Organization Spotlight— Cordell & Friends
In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to highlight a local Black-founded organization that serves individuals with disabilities in our community. Cordell & Friends, a local organization that aims to serve individuals with disabilities, is a Black-owned non-for-profit that has big ambitions and an amazing mission.
Always Ready for Chocolate 2023
Always Ready for Chocolate 2023 Recap— Click here to view the gallery from Always Ready for Chocolate (February 18, 2023). Thank you so much to our community for supporting this event, as well as the entertainment, sponsors, volunteers, and vendors!
Spotlight Story— Justin Wells
Justin Wells is a man of many interests and talents. He is passionate about self-advocacy and ensuring that individuals with disabilities know how to advocate for themselves, especially against toxic and manipulative people. He is also passionate about wrestling, racing, and making a name for himself that will be remembered for years to come.
Justin's podcast, Justin Wells in His Own Words, speaks on many disability-related topics as well as his interests, goals, and achievements.
To read Justin’s full story, click here.
Spotlight Story— David Atkinson
David Atkinson is a Columbus native who is making a name for himself as a talented and creative local artist. In fact, one of David's creations will soon be displayed at a local Parks and Recreation park!
David currently studies Graphic Design at Ivy Tech in Columbus and hopes to have a career in graphic design in the future. He is a dedicated student who truly loves to learn and takes his academic pursuits very seriously.
To read David's full story, click here.
Always Ready for Chocolate 2022
Always Ready for Chocolate, 2022— Click here to view the gallery from Always Ready for Chocolate (June 25, 2022). Thank you so much to our community for supporting this event, as well as the entertainment, sponsors, volunteers, and vendors!
Annual Award Ceremony 2022
On May 24, 2022, we had our Annual Award Ceremony. We were fortunate to celebrate and congratulate many members of our community who were nominated for their outstanding work and dedication to our community and furthering our mission.
Click here to view a gallery of images from the night and for a list of this year’s winners!
Spotlight Story— Austin Fields
Austin recently achieved his dream to become independent and get his own apartment, which was accomplished through hard work, determination, and an incredible support system. Click here to read more!
Disability Awareness Month
March is Disability Awareness Month and we have a lot of awesome events to celebrate! Read here to learn more about Disability Awareness Month as well as the many events we have planned.
Virtual Program Library
With many people still having to miss out on in-person gatherings, The Arc has created a catalog of virtual activities to provide fun, creative, and inclusive activities for everyone!
Get active with inclusive fitness classes, learn life skills, play games like Jeopardy, virtually tour aquariums, and more!
Spotlight Story— Whittney Gaines
Whittney is a board member at The Arc and works hard to support and advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition to their three young children, Whittney and her husband, Coron, adopted two young sisters after fostering them for several years. Through her experience as a foster parent, her background in social work, and her current position as a special education instructor through BCSC, Whittney has learned a lot about the gaps of care and understanding concerning children with disabilities.
Spotlight Story - Jason Harris
Jason Harris, a local self-advocate and “Special Dogs” employee, shares his story with us for our Spotlight Story project. Read his story here!
Spotlight Story - Kaylee Giles
Kaylee Giles, a local self-advocate and child care employee, who is featured on our new project called “Spotlight Stories”. Check out her story, here!