The Arc of Essex County is pleased to announce that the Orange Orphan Society has generously granted $10,000 toward Camp Hope fee assistance for children residing in Maplewood and the Oranges, and an additional $5,559 for new camp equipment. Located in East Hanover, N.J., Camp Hope welcomes individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the summer season. The Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Life Improvement granted The Arc of Essex County $20,000 to be used for the Nutley Group Home bathroom renovation project. We thank the Orange Orphan Society and the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Life Improvement for their generous contributions to support [...]

The Arc of Essex County’s day programs were busy with fun activities in March. At SYA in in Nutley, participants continued on their quest to become virtual citizens of the world, most recently focusing on Australia. One of the lessons was that Australia celebrates Harmony Day on March 21, which recognizes the diversity of the country. To commemorate Harmony Day at SYA, the consumers created artwork that represents the countries that they or their ancestors are from. The slogan of Harmony Day is “Everyone Belongs” and that is most definitely true at SYA, where Ghana, Italy, Ireland, Puerto Rico, England, Germany, [...]

One of The Arc of Essex County’s Community-Based Supports participants, Danny, as well as Life Management participant Adotheus, enjoyed an afternoon discussing nutrition and healthy food options. They both prepared a tossed salad with grilled chicken and talked about the proper way to handle and use a knife. Community-Based Support is an individual program that supports individual strengths and encourages independence while teaching life skills. To learn more about The Arc of Essex County’s day service offerings for adult consumers, click here.

Camp Hope is preparing for the 2022 summer season with new merchandise! A quarter-zip pullover, blue long-sleeve tees, and both white and blue camp baseball hats are now part of the Camp Hope store, and can be purchased here. White tees, hoodie sweatshirts, cinch bags, and water bottles continue to be available, allowing campers and their loved ones to display camp pride wherever they go. This year’s fun-filled camp season will start on July 5 and run for seven weeks, through August 19. Registration is still open, visit www.ArcCampHope.com for more information. Job opportunities, including for camp counselors, lifeguards, and camp nurse [...]

After two years as a virtual event, The Arc of Essex County is thrilled to once again welcome the community in person to its 24th Annual Building Tomorrows 5K Run and Family Walk on Saturday, April 9 at the Clipper Pavilion in West Orange. The inclusive event will feature a scenic 5K race, followed by a fundraising walk and family-friendly entertainment. All proceeds will directly benefit children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The venue, within the South Mountain Recreation Complex, features free, convenient parking as well as a flat, scenic course for runners and walkers. Event [...]