Join the Columbus Autism Network at FFY for a pool party!

Join The Arc of Bartholomew County and The Self-Advocates of Tomorrow (SAT) for the Disability Awareness Dance, in honor of Disability Awareness Month! The dance is free and open to the public (all ages and abilities!). Food will be provided HotBox Pizza!

Music by Self-Advocates of Indiana member, Fulton Express.

Please bring canned food donations for Love Chapel!

Please register by filling out this form to reserve your spot!

Always Ready for Chocolate is coming back, and we hope to see you all there! The event will take place on February 10, 2023, at The Commons!

Join The Arc of Bartholomew County for an afternoon of tasty desserts from local bakeries and businesses, live and local entertainment, an art show/silent auction featuring art created by individuals with disabilities, and more! There will also be vendors with information on disability services in the area.

Join us at the Columbus, IN Pride Festival on Saturday, September 30, 2023 from 1 PM - 7 PM at Mill Race Park (50 Carl Miske Dr., Columbus, IN 47201)!

For more information, click here.

Join the Self-Advocates of Tomorrow for their Annual Meeting and Election, with a fun pizza party! 2023/2024 Membership must be paid to vote!

Join The Arc of Bartholomew County and Gordon Homes with MassMutual Life Insurance for an in-person workshop held at The Arc of Bartholomew County’s facility (2060 Doctors Park Dr, Columbus, IN 47203)! The workshop will cover many topics regarding financial steps and planning for individuals with disabilities, how to begin the planning process/who should be involved, government benefit eligibility, and legal documents to consider.

The presentation will run for around 45 minutes and there will be plenty of time for questions after!

The workshop is FREE but registration is required! Dinner will be provided, so everyone must register so we can ensure that we have enough food.

Click here to register.

Join The Arc of Bartholomew County and Gordon Homes with MassMutual Life Insurance for a virtual workshop via Zoom! The workshop will cover many topics regarding government programs, including the different types (including Supplemental Security Income/SSI, government benefit eligibility, and expenses that government benefits cover.

The presentation will run for around 45 minutes and there will be plenty of time for questions after!

The workshop is free, but registration is required.

Click here to register!

Únase a nosotros para un seminario virtual organizado por The Arc del condado Bartholomew. El programa será en español.
(Join us for a virtual webinar hosted by The Arc of Bartholomew County. The program will be in Spanish)

Ya tengo el diagnóstico de mi hijo ahora vamos hablar del diagnóstico, importancia del auto-cuidado, como navegar con los servicios para personas con discapacidades, recursos disponibles en nuestra comunidad, red de apoyo y como encontrar programas efectivos para ayudar a mi hijo(a) a desarrollar sus habilidades comunicativas, sociales, académicas, motrices y capacitación vocacional para que puedan vivir vidas saludables y productivas. Todo esto empieza contigo, y cuanto antes empiece, mejor.

(I already have my child's diagnosis now we are going to talk about the diagnosis, importance of self-care, how to navigate services for people with disabilities, resources available in our community, support networks, and how to find effective programs to help my child to develop communication skills, social, academic, motor, and vocational skills so they can live healthy and productive lives. This all starts with you and the sooner it starts, the better.)

To register for the webinar, click here.

Always Ready for Chocolate is coming back and we hope to see you all there! The event will take place on February 18, 2023 from 1:30 PM - 4:00 PM at The Commons!

Join The Arc of Bartholomew County for an afternoon of tasty desserts from local bakeries and businesses, live and local entertainment, an art show/silent auction featuring art created by individuals with disabilities, and more! There will also be vendors with information on disability services in the area.

Join us for the Columbus Down Syndrome Support Group’s 22nd Annual Buddy Walk! The event will take place on October 1, 2022 at the Donner Park Shelter House. Stay tuned for more information coming soon!

Regardless of your age, or your child's age or disability, planning for the future is important. The Arc of Indiana Master Trust, Indiana's leading special needs trust, offers families and people of all disabilities an experienced, professional option for special needs trust administration at an affordable price, allowing resources to be saved and easily used for qualified disability and personal expenses. The Arc Master Trust’s presentation will go over the basics of Special Needs Trusts, how they can be used, and the options families and individuals have in establishing a trust.

Register in advance for this meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvfu6hrTkrGNS01loIsQOsXX62o_UT1AE1

Join The Arc of Bartholomew County for our Annual Awards Ceremony! We will be announcing the recipients of the awards honoring those who have furthered the mission of The Arc as well as the recipient of the Ben Baker Memorial Scholarship. We will also be giving an annual update on our organization and hear from The Arc of Indiana. Join us for light refreshments and socializing.

Mary Hamlin is the BCSC Transition Coordinator.   She helps students and parents as the student is transitioning from public school to their next chapter into the adult world.   She also assists families with connecting to community, state and federal resources.   

Each student's next chapter is treated with an individual approach.  The goal is that a student and his/her supporters are connected to all that is possible in our community so that they may continue to live a fulfilling life.

Panelists include:

• James Yokam Edward Dayhoff-Dwyer (22-years-old): James attended Erskine Green after graduating from high school and now lives on his own in his condo and holds 2 jobs.

• Brandon Mitchell (22-years-old): While in high school, Brandon got his driver's license and started working at Jay C. He is now one of their overnight stockers and recently moved into his own apartment.

• Logan O'Sullivan (22-years-old) Logan worked with VR (Vocational Rehabilitation), lives at home with mom and dad, and is working at Texas Roadhouse.

Register in advance for this meeting here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. 

The Arc of Bartholomew County is hosting a free screening of the amazing documentary "Hearts of Glass" in celebration of Disability Awareness Month. The film will be followed by a live panel with documentary producer/director and participants in the film. The event will be held at YES Cinema in Columbus, Indiana.

To reserve your Free ticket(s), click here.

Film description:
”Hearts of Glass” follows the tumultuous first 15 months of operation of Vertical Harvest (VH) of Jackson, Wyoming, a state- of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse that provides meaningful employment for people with disabilities. The film weaves the story of VH’s launch with the personal journeys of employees with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Plants and people grow together in this intimate portrait of innovation, inclusion and community.

Virtual Options:

We understand that COVID-19 is still a concern to many. If you’d like to view the film on your own time, please register here.

You can also join the panel virtually via Zoom, by registering here.

Sponsored by Heritage Fund Community Foundation of Bartholomew County

Learn all about tools and resources available on The Arc’s Center for Future Planning. The center aims to support and encourage adults with I/DD and their families to plan for the future. The Center provides reliable information and assistance to individuals with I/DD, their family members and friends, professionals who support them and other members of the community on areas such as person-centered planning, decision-making, housing options, and financial planning.

This session will review high-level future planning topics and provide tools for planning. Grace Kestler, Executive Director of The Arc of Bartholomew County, will host this session.

Register in advance for this meeting here.

Dr. Auberry, a registered nurse practicing in the field of intellectual and developmental disability for the past twenty-six years, will join The Arc of Bartholomew County for a webinar to discuss diabetes and disability. This presentation will provide an overview of Diabetes Mellitus, prevention strategies, treatment options, and self-care. The following topics will be addressed: Diabetes and Persons with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disability, Defining Type One and Type Two Diabetes, Hyperglycemia and Hypoglycemia, Treatment Options, Administering Insulin with an Insulin Pen, Educating-Supporting-and-Self-Care, Prevention Strategies, When to Seek Support

Register in advance for this meeting here.

The Arc of Bartholomew County is hosting a live art workshop that will take place on March 12, 2022 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM. This free workshop individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged 13 and older. This workshop is part of our Disability Awareness Month Initiative.

A volunteer artist will lead a group in a painting and participants will follow along, creating their own version of the example drawing. The instructor will teach participants different techniques and styles as they draw. All supplies will be provided by The Arc of Bartholomew County.

Register in advance for this workshop here.

We will be following COVID-19 protocols and will be requiring masks for this event.

“A Different Way of Thinking Autism Advocacy Magic Show” will take place via Zoom at 6:00 PM on March 2, 2022.

Magician/autistic self-advocate Cody Clark combines magic, comedy, and storytelling to share what living with autism is like for him. Starting with his initial diagnosis and ending with his college graduation, Cody places his magic routines within common life experiences. This shows how autism makes him different, yet similar to most people. Best of all, your organization’s disabled members will feel validated by seeing someone just like them having the same experiences that they’ve had. By the end of his show, your audience see that autism’s nothing to be scared of, but simply a different way of thinking!

Following the magic show, there will be time for questions and answers with Cody!

Register for the Virtual Magic Show here.

*This magic show is being sponsored by The Columbus Autism Network (CAN). To learn more about CAN, click here.

Join The Arc of Bartholomew County’s Director, Grace Kestler, and several valued and knowledgeable panelists to discuss the benefits of employing individuals with disabilities. This event will be a virtual webinar and will be hosted through Zoom. Learn more here or register now!

The Arc of Bartholomew County works to empower and educate individuals and families about disability services. This virtual session will share best practices for the Indiana Medicaid Waiver.
This session is aimed at parents and guardians of school aged children.
What to expect from this event:
- Overview of the Family Supports & Community Integration and Habilitation Waivers by Kris McKinney & Donald Anderson from BDDS (Bureau of Developmental Disabilities Services)
- Best practices for applying for the waiver and utilizing services.
- Personal stories and experiences from parents and guardians who have waivers
for their children
- Introduction of Bartholomew County School Corporation Transition Services for after high school

We look forward to speaking with you. There will also be a Q&A session.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER