February may be the shortest month, but it was still packed with fun for participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Day Programs, as they celebrated the various holidays that fill the calendar and took part in special activities and excursions. At SYA in Nutley, participants learned how to draw a groundhog freehand to mark Groundhog’s Day, enjoyed a special shopping trip and party for Valentine’s Day, and created a beautiful poster to celebrate Black History Month. West Caldwell Hub marked Valentine’s Day with a party at Studio Arc that featured all things red and pink. They also enjoyed a bowling [...]

Featuring Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, and the 100th Day of School, February was a busy month full of celebrations for the students at Stepping Stones School. For Groundhog Day, the students learned about hibernation, shadows, and groundhogs, and enjoyed a pajama party. After the TK classroom watched a video of Punxsutawney Phil making his weather prediction, the children took turns creating their own shadows on the wall. On the 100th Day of School, students celebrated finally hitting triple digits after counting the days of the school year. As part of the day’s festivities, students listened to a 100 Day story, did 100 [...]

Participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Community Inclusion, Recreation, and Respite programs had a bustling month of fun activities in February. Gathering at Studio Arc on February 5, the Group Respite participants created beautiful and professional-looking Valentine’s Day cards using the Cricut smart-cutting machine, which they could then give to their loved ones for the holiday. The group also made Valentine candy boxes to take home, and enjoyed chatting with their peers while working on their projects. On February 19, a Mardi Gras celebration at the Opportunity Zone in Maplewood included making colorful masks, wearing sparkly beads, and decorating cupcakes to [...]

Children in The Arc of Essex County’s Saturday Respite program celebrated Valentine’s Day with a party that featured a variety of holiday-inspired crafts and games. The group decorated giant hearts using beads, confetti, stickers, pipe cleaners, and other crafting materials. They also assembled puzzles and played board games and table-top foosball together. Participant Leo was excited to deliver cupcakes and gift bags from home to deliver to everyone in attendance. The Children’s Saturday Respite Program is a community-based program for children ages 5 to 21. The program participates in both community-based and in-center activities including visits to parks, festivals, cooking, arts [...]

At The Arc of Essex County, we seek innovative ways to carry out our mission. Whether it’s bringing new opportunities to those we serve or reimagining our living spaces, we are always pushing for fresh and inventive approaches to our work. That inspired thinking is evident throughout the 2021-22 Annual Report. The Arc invites you to read about the opening of Studio Arc, the new projects and curricula for recreation and day programs, the renovations in our group homes, and how they all fit into our strategic priorities. As always, the support of our donors, grantors, and families help make these [...]