still the cornerstone of the organization, and their mission still revolves around advocating for equal rights and community support.
If you check out The Arc’s website, you will find more information about what they do and how you can get involved. Of course, if you would like to become locally active, please check out our website too. If you do not live in the Boulder-Broomfield area, consider searching for a chapter near you. Either way, get involved today.
PS – Check back soon for related blog entries: one will be about the historical progress we’ve made in advocating for people and another about volunteering at the ACL – Boulder.
No comments:
Post a Comment