Stephen V. Falanga began his term as the next president of The Arc of Essex County Board of Trustees on July 1, succeeding outgoing president Marnie McNany and kicking off the new fiscal year for the organization. Steve first learned of The Arc after his son, Matthew, was born with Down syndrome and he and his wife were introduced to Stepping Stones School. They worked with Judy Bellina in the Early Intervention program and Matthew attended Stepping Stones through kindergarten, which prepared him to return to his local school district, where he graduated high school in June. “Those formative years at [...]

This summer, participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Community Inclusion, Recreation, and Respite programs have visited a music festival, taken a trip to the movies, made a splash at a beach party, and celebrated the end of bowling season, making memories together and enjoying a variety of community activities. On June 25, The Arc’s Bowling Club celebrated a great year of bowling with their peers at a banquet that included a trophy presentation for all participants and a wonderful catered meal from Bowlero Belleville. On July 10, a group enjoyed an afternoon at Maplewoodstock, where they listened to live music and [...]

Terrace Avenue Group Home residents Peter and Billy are growing tomatoes, peppers, and basil on their back deck. The two are responsible for watering them daily, and they are loving the results of their work. Residents and staff have been picking the produce for use in their meals, and they are taking pride in their thriving garden. To learn more about our residential program, contact Rebecca Lorusso, senior director of residential adult services, at 973-535-1181 x1270 or rlorusso@arcessex.org.

An enthusiastic group from the SYA Day Program took a special trip to Studio Arc to celebrate their graduation in a ceremony that marked the completion of a global curriculum they have been studying the last several months. After watching a slideshow with images from their lessons about China, India, Australia, Mexico, Africa, and Canada, the group had a robust discussion about India with The Arc of Essex County’s Senior Recruiter Anjana Padmanabhan and learned more about Ghana with Adult Services Assistant Director Dacia King-Sarkodie. They then completed their “final exam,” matching images to the countries they corresponded with. Finally, each [...]

The students at Stepping Stones School are enjoying water play, playground visits, and yoga as part of their extended school year. Summer fun is mixed with the usual combination of sensory, art, and academic activities. The school will close for the summer on August 15 and reopen for the 2022-23 school year on September 6. The Arc of Essex County's Stepping Stones School is a Department of Education-approved private school for students with disabilities serving children ages 3 to 10. Located in Roseland, NJ, the school is designed to meet the developmental and educational needs of children with cognitive impairments such as [...]

A group of residents from three of The Arc of Essex County’s Residential Programs – the Supportive Living Apartment Program in Millburn, Park Place in Irvington, and the Linden Apartment Program in Bloomfield – enjoyed a joint outing to Six Flags Great Adventure in July. Highlights for the residents included riding the carousel, bouncing in bumper cars, and visiting with street performers and mascots. To learn more about our residential program, contact Rebecca Lorusso, senior director of residential adult services, at 973-535-1181 x1270 or rlorusso@arcessex.org.

The Arc of Essex County’s Children’s Respite Program has been enjoying playing basketball, board games, musical fun, and water play during its summer Saturday sessions. June featured a Paint & Sip activity that generated a beautiful collection of artwork by the group. Children’s Respite runs three times a month and meets at Camp Hope during July and August, where children enjoy a variety of activities with their peers. Plans for the fall season are also coming together as The Arc plans a cooking class, a restaurant outing, holiday celebrations, a money management session, gift shopping, and more. The Children’s Saturday Respite [...]

The 66th season of The Arc of Essex County’s Camp Hope is off to a fun start, as more than 200 campers will enjoy a variety of games and activities with their peers this summer. Starting the week of July Fourth, camp fittingly kicked off with “Holiday” theme week, celebrating holidays such as Halloween and Valentine’s Day in the summer sun. Other theme weeks have included “Discovery Days,” with rocket ships, robots, and fossils; “Splish Splash,” with water-based fun and the annual Camp Hope Car Wash; and “Travel Through Time,” with pirate and Wild West activities. August will bring theme weeks [...]

For individuals seeking a community living placement, The Arc of Essex County has the following August 2022 openings: (NEW!) Irvington Apartments (1 Male Vacancy) Supervised apartment with condo-style living, designed for individuals who have mastered a number of skills and are looking for the independence and privacy Staff supervision is designed to maximize independence and developmental potential; available for training, guidance, and assistanceState-of-the-art kitchenEasy access to transportationWalking distance to stores and restaurantsOff-street parking Washington Avenue Residence (1 Male Vacancy) 1 bedroom in 5-bedroom male group home in a quiet Montclair neighborhood24/7 staff supervisionMale residents enjoy demonstrating their growing independence in areas such as preparing [...]