The children at Stepping Stones School celebrated their first holiday season in their new school building, and put a fresh spin on familiar school traditions. The annual holiday party on December 12 welcomed families of the children in the Early Intervention and school programs, and included a holiday music dance party, refreshments, gifts from the Candle Lighters, and a visit from Santa himself! On December 17, students from The Deron School of New Jersey visited Stepping Stones for their annual collaboration. The Deron students helped guide the Stepping Stones children as they completed a wooden snowman craft together. The day also featured [...]

Dozens of families registered for The Arc of Essex County and The Arc of New Jersey’s second “Wings for All” event at Newark Liberty Airport, which was held on Saturday, December 7. Families had an opportunity to go through a low-stakes visit to the airport in a “test run” that gave individuals with IDD the chance to run through the various stages of an airport trip and identify any pain points for families. The event was supported by United Airlines, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Transportation Security Administration, and Munich Terminal A at Newark Liberty [...]

Continuing the musical tradition, singers from the United Presbyterian Church of Lyndhurst visited The Arc of Essex County’s SYA Day Program on December 18 for a morning of singing holiday carols with day program participants. With The Twelve Days of Christmas as a highlight, the singers and musicians from United Presbyterian led songs and took requests, performing toe-tapping hits such as Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree and more mellow tunes like Silent Night. A rotating assortment of Day Program singers, bell-ringers, and tambourine-tappers led their peers from the front of the room, while others sang and played instruments from their seats [...]

The children who participate in The Arc of Essex County’s programs kept a busy schedule in December. Special activities included: Visiting the “Magic of Lights” holiday light show at PNC Bank Arts Center on December 7 A Children’s Saturday Respite holiday shopping excursion and an inventive “gift wrap fashion show,” where children and staff created accessories out of holiday wrapping paper Parents’ Night Out on December 13, complete with holiday crafts and activities Interactive Communi-Play events on December 7 and 21 at Studio Arc, where children ages 2.5 to 5 played games that help build communication skills A free trial class of a new Social [...]

Throughout December, the residents in The Arc of Essex County group homes enjoyed a mix of festivities at home and fun adventures in the community. Some highlights include: West Essex UNICO provided a Christmas dinner for 30 residents and staff at the West Caldwell, Green Avenue, and Cedar Grove group homes and the Verona Apartment Program on December 19. The Arc is so grateful for UNICO’s continued generosity. Residents from the Belleville, Cedar Grove, and Green Avenue group homes and Verona Apartments attended the Cedar Grove Elks’ holiday party on December 9. In addition to receiving a delicious meal, they had the [...]

The Day Programs have been busy enjoying the holiday season, with each celebrating the December holidays with their own version of parties and activities. In addition: Participants in our Entrepreneurship Club held a pop-up shop at The Arc of Essex County’s main office, where they sold an assortment of holiday gifts that they had handcrafted at Studio Arc, including cards, candles, soaps, and more. Artists from Bridges, OZ, SYA, and West Caldwell Hub created new and innovative art at Studio Arc, including self-portraits, chalk gingerbread houses, and expressionist paintings. SYA hosted singers from the United Presbyterian Church for a holiday sing-along (click here [...]

During the month of December, the adults participating in The Arc of Essex County’s Recreation Programs enjoyed a variety of fun activities, including: A Winter WonderLights drive-through show on December 1, where participants experienced the magic of more than 1.5 million lights animated to holiday music, including tunnels and giant displays “Holly Jolly Shopping and Lunch” at the Willowbrook Mall, where shoppers could purchase holiday gifts for their loved ones before gathering for a meal together Giftwrapping and Carols at Opportunity Zone, where folks learned how to best wrap the items they brought with them while singing favorite holiday tunes Bowling trips to Bowlero [...]

Tributes are a beautiful way to acknowledge those you care for, and at the same time, help further The Arc’s mission. To purchase a tribute, please call Ann Burleigh at (973) 535-1181 ext. 1245 or visit our tribute page here. Tribute Donations (October to December 2024): In Memory of Berneda FieldsJohn Malcolm In Memory of Cyrus and Florence LewisEllen Lewis In Memory of Davey OwensAl Lasso In Memory of Elizabeth WaeschleMary and James AiosaHal Solomon In Memory of Jack StrausAnn G. Murphy In Honor of Billy WrightBev Luehs In Honor of Felicia RainesCara L. Schnaper In Honor of Glennise Renae HillmanSherleen Hillman In Honor of MaryAnn DaudtSusan Lubeck Supporters can host [...]

Patrick joined the SYA Day Program in Nutley in 2024 after years of participating in other Arc programs, specifically the weekend recreational activities. Last May, he began attending SYA and has loved the new friendships and activities that have come with it. “I like that we go out in the community,” he says. “And I like it here [at SYA] when we have parties.” Patrick says he has nicknames for all the staff members from The Arc, and he’s grateful that they have been helping him with his balance as he moves around. “They make me laugh,” he says. He also loves the [...]

When Diana Henry first graduated from Stockton College in 2006, she wanted to put her psychology degree to use by working with at-risk youth and ended up with a job at an organization that supported people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her interest in working with the adult side of the population began to grow, but she didn’t see a path toward making that transition at the agency where she worked. “When I want something, I go after it,” Diana says. “So I was determined to get the experience I needed.” After working in New York for a couple of years [...]