Arc NW 60th Celebration Auction

This auction is part of The Arc NW 60th Celebration. Event funds raised make it possible to for The Arc NW to:

• Teach young children with developmental delays social skills through toys and play.
• Help families access special education resources and supports.
• Work with adults with disabilities and their loved ones to plan their futures.
• Inspire athletes to train and compete with pride and joy in the Special Olympics.
• Empower adults with disabilities to live their lives with staff and budgeting support.

Please, text ARCNW60 to 50155 and follow the prompts to make a donation.

The Arc of Northwest Wayne County (Arc NW) was founded sixty years ago when a frustrated group of parents decided they wanted a better life for their children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our mission is building inclusive communities advocacy, support and information.

Please, text ARCNW60 to 50155 to make a donation.

In 1961, there were few support programs in Wayne County, institutions were a common solution, and public school was out of reach. The Arc NW was founded to change that inequity:

• Our advocacy encouraged local schools to open up Wayne County classrooms to children with IDD beginning in 1966. We plan to help fifty families navigate special education in 2021.
• We advocated for other meaningful policies that included the Michigan Mandatory Special Education Act of 1971 establishing the right for children with IDD to an education, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Able Act of 2015 authorizing tax-advantaged savings for people with disabilities.
• We created the first Lekotek toy lending library for children with IDD in Michigan thirty years, and this program continues with forty families annually.
• We established the Just Fun Club fifty years ago when no other social opportunities existed. There are nearly 200 members who gather monthly to dance, socialize, and connect with friends, and it will relaunch post-COVID.
• We started the Athletic Program forty years ago to give people with IDD the opportunity to play sports, build confidence, and participate in Special Olympics. We will relaunch this program soon under the guidance of the Michigan Special Olympics.
• We served as the financial administrator of a pilot program that allowed adults with IDD to have control over their mental health dollars. The pilot's success led to the adoption of the Person-Centered Planning (PCP) process in Wayne County in 1996, and we now provide financial management services to 180 individuals.
• We help people with IDD transition from education to adult life and advocate for the future they want through Advocacy, After I’m Gone Program, and the Guardianship Alternatives Information Network.