The Arc of the United States is an organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization was founded in the 1950s by parents of people with developmental disabilities.[1] Since then, the organization has established state chapters in 39 states, and 730 local chapters in states across the country.[2] The Arc of the United States is based in Washington D.C.
The organization was called the National Association for Retarded Children from 1953 to 1973 and then was the National Association for Retarded Citizens from 1973 to 1981, the Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States from 1981 to 1992, and it assumed its present name in 1992, as part of expanding its function and reacting to the euphemism treadmill.[3][4]
The first organization of families was the Children's Benevolent League, incorporated in 1936 in the state of Washington.[5] They soon began to make contact with individuals in other states who shared their concerns, One important move was speaking at the national convention of professionals in this field, which they did in 1941 and, after the war was over, in 1947. These speeches were published in the professionals' journal and circulated nationwide, facilitating contact between parents.
In 1950 the parents joined together to form what was called the Association for Retarded Children (later Citizens) and is now known simply as The Arc.[6] At that time, the organization claims, there was a lack of awareness about and community programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities and their support families. In the early days the association worked to create a more positive public perception of children with mental retardation and to assert to parents and others the potential of people with mental retardation. The Arc also worked to procure services for children and adults who were denied day care, preschool, education and work programs.
The Arc provides services and support for families and individuals and includes over 140,000 members affiliated through more than 730 state and local chapters across the nation. Several states, including Alaska, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, and Wyoming, only have local chapters, with no state office. Specific information on these local chapters can be found at Arc's website
Local chapters include small voluntary groups and large and sophisticated multimillion-dollar organizations. The Arc's network of chapters share common core values.[7] NYSARC, Inc. is an affiliated non-profit serving New York state.
List of State Chapters
The Arc of San Francisco[8] is a non-profit organization based in San Francisco, California.[9] Founded in 1951,[10] The Arc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides support and advocacy to adults with developmental disabilities in the San Francisco Bay Area.[11][12]
The Arc of San Francisco connects disabled people with companies who are looking for employees. The service is at no cost for the hiring companies, and The Arc also supplies job coaches who stay with disabled employees for up to a month and provide them with training.[13] Companies and other organizations that have used this service include Albertsons,[13] Starbucks,[13] and the San Francisco Giants.[14]
The non-profit has 188 employees and 110 volunteers,[10] who help 425 people every day.[15] In November 2008, it had an annual budget of nearly $10 million,[10] which is up from $7.2 million in November 2005.[15]
John Altieri, a singer and stage actor, used to volunteer at The Arc of San Francisco as a director and as a coach.[16]
The Arc of the United States is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization which operates on a budget of approximately $2,000,000, according to Guidestar.org.[17] According to financial statements submitted to the IRS, the organization's major sources of income are charitable donations; dues for membership in local and state chapters; and government grants, contracts, and fees.[18]
Since its inception, the Arc of the United States and its state and local chapters have been involved with a number of controversial issues.[citation needed]
In the summer of 2008, the Arc strongly criticized the movie Tropic Thunder, in which Ben Stiller portrays "Simple Jack", a man with an intellectual disability. The Arc called the portrayal "offensive" and also objected to the use of the words "retard", "moron", and "imbecile" throughout the movie. The Arc was among a group of disability organizations, including the Special Olympics and the National Down Syndrome Congress which called for a boycott of the film.[19] Spokespeople for Tropic Thunder, along with Ben Stiller, argued that critics like the Arc did not understand that the movie was intended to make fun of actors and the movie industry, not individuals with disabilities, describing the movie as "an R-rated comedy that satirizes Hollywood and its excesses and makes it point by featuring inappropriate and over-the-top characters in ridiculous situations."[19] However, the Arc continued to criticize the film as containing hate speech, promoting offensive stereotypes of people with intellectual disabilities, and being offensive to people with disabilities and their families. The Arc of the United States called for all of its chapters across the nation to picket and protest against the film, launched educational campaigns, and wrote open letters to Ben Stiller and the film's creators explaining their criticisms and calling for Stiller to meet with disability advocates to engage in "honest and open dialogue about the offense this film perpetrates."[20]