This is the story of Adrian Forsythe, an aspiring actor, college student and confident young man. Adrian also happens to have Down syndrome, but that won’t stop him from achieving his goals thanks to assistance from The Arc, the nation’s leading and largest organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Watch Adrian navigate campus, classes and relationships just like any typical college student.
This is the story of Annika and Maya Hage. In this compelling video, the girls’ parents describe their initial fears upon learning that their twin daughters would be born with a rare genetic issue leading to fairly profound disabilities as well as the sense of relief and hope they discovered after they discovered The Arc, the nation’s leading and largest organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We’re sure you’ll enjoy watching the twins thriving as happy, playful children now!
The Arc has been on a roll this year and everything we have accomplished in 2010 has given us momentum in moving full steam ahead in 2011. Just as we have for the last 60 years, The Arc continues to create opportunity and make incredible things happen. Even in the midst of tough times, we’ve seen our chapters around the country help to create better lives for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
On the national level we’re not only proud of the work of our chapters but we’re glad for some victories of 2010, including the following top five:
As we say goodbye to the old year and ring in the new, here’s a wish from The Arc: “Here’s to the bright New Year, and a fond farewell to the old; here’s to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.” — Author unknown
What are you thankful for this year? The question is bound to come up as we gather with our family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. There are the standard vague answers: health, happiness, loved ones, good food…
This year, however, may we suggest you get a little more specific? Here’s what we at The Arc are thankful for in 2010.
Let’s be thankful for a little girl who inspired a loving brother to take action against the “R” word. Thanks to Rosa Marcellino, who has Down syndrome, her family, a slew of supporters from the intellectual and developmental disability community, and a legislator from Maryland, the insulting and hurtful term “mental retardation” was replaced in many federal laws with the term “intellectual disability.” It may seem a small victory to replace an inappropriate term buried in the legalese of federal legislation, but as we all know, how we refer to people is often representative of how we treat them.
Let’s be thankful for CLASS. No, it’s not the character trait you wish your brother-in-law had a little more of…it’s the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act. This bill amended the Public Health Service Act to help people with functional impairment and their families pay for the services and supports they need to give them maximum functionality and independence.
Let’s be thankful for our health insurance policies. Thanks to provisions of health care reform legislation, insurance providers will now cover “pre-existing conditions” for children under 19. This means many children with intellectual and developmental disabilities will receive benefits under their parents job-related insurance policies for conditions for which they were previously denied coverage. This will help lift a huge financial burden off the shoulders of families. Although we’re living in a day and age when we should be able to take things like basic health care for granted, we’re just not there yet.
Will you pledge to vote this November?