Arc foundation Annual appeal

As Arc of Onondaga celebrates 60 years of serving our community, it is only natural to look back to our origins. Arc began as a group of dedicated parents looking to create opportunities for their elementary-aged children with developmental disabilities during a time when there were virtually none available.   It has since evolved into an organization that serves individuals from birth through their senior years with an incredibly varied slate of services including community-based residential housing, day habilitation programs, work-placement programs, recreational programs, clinical services, and of course faithful to our roots, programs serving children and their family members.

 

Indeed, Arc’s provision of services to our community’s developmentally disabled spans from their early years – with programs like early intervention services – throughout the remainder of their lifetimes. These services are provided with a quality, and at a scope and breadth, of which our founding parents could never have dreamt. While Arc owes its existence to the commitment and vision of those founding parents, it currently relies on the commitment and generosity of our families, community members, and local businesses to maintain its level of exceptional services.

 

While John serves on Arc’s Board of Directors, our connection to the organization is much more personal. Our youngest son, Brian, lives his life with the challenge of a dual diagnosis of both Down syndrome and Autism.   While he has been both a blessing and an inspiration to his parents and his siblings, we also count ourselves lucky to be raising Brian at a time and in a community where organizations like Arc of Onondaga exist to assist in serving those needs that we are not able to meet. 

 

It is important now more than ever to support the Arc of Onondaga Foundation. The Foundation ensures that services for individuals with developmental disabilities like Brian will continue to be available well into the future.   We ask that you join us in giving a monetary gift in any amount you feel appropriate to the Arc of Onondaga Foundation. Your gift will make a difference in the lives of those Arc serves. We are deeply appreciative of your consideration and any level of support you are willing to give.

 

With gratitude,

John & Ellen Powers