April at Stepping Stones School was a lively and joyful month, filled with creative opportunities for students to come together. The festivities began on April Fools Day with a Crazy Hat Parade. Students proudly paraded around the school wearing their most imaginative and colorful headwear, turning the halls into a moving display of personality and fun. The Easter Bunny also made a special appearance. Later in the month, the school community was treated to “101 Dalmatians” on April 17, when performers from the Paper Mill Playhouse visited and captivated students with their storytelling, singing, and dancing. Earth Day featured a visit from the [...]

April was a vibrant and creative month at Studio Arc, with artists and participants embracing the season through a wide range of hands-on projects. Throughout the programs, spring served as a major source of inspiration. At Bridges, participants created colorful “flower rainbows,” capturing the brightness and renewal of the season through bold designs. Artists at WCHUB explored the concept of contrast, experimenting with line, shape, and varying levels of detail. The leisure group from OZ also continued their detailed mosaic work, crafting intricate designs that will be transformed into large decorative brooches. Seasonal themes carried into other creative activities as well. Earth [...]

The Arc of Essex County is bringing celebration to the workplace with the launch of its new Arc Hero program, a quarterly recognition initiative designed to spotlight staff who go above and beyond in service to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Rooted in The Arc’s core values of collaboration, commitment, excellence, generosity, and respect, the program invites employees across the organization to nominate peers who embody the mission in meaningful, everyday ways. For the first round of honorees, recognition came in unforgettable fashion. In true “Publishers Clearing House” style, The Arc leadership arrived unannounced at program sites, filling the space [...]

On Saturday, April 25, hundreds of runners, walkers, families, and supporters gathered once again at the Clipper Pavilion in West Orange for The Arc of Essex County’s 28th Annual Building Tomorrows 5K Run, Family Walk, and Fun Fest. With energy high and community spirit on full display, the event brought people together to raise critical funds for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Essex County, while also offering a morning filled with fitness and fun. The 5K race kicked off the day with a strong field of competitors navigating the scenic course around the South Mountain Recreation Complex. [...]

Participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Adult Recreation, Respite, and Community Inclusion programs enjoyed a variety of social, recreational, and engaging activities throughout April, including: Bowling trips on April 11, 18, and 25 A trip to Mount Airy Casino in the Poconos on April 12 A springtime cherry blossom trip on April 19 that was reimagined due to rainy weather, with the group instead visiting the Newark Museum, where participants explored exhibits and still enjoyed a fun and enriching day Making Mother’s Day crafts together on April 26 Tasty Treats Cooking Classes, where participants enjoyed preparing plant-based meals together A memorable Hotel Respite Weekend that [...]

Residents across The Arc of Essex County’s residential programs enjoyed a variety of social, recreational, and community-based activities throughout April, including: Beechtree residents celebrating April Fools’ Day with matching shirts, hosting an Easter party at home, taking walks around the neighborhood, and going out to eat together Newark Apartment residents enjoying a beautiful spring day together at the park The ladies from the Orange Group Home treating themselves to a manicure outing and spending quality time together Residents at Oakwood Group Home and the Park Place and Fairfield apartments celebrating birthdays with special gatherings An Easter brunch with a visit from the Easter Bunny at [...]

Participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Day Programs had a busy month of community trips and learning experiences, including: A group from Opportunity Zone Day Program visiting the Tilt Museum in East Rutherford. The Jobs Clubs learning a variety of new skills, including SYA completing their hospitality job training at the Double Tree Hotel by Hilton, West Caldwell Hub wrapping up their restaurant sessions at The Office Tavern and Grill, and Opportunity Zone finishing their time learning baking skills at Grandma Emma’s Bakery (which included a visit from the Maplewood mayor). Each group is moving on to a new job-training location [...]

Children in The Arc of Essex County community enjoyed a busy April, including: Saturday Respite participants making autism awareness t-shirts, going bowling, and visiting the Building Tomorrows 5K event Parents’ Night Out participants completing Earth Day crafts and activities Communi-Play sessions 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 Social skills classes for children and teens each Tuesday afternoon Engaging classroom activities and celebrations at Stepping Stones School (Click here to read more.) To learn more about The Arc of Essex County’s Children’s Programming, click here or contact Toshonda Johnson-Hall [...]

For more than a decade, Jamie’s ever-present smile has brightened The Arc of Essex County’s programs and events. Jamie is a regular at Adult Recreation and Respite events, taking part in day trips to the shore, brunch cruises, cooking classes, seasonal parties, and more. She is quick to pick up new art skills at Studio Arc, where she says she really loves making crafts with her friends. She also enjoys attending Hotel Respite weekends. Jamie has also been a part of the SYA Day Program for nearly eight years, where she is a friend to all. She delights in going out into [...]

For Andrew Casallas, one of the most rewarding parts of his work is bringing clarity to stressful and unfamiliar situations. When families feel overwhelmed, particularly while navigating complex benefit systems like Medicaid and other public supports, he finds real fulfillment in helping them understand their options, address multiple intersecting benefits, and move forward with confidence. “Sometimes they’re panicking, and it’s nice to just answer the question for them or point them in the right direction,” he says. That ability to turn confusion into relief has become a defining part of Andrew’s role at The Arc of Essex County, where he is [...]