The Arc of Loudoun and its Executive Director Lisa Kimball sure do know how to get in the Halloween spirit.

SHOCKTOBER, Northern Virginia’s only REAL haunted house experience, has been a destination event for almost a decade. The signature fundraising event has become so successful that last year, it accounted for almost 50% of the chapter’s fundraising budget. SHOCKTOBER is recognized as one of the best haunted houses in the DC/MD/VA area, and has provided an opportunity to build strong community partnerships, give back to the community, and more.

Fundraising is essential for any chapter of The Arc. Can you tell us a little about your chapter’s fundraising success? Do you find more success with individual giving in your region, or signature events like the Shocktober fundraiser?

As is the case for any nonprofit, fundraising is essential to our success, enabling us to fulfill our mission to empower, embrace, and engage adults and children with disabilities and their families. Our signature fundraisers include traditional fare. Our hallmark fundraising event, however, is very much off-the-beaten-path. We have a haunted house on our campus – not just the usual run-of-the-mill haunted house, but a 150-year old historical mansion that’s transformed into a thoroughly professional, PG-13-level haunt that requires guests to sign waivers before beginning their tours!

From a first-year gross revenue of about $40k (which absolutely thrilled us), we’ve grown to 2017’s 12,000 guests and more than $400k in gross revenue – which equated to almost 50% of our fundraising budget for last year. The exponential growth can be attributed to the expertise and detail that goes into each year’s haunt. SHOCKTOBER is recognized as one of the best haunted houses in the D-M-V, and we welcome haunt aficionados from all over the country and, occasionally, from other countries as well.

Can you give us a little history of the success of this event and other fundraising endeavors for your chapter?

SHOCKTOBER, Northern Virginia’s only REAL haunted house experience, has been a destination event for almost a decade.

SHOCKTOBER has matured into a destination event that includes a carnival atmosphere complete with t-shirts, fun merchandise, line entertainment, food and drinks all available on site (“liquid courage” can be found in the beer and wine tent!). New this year, in conjunction with our beloved community partners – 16 of them our ‘top-tier’ supporters – we’ve launched the “Trail of Terror”, a 3-day guide through Loudoun County to experience breweries, wineries, restaurants, and places to stay, all with a haunted twist.

How are you using this fundraiser/other events like it to build awareness and partnerships within your community?

All of this is made successful through our partnerships with multiple state and local tourism-centered organizations. Visit Loudoun, Loudoun County Tourism, and the Commonwealth of Virginia are all committed to supporting The Arc of Loudoun’s mission by granting advertising dollars to support SHOCKTOBER marketing efforts, spreading the word during meetings around the County to increase awareness of The Arc of Loudoun’s service offerings, and by “walking the talk” of embracing our community’s IDD members. Each year the Town of Leesburg and the Loudoun County government eagerly participate in SHOCKTOBER; the Mayor of Leesburg looks forward each season to kicking off the event with an official ribbon ‘slashing’.

How does this particular event highlight the mission of The Arc of Loudoun and involve leaders throughout your network, including people with IDD?

SHOCKTOBER is not just an exceptional fundraising extravaganza; it’s also an opportunity for The Arc of Loudoun to give back to our community. We award five $1k grants to fellow Loudoun County nonprofits whose missions include support for people with IDD through our annual “We Scare Because We Care” campaign. Additionally, just as our supporters bring their money, time and talent to The Arc, The Arc gives back to our volunteers by providing outstanding educational and social opportunities for area high school students, most of whom return year after year to volunteer. Several of our volunteers (actors as well as those in concession and ticket sales positions) are people with intellectual, developmental and/or physical disabilities, and the five weeks of SHOCKTOBER at The Arc of Loudoun offer a unique experience where everyone is accepted and embraced for exactly who they are and honored for what they bring to the event.

The Arc released the following statement in response to Norm Macdonald’s remarks about people with Down syndrome:

“It is disheartening that yet again we need to remind a public figure to show respect for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. What is particularly disturbing about Norm Macdonald’s comment is that in his attempt to explain away his insensitivity to the #MeToo movement, he chose to mock a group of people who have a much greater understanding of victimization than he does.

“People with intellectual and developmental disabilities are seven times more likely to be victims of sexual assault than those without disabilities. Mr. Macdonald’s comment is doubly offensive and shows his ignorance about the disability community. We welcome the opportunity to educate Mr. Macdonald about the disability rights movement and hope that in the future he will show more respect for millions of people with disabilities, their families, and all victims of sexual assault,” said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

Today, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced legislation to provide new parents with a partially-paid leave benefit, funded by cutting their future Social Security retirement benefits. Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO) has indicated that she plans to introduce similar legislation in September.

“While we appreciate Senator Rubio and Representative Wagner turning their attention to paid leave, this legislation completely misses the mark. It is unconscionable to make workers choose between time with their family after the birth or adoption of a child and a secure retirement.

“In addition, this legislation offers a very limited benefit that won’t meet the needs of many families, such as parents who need extended leave to care for an infant born with multiple disabilities. Furthermore, this plan doesn’t address the most common reason workers take leave – namely, to address a serious illness of their own or of a family member.

“It is shocking that the authors of this bill think that asking people to sacrifice their future financial security for time with their family is appropriate or a solution. Our nation can and should put in place an inclusive and fiscally responsible paid leave policy that reflects the full range of workers’ leave needs, including people with disabilities and their families. The Arc calls on Congress to reject the Rubio/Wagner plan and the harmful trade-offs that it promotes,” said Peter V. Berns, CEO of The Arc.

A 2017 research paper by The Arc and the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality found that workers with disabilities and working family members of people with disabilities face significant barriers to economic security and stability. On average, lower incomes and added disability-related costs leave many people with disabilities and their families disproportionately living in or near poverty, including in old age. These findings highlight the importance of paid family and medical leave and Social Security to the financial well-being of people with disabilities and their families.

The Arc recently released the Family & Individual Needs for Disability Supports (FINDS) Community Report 2017. The FINDS Survey results highlight the challenges faced by caregivers of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in our nation. With respondents reporting an average of 57 hours of support provided to their loved one each week, 95% of caregivers reported being stressed and nearly 50% reporting being very or extremely stressed. Nearly 90% of caregivers reported that partial paid leave would be helpful to them as they support their loved one with IDD.

Today, marks the 28th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA affirms the rights of citizens with disabilities by prohibiting discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations and services operated by private entities, and telecommunications. It is a wide-ranging law intended to make our society accessible to people with disabilities.

“Today we celebrate one of the greatest victories for people with disabilities in America. Our nation leads the world in respecting and valuing the lives of people with disabilities, fighting tirelessly to promote their rights through landmark legislation like the ADA. The passage of this transformative legislation would not have been possible without the hard work of Congressional leaders and disability advocates. While today we celebrate, we must also recognize recent threats to the ADA and the need for unity in our community. The Arc played a leadership role in the passage of the ADA nearly three decades ago and we remain committed to everything this landmark law stands for. We will actively oppose any attempts to weaken or dismantle the ADA,” said Mary Ford, Senior Executive Officer of Public Policy, The Arc.

Yesterday, the Trump Administration announced funding cuts to programs that assist people enrolling in health insurance. It would result in severe cuts to the Navigator program totaling more than $25 million. Specifically, the funding cuts would decrease the program budget from $36.8 million this year to $10 million in 2019.

Health Care Navigators provide in person assistance to individuals as they enroll in health insurance plans. Programs like this provide essential support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and others who are seeking support as they enroll in health insurance plans.

“The Navigator program provides important support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are dealing with the complexities of finding the right health insurance program to fit their unique needs. Slashing the program creates additional barriers to enrollment in health insurance. This funding cut highlights intent of the Administration to undermine access to health insurance for millions of people with disabilities.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to protect the Affordable Care Act and the benefits it provides for people with disabilities. Our hope is that Members of Congress will realize the dire impact that funding cuts to this program will have in their states and remedy the situation,” said Marty Ford, Senior Executive Officer of Public Policy, The Arc.