On December 3, more than 100 participants from The Arc of Essex County's group homes and day programs—including, for the first time, all participants in the Bridges 2 day program—gathered at The Woodland in Maplewood for their annual Holiday Express celebration. This high-energy event was filled with joy as attendees danced to live music from the Holiday Express band, mingled with Santa, the Grinch, Sesame Street characters, and other holiday figures, and ate a delicious lunch together. Holiday Express is dedicated to spreading cheer through music, food, gifts, financial aid, and companionship in an effort to bring the gift of kindness during [...]

With a delicious Thanksgiving feast, fall harvest activities, and an Election Day classroom vote, the children at Stepping Stones had a busy month in November. On Thanksgiving, the students gathered for a meal together that included rotisserie chicken, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes with gravy, and cookies. During the celebration, they enjoyed a reading of the book “Turkey Trouble,” and rotated through a series of activities: turkey bowling, a turkey story with the speech therapists, “pin the feather on the turkey” with the occupational therapists, play-doh, and coloring. It was a fun kickoff to the Thanksgiving holiday break. During the [...]

Every Wednesday, a group of women from The Arc of Essex County’s Ashwood, Green Avenue, and West Caldwell group homes visit Iris Yoga in Bloomfield to engage in a special class designed specifically for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The class is led by Minal, a yoga instructor with Down syndrome, whose gentle and encouraging instruction creates a nurturing environment for all participants. Taryn, one of the studio's co-owners, brings a personal touch to the experience, as her daughter had participated in The Arc of Essex County’s Early Intervention Program. “Our classes together are very fluid and go with whatever [...]

The Arc of Essex County has expanded its After-Work program, opening a new session and location on Wednesdays at the West Caldwell Hub in November. The After-Work Respite Program is a community-integration program for adults that allows caregivers to take the time they need to relieve stress, restore energy, and manage family life. With the new addition, attendees can attend After-Work Respite on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Opportunity Zone in Maplewood, and Wednesdays at the WCHUB in West Caldwell. Participants enjoy a variety of activities, including arts and crafts, music, dancing, and community trips. A light dinner is also included. [...]

With Social Skills Classes, December Break Camp, Parents’ Night Out, and Communi-Play, The Arc of Essex County is providing families with a variety of activities and support during the holiday season. As The Arc prepares to launch a new Social Skills Class in January, a free trial class is available to families on Tuesday, December 17. The sessions, which will be divided into two age groups  (ages 5 to 10 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and ages 11 to 15 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.) will take place at The Arc of Essex County’s Opportunity Zone at 50-58 Burnett Avenue in [...]

At The Arc of the United States National Convention, The Arc of Essex County CEO Linda C. Lucas was honored with one of the most prestigious awards, The Arc’s Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award, during a special recognition ceremony. “For more than 40 years, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and The Arc, have been incredibly lucky to have Linda Lucas as an advocate, as a leader, and as a friend,” said Tom Baffuto, The Arc of New Jersey’s executive director, after the event. “With Linda at the helm, The Arc of Essex County has flourished and grown. She has [...]

At The Arc of Essex County, we are always looking for ways to empower children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, giving each person we serve the opportunity to learn new things, discover new passions, and live their best lives. That mission is boosted by technology that opens new worlds and makes meaningful connections. Here, smart TVs and digital projection screens can bring educational content to life, Obie tables glow with interactive group games, virtual reality headsets transport users to new domains, and two-way microphones and speakers open real-time communication across the miles. The right tools can make all the [...]

The Arc of Essex County congratulates Senior Director of Children and Day Services Laurie Best and Senior Director of Adult Residential Services Rebecca Lorusso for their graduation from The Arc of New Jersey’s Leadership Institute program in November. Best and Lorusso were chosen to represent The Arc of Essex County at the state-wide program, which included seven sessions over the course of six months, each focusing on a different aspect of leadership. Two staff members were selected from each Arc chapter throughout New Jersey to attend the day-long sessions, which took place at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick. [...]

Participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Adult Recreation Programs enjoyed a busy November of activities, including brunch, Friendsgiving, movies, bowling, and more. The Community Inclusion group enjoyed their “Matinee and Mingle” trip on November 3 to see Venom at the AMC Theater in Clifton, as well as a Fall Brunch at the Stagehouse Tavern on November 10. Group Respite participants gathered on November 17 for Friendsgiving, where they painted Thanksgiving decorations and ate a robust holiday meal together. Saturday Group Respite enjoyed arts and crafts, cooking, and bowling trips together throughout the month. Hotel Respite had a busy weekend of shopping, bowling, [...]

The Arc of Essex County will be hosting a virtual information session about the 2025 Camp Hope season for families on the evening of December 16, from 6 to 7 p.m. During the session, camp leadership will present details and answer questions from families. Interested participants can register for the Zoom meeting at bit.ly/camp-hope-2025-info. Camp registration will open in January. Camp Hope is a summer day camp for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities located in East Hanover. Operating since 1956, camp runs Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for seven weeks in the summer. For more information, [...]