About Arc

MISSION

Arc of Onondaga assists individuals with developmental disabilities achieve their fullest potential.

VISION

All people with developmental disabilities will be respected, contributing citizens who will achieve their fullest potential for independence and inclusion in the community.

CORE VALUES

We believe that…

  • Services are best provided in a personalized manner designed around individuals’ needs and desires
  • Working together, in partnership with the community at large, creates the best opportunities for people with developmental disabilities
  • Our success is dependent upon having a qualified, caring, and trained staff
  • All individuals should be treated with dignity and respect
  • The drive for excellence and continuous quality improvement is part of all we do
  • We must be flexible and seek out opportunities for advancement and growth
  • Sound, ethical business practices ensure financial stability and future organizational success
  • We must be diverse and culturally sensitive

ABOUT ARC OF ONONDAGA

In 1951, a group of concerned parents got together to ensure that their children received the best educational and social services possible.  Since then, Arc of Onondaga has been providing quality programs for people with developmental disabilities of all ages.

Arc of Onondaga is one of the largest providers of services to people with developmental disabilities in Onondaga County serving thousands of individuals and their families and employing 500 people.  With nearly 40 different sites throughout Central New York, Arc provides a wide array of services including residential, day, employment and clinical, and recreation programs.  In addition to these supports and services, Arc operates Arc Contract Services, a vocational program and outsourcing company with corporate partners throughout the region.

A true community-based organization, Arc thrives on community involvement and inclusion, as well as relying on community membership to build its base of support.  Its program participants volunteer hundreds of hours in the community each year in support of a wide variety of organizations and causes.

The Arc of New York is the largest not-for-profit in New York State serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The 53 Chapters comprising the Arc of New York are located in every county in New York State. The Organization supports over 60,000 individuals, employs over 30,000 people and has a membership of over 110,000.

ARC OF ONONDAGA FOUNDATION

The Arc of Onondaga Foundation was established to ensure the financial future of the agency by securing community support. The Foundation’s efforts help to guarantee that comprehensive services of the highest quality will always be available for future generations. The Arc of Onondaga Foundation was formed in 2002 and is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, duly registered with the United States Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau.

The Foundation builds community support through individual contributions, planned giving and special events. Support for the Arc of Onondaga Foundation is a powerful statement of involvement, compassion and commitment to people with developmental disabilities. Those who give lead by example and provide the motivation for others to follow; promoting hope for a life of inclusion, independence and productivity for all individuals.

The Arc of Onondaga Foundation is a separate entity from Arc of Onondaga and is led by its own, active Board of Directors. The Foundation hosts its annual Achievement Awards Dinner in June and Arc Race in September, as well as other fundraising events and campaigns throughout the year including two new events for 2024: Bowling for All in April and Improv-a-Palooza in May.

THE IMPACT OF GIVING

When you support the Arc of Onondaga Foundation, you help to make a lasting impact upon the people in our community with developmental disabilities who receive services from Arc of Onondaga. The Arc of Onondaga Foundation was established to ensure the financial future of the agency by securing community support. Every year, the Foundation awards grants to to help fund projects and initiatives that otherwise would go unfunded. Since 2002, over $1Million of funding opportunities have been awarded by the Arc of Onondaga Foundation, with $298,000 awarded in 2022.

Grants have enabled Arc of Onondaga to purchase exercise equipment, multi-terrain wheelchairs, sit-to-stand lifts, sensory items, and have provided funds for people to take dance classes and enjoy theatrical experiences.
Most recently, in 2023, the Foundation awarded $13,000 for an overhead lift in one of our residences, $10,000 to a Redhouse Arts Center production which enabled the people we support to experience all facets of a live theatrical production, $25,000 for the creation of an Arts Instructor position, and $250,000 towards the newly constructed Wilbur Center for Opportunity. Set to open this month, the Wilbur Center for Opportunity will provide 5,000+ square feet of newly renovated space which will dramatically enhance the services Arc of Onondaga currently provides, and expand the number of people we are able to support.  These are your dollars at work!

As a chapter of  The Arc New York, we are proud to share this video, which is part of The Legacy Project: Stories of Love, Determination & Reflection”

Through video and storytelling, The Legacy Project captures who we are as an organization, the struggles we have endured, and the personal and organizational triumphs we have achieved throughout our history. Interviews are being conducted across the state and will continue throughout the year.

The first video, “The People Behind the Story: The Developmental Center Chapters” features several family members whose loved ones were, or are, part of the state system. Each shares a very personal part of their family’s journey.  As we celebrate Developmental Disabilities Month and our 70th year of providing support to people with developmental disabilities, we are proud of how far we’ve come, and remain steadfast in advocating for inclusion. Click here to view.