As the weather warmed up this spring, residents at The Arc of Essex County’s group homes enjoyed getting out and exploring the outdoors together. The Verona Apartment Program attended the Cherry Blossom Festival in Branch Brook Park and became superheroes at the West Caldwell Recreation Center. The gentleman in the Branch Brook home also beat the spring heat by heading over to Rita’s for some cool treats, which they enjoyed in the sunshine together. The West Caldwell, Green Avenue, Branch Brook, Claremont, Beacon, and Belleville group home residents and those in the Irvington Avenue, Verona, and Linden apartments joined the fun at [...]

The children in the Stepping Stones School’s transition kindergarten class marked Earth Day and Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month with an assortment of educational activities. To celebrate Earth Day, the students used blue and green Jell-O for a tong activity, played in “dirt” made of cocoa powder, flour, and oil to dig and plant pretend flowers, and explored Earth Day-themed sensory bins. They also planted beans and are excited to watch them grow. The class also enjoyed the beautiful fresh air that the springtime brings, with outdoor adventures that included visiting blooming trees and flowers, playing outdoor sports, and flying kites [...]

The Arc of Essex County’s Community Inclusion and Recreation participants visited the Turtle Back Zoo, Dave & Buster’s, and Studio Arc during a fun-filled April. On April 16, a group of 18 visited the Turtle Back Zoo, exploring the animal exhibits, feeding the giraffes, getting hands-on with sea life in the touch tank, and riding the train together In preparation for Mother’s Day, participants gathered at Studio Arc on April 23 to make a gift bag that featured handmade soaps, bath bombs, lip balms, and essential oils. And on April 30, the group traveled to Dave & Buster’s at the Willowbrook Mall to [...]

In celebration of The Arc of Essex County’s 75th anniversary, the agency is holding “A Million Dreams” gala on Thursday, June 15, 2023 at The Grove in Cedar Grove, NJ. This milestone event will feature cirque entertainment, fine dining, open bar, live music, and celebration. The Arc of Essex County will recognize the following honorees during the gala: Legacy of Philanthropy: PSEG Legacy of Leadership: Board Presidents, The Arc of Essex County Legacy of Advocacy: Tom Baffuto, The Arc of New Jersey Executive Director Tickets to the event cost $225 per person, or $400 per couple, with a RSVP deadline of June 1. There are [...]

With Easter egg hunts, spring crafts, and kite flying, the participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Day Programs have been fully embracing the spring season. At West Caldwell Hub, the group hand-crafted and painted Easter baskets for collecting eggs. Bridges dyed eggs and made other Easter-themed crafts together. At SYA, Easter eggs were scattered across the outdoor area, making for a very exciting egg hunt for participants. SYA also took advantage of the blustery spring days to do some kitemaking and kite flying. As part of the ongoing global curriculum, the Opportunity Zone participants are continuing to learn about other countries, [...]

A group of eight children gathered for the latest Parents’ Night Out event on April 21 at Stepping Stones School. The participants had a lively time making Mother’s Day ornaments and completing other spring art projects, as well as playing on the playground. The group also enjoyed a pizza dinner together. Parents’ Night Out events provide children with an entertaining few hours while Arc parents can enjoy an evening to themselves, knowing their children are safely enjoying activities with their peers. The evening cost families $20 per child, with the program costs partially offset by generous donations to The Arc of [...]

Runners, walkers, Fun Fest attendees, and volunteers showed up with smiles, despite the rainy weather, for The Arc of Essex County’s 25th Annual Building Tomorrows 5K Run, Family Walk, and Fun Fest on Saturday, April 29 at the South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange. The overall 5K winners were John Gafney of Rutherford, N.J. with a time of 17:01 and Kayla Lubonski of Cranford, N.J. with a time of 24:12. The men’s second and third place finishers were Fahim Chowdhury (Bayonne, N.J.) and Tristin DeVincenzo (Hoboken, N.J.), and the women’s second and third place finishers were Karolina Zujewska (South Orange, [...]

The Arc of Harrisonburg and Rockingham (Virginia) recently launched a new initiative, dubbed Healthy Understanding of Our Bodies, or “HUB,” which they share with the wider Arc community. Sexual Health is a complex and important part of overall health and wellness. It connects with nearly all other areas of health in our lives, including physical health, mental health, emotional health, and relational health. Sexual Health affects how we develop relationships with others, how we think of ourselves, how we care for ourselves, and how we stay safe. Everyone is deserving of inclusive, accessible sexual health education that is free of shame [...]