The sweet smell of fresh-baked goods regularly fills Grandma Emma’s Bakery in Maplewood, and in recent weeks, it’s been accompanied by the chatter of participants from The Arc of Essex County’s Opportunity Zone Day Program. Six women in the OZ Jobs Club have spent a few hours every Wednesday building valuable job skills as part of a six-week hands-on training program. Under the guidance of bakery owner Eric Dawson and Arc staff, participants have learned how to create a variety of treats from scratch, including cookies, sweet potato pies, and cinnamon rolls. Eric walks them through each step of the process: [...]

Through the month of March, Stepping Stones School welcomed guests who brought fictional worlds and magical illusions to the students. Beginning with a celebration of Read Across America Week from March 2 to 6, classrooms buzzed with excitement as mystery readers joined in the fun. A wide range of guest readers helped bring stories to life throughout the week, including family members, main office staff, Arc Day Program participants, and officers from the Fairfield Police Department. Each guest reader took time to visit classrooms make meaningful connections with the students. Some of the Student Champions in The Arc of Essex County’s [...]

The Arc of Essex County invites the community to come together for the 28th Annual Building Tomorrows 5K Run, Family Walk, and Fun Fest, taking place on Saturday, April 25 at the South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange. This signature event brings families, friends, and supporters together for a day of fitness, celebration, and purpose, offering participants the opportunity to run or walk a scenic course, enjoy family-friendly activities, and make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Full event details, including registration information, can be found at RunOrWalk.org. Whether or not supporters can [...]

Communi-Play, an early-childhood program hosted by The Arc of Essex County, continues to make a meaningful impact on families within The Arc community in the three years since it launched in March 2023 at Studio Arc in Fairfield. The program, offered at no cost to families due to donations from the Community Recreation Fund, has become a welcoming space where children ages 2.5 to 5 can build communication and social skills alongside their parents and caregivers. Held twice a month on Saturday mornings, Communi-Play has grown steadily, with 26 children and their caregivers participating so far this year. Led by speech-language [...]

The Arc of Essex County is excited to announce new paid internship opportunities for Summer 2026, offering current college students and recent graduates a meaningful way to gain hands-on experience while supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Running from June 1 through August 7, interns will work up to 20 hours per week at a competitive rate of $20 per hour, thanks to support from the Career Accelerator Internship Grant Program. These positions provide a unique chance to build professional skills, collaborate with a dedicated team, and contribute to a mission-driven organization making a real impact within the community. This [...]

Participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Adult Recreation, Respite, and Community Inclusion programs enjoyed a variety of social, recreational, and engaging activities in March, including: A “Sunday Matinee & Mingle” outing on March 8, featuring the movie “I Still Believe,” followed by lunch to discuss their favorite scenes together Bowling together at Bowlero Belleville on March 14, 21, and 28, where participants practiced teamwork, took turns, and cheered each other on during friendly competition Hotel Respite Weekend March 20 to 22, which included a trip to see a performance of Frozen at Union High School A “Spring Ball” on March 22, where the [...]

Residents in The Arc of Essex County’s Residential Programs really embraced the St. Patrick’s Day holiday in March, with activities that included: A “Girls Night In” at Studio Arc for women across The Arc’s group homes, where residents created festive leprechaun flower pot crafts and enjoyed a fun, social evening together A St. Patrick’s Day-themed “Man Cave Monday” at Studio Arc, featuring a lively bingo night and opportunities for residents to try their luck and win prizes Residents at 45 Beechtree marking the holiday with a special St. Patrick’s Day dinner at home; the group also enjoyed relaxing strolls through the neighborhood and [...]

Participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Day Programs enjoyed a busy and engaging month in March, including: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day across program sites with festive decorations, themed activities, and opportunities to come together and enjoy the holiday Jobs Club participants building valuable pre-vocational skills through hands-on learning experiences, including restaurant training at The Office Tavern + Grill for West Caldwell Hub, hotel hospitality skills at Doubletree Hotel for SYA, and baking skills at Grandma Emma’s Bakery for the Opportunity Zone (Click here to read more about the Jobs Club this month) Exploring creativity at Studio Arc, where artists from across Day [...]

Children and families in The Arc of Essex County community enjoyed a variety of engaging and inclusive experiences in March, including: Saturday Respite participants attending a festive St. Patrick’s Day parade together Parents’ Night Out participants getting creative with St. Patrick’s Day-themed crafts and activities Communi-Play sessions on March 7 and 21 for children ages 2.5 to 5, offering interactive, play-based communication opportunities for young children and their families at Studio Arc, encouraging connection and early language development A busy and exciting month at Stepping Stones School, filled with engaging classroom activities and seasonal celebrations (Click here to read more about Stepping Stones School [...]

Thomas is a familiar face at The Arc of Essex County’s hotel respite weekends, where he fully embraces every experience. He says he especially enjoys bowling, watching movies, and sharing breakfast with friends. He also takes part in Community Inclusion and Group Respite activities, joining his Arc friends for everything from bowling and movie outings to seasonal celebrations and day trips. No matter the activity, Thomas is always smiling. He loves talking about his friends and the Arc staff and never wants to miss out on any of the fun.