On Wednesday, June 15, Stepping Stones School gathered for outdoor moving-up ceremonies for all three classes of students. Families gathered on the decorated front lawn of the school during designated one-hour ceremonies for Preschool, Transitional Kindergarten, and Primary classes. Each student received a certificate to mark the successful completion of a school year full of educational milestones, exploration, and fun, as proud loved ones, teachers, and staff looked on. It was a beautiful day with many smiling faces. Principal Sue Brand thanked families for entrusting the school with their children, whom she said bring joy to the staff every day. The [...]

With trips to Alstede Farms, Wild West City, and Lake Hopatcong, The Arc of Essex County’s recreation participants enjoyed a variety of community inclusion trips that took them on adventures throughout New Jersey. Nine Community Inclusion participants enjoyed a day at the Strawberry Festival at Alstede Farms in Chester on Sunday, June 5. They had fun petting the animals, listening to live music, and shopping in the gift shop. Everyone took home a quart of strawberries from the farm, and at the end of the day enjoyed dinner at Wendy’s, where they discussed the good times they had enjoyed. The following weekend, [...]

Help make a difference! You can spread awareness about The Arc of Essex County and raise money for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities by creating a personal fundraiser to share with family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. The Arc can help you set up a crowdfunding campaign, which can be used to spread the word via social media channels and/or through a special event, such as a birthday, anniversary, or retirement. And whether it’s celebrating a milestone or reaching a goal, a personal fundraiser allows your entire network to be part of that celebration while uniting toward a common [...]

The Arc of Essex County thanks Marnie McNany, who has served as the organization’s Board President since 2018, for her years of steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to The Arc’s mission. Marnie is concluding her time as President going into the 2022-2023 fiscal year after serving two consecutive two-year terms in the role. “Marnie is not only a champion for The Arc of Essex County, she also guided the organization through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic with calm determination,” said CEO Linda C. Lucas. “Throughout her time on the board, she has been a true partner, exemplifying quiet but strong [...]

The six residents of The Arc of Essex County’s Bloomfield group home returned to their beautifully renovated community residence in June, after months of extensive construction work that increased accessibility throughout the home. Nestled on a quiet street full of 100-year-old homes, the Bloomfield residence underwent comprehensive updates, with the entire first floor gutted and renovated to feature wider hallways and doorways, a new accessible kitchen, accessible bathrooms, and an expanded deck and access ramp, reconfigurations that have made the home more maneuverable and comfortable for The Arc’s residents and staff. New office and laundry areas also improved the overall utility [...]

For individuals seeking a community living placement, The Arc of Essex County has the following July 2022 openings: Park Place Apartments New Development! Available 9/1/2022 (2 Male OR Female Vacancies) Beautiful newly constructed, apartment-style living community located in Irvington.One-bedroom apartments available.Individual can be on Supports Program or CCP, with staffing available based on each  individual’s needs (ex. budgeting, scheduling, daily living skills, etc..) 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 small meals, doing their own laundry, and cleaningWithin walking distance [...]