It was a festive February for The Arc of Essex County’s day program participants.

At the Opportunity Zone in Maplewood, consumers enjoyed dressing in Valentine’s Day red and creating beautiful Valentine cards for loved ones. SYA day program participants in Nutley had their own celebration, which included cookie decorating with treats from Little Baked Miracles.

The SYA group also celebrated National Pizza Day with a special trip to UNO Pizzeria in Clifton, where they had lots of fun making their own personal pan pizza and ice cream sundaes. The also learned all about China as part of their global curriculum study. Activities included learning about how silk is made, improving their chopstick skills with a fun game, and creating Chinese fans.

At the West Caldwell Hub, our consumers made beautiful knitted creations using a loom and colorful thread during a special weaving session. 

And at Bridges, the group wore fun Cat in the Hat top hats while celebrating Read Across America Week, with one of our participants, Michael, reading a Dr. Seuss book to the group. 

The Arc of Essex County Day Services are provided in a variety of community-based settings with wide-ranging activities. Community Resource Center activities such as volunteering, community trips, and skill-building classes help consumers develop essential interpersonal skills. Vocational Centers encourage consumers to learn and enhance employment-related skills, while Specialized Centers assist those with extra physical, medical, or behavioral needs. All participants choose from an evolving menu of activities held either in the center or in the community. For more information, contact Director of Day Services Angela LoSapio at (973) 535-1181 x1231 or alosapio@arcessex.org.