Decked out with spooky and silly Halloween scenes, The Arc of Essex County’s vans were lined up at the West Caldwell Hub for day program participants to enjoy a Trunk or Treat Halloween celebration. The trunk of each van was adorned with fun seasonal décor, and dozens of day program attendees stopped at each one to receive special Halloween treats, such as candy, cookies, and pudding cups. Certain vans were allocated for special diets, so everyone could participate if they wanted to. Most of the visitors were dressed in fun and scary Halloween costumes, and all enjoyed the bright autumn day [...]

For the second year in a row, The Arc of Essex County, The Arc of New Jersey, and United Airlines are teaming up to bring Wings for All to Newark Liberty International Airport. This year’s event will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024. Wings for All is an airport “rehearsal” program created to alleviate some of the stress individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families experience when traveling by air. The program helps ease family concerns regarding how their loved one will react to different stimuli in the airport, such as bright lights, noises, TSA security screening, and [...]

A group of participants in The Arc of Essex County’s Opportunity Zone Day Program have been attending weekly self-advocacy classes, covering topics such as rights and responsibilities, relationships, anti-bullying, and self-care. In addition to the in-person meetings at OZ, several consumers also attend monthly Zoom meetings with the NJ Self-Advocacy Project. Recently they also participated in the NJ Self-Advocacy’s 40th Annual Fall Conference via Zoom and had a wonderful time. The group is also learning about “standing up and speaking up,” both for themselves and others. At one of the monthly Zoom meetings, the subject of voting came up. The consumers [...]

Children and teens whose schools are closed for Teachers’ Convention on November 7 and 8 will have the opportunity to learn new art skills and create new masterpieces at a series of classes at Studio Arc. On Thursday, November 7, a Children’s Collage Crafting Class for ages 5 to 12 will run from 1 to 2 p.m., and a Teen Collage Crafting Class for ages 13 to 20 will run from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. On Wednesday, November 8, The Arc is offering two classes each for children and teens. In the morning, a Children’s Autumn Block Printing Class will run from [...]

The beautiful October weather gave The Arc of Essex County’s Adult Recreation participants lots of opportunities to enjoy the season and make memories together. On October 6, a Community Inclusion group enjoyed a day out at the Caldwell Street Fair, where they enjoyed rides, live music, arts and crafts, and a variety of regional foods. The Arc thanks the volunteers from the Kiwanis Club of Caldwell-West Essex for such a wonderful day exploring downtown Caldwell. On October 20, a trip to Alstede Farm in Chester featured apple picking, pumpkin picking, a hayride, apple treats, and a visit with friendly farm animals. A Halloween [...]

This fall, The Arc of Essex County’s Parents’ Night Out events have featured volunteers from the Young Men’s Service League program to help with the games and activities at Studio Arc. At the October 18 Parents’ Night Out event, participants decorated paper pumpkins, created Halloween wreaths, and made their own wooden haunted houses. Volunteers from the YMSL—which include moms and their high-school-aged sons spending time together while serving their community—assisted with the craft projects. The group also played board games together. The YMSL intends to continue working with The Arc by volunteering at the monthly Parents’ Night Out gatherings, and The [...]

When The Arc of Essex County staff gather to discuss adult day programming, it’s essential to have Kristina Olszewski at the table. Not just because she’s the Director of Traditional Programming in Day Services, but also because, in her earlier role as Assistant Director, she oversaw each of The Arc’s program centers at one time or another. “I’ve worked with everyone, and I know them all so well,” she says. “When we talk about programming, I can bring that perspective, knowing how each of our consumers will respond to any decisions we make.” Kristina grew up in Verona and always knew she [...]

The Arc of Essex County is grateful to announce the recent awarding of two grants that will support adults and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Arc programs. The PSEG Foundation granted $10,000 to The Arc for Studio Arc STEAM classes. Classes are for children and adults and are slated to begin in January 2025. The Novartis US Foundation granted $4,000 toward the monthly service fees for telemedicine in The Arc’s group homes. The Arc thanks both the PSEG Foundation and the Novartis US Foundation for their generous contributions to our programs.

For individuals seeking a community living placement, The Arc of Essex County has the following November 2024 openings: Ashwood (NEW!) (1 Male or Female vacancy) Single-family group home on a residential street in Livingston 24/7 supervision Within walking distance of parks and outdoor spaces Active and social group of residents who enjoy outings together as well as parties and activities at home Beacon (1 Male vacancy) Single-family home on a quiet, dead-end street in Livingston 24/7 supervision Barrier-free home for wheelchair accessibility Located near shopping and dining Belleville Group Home (2 Male vacancies) Two-family supervised apartment on quiet dead-end street 24/7 supervision Located near Branch Brook Park and other outdoor spaces Residents enjoy activities together, [...]