The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Grants $30,000 to Local Children with Disabilities

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, a nonprofit committed to transforming lives for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), announced today that it granted over $30,000 to Maryland youth through their Family Fund grant. Created in 2017, the Family Fund provides grants for services and supports not covered by insurance.

“We are very proud to support the community, especially at a time like this when so many families are in desperate need of resources,” said Jonathon Rondeau, CEO, The Arc. “So many therapies, services, and adaptive equipment for children with disabilities are not covered by insurance and can be prohibitively expensive for families. With our Family Fund, we work to fill the gaps in access to the supports we know make a significant difference in the lives of youth with a disability.”

The Arc partnered with the Bowen Foundation for Autism to reach more families throughout the region. The grant awarded $10,000 of Autism-specific funding, contributed by the foundation.

“It is important to us that we are a resource and strong advocate for the families in our community,” Rondeau said. “With support from the Bowen Foundation for Autism, we were able to help twice as many families this year.”

This grant cycle saw over 100 applications and more than $200,000 in requests – double the numbers from 2019. A number of applications sought requests to help with unexpected expenses of supporting children at home amidst the COVID-19 crisis as parents try to recreate therapies and educational settings at home.

The Family Fund awarded 62 grants, totaling over $30,000 to families in Anne Arundel County and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Receives Grant to Provide Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies for Staff and People with Disabilities

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region has received a $500 grant from the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC): Community Crisis Response Fund to purchase and source cleaning supplies and personal hygiene products for direct support professionals (DSP) working on the frontline to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jonathon Rondeau, CEO, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, said, “We have taken significant precautions over the last six weeks to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community, and to ensure the health and safety of our staff and the people we support. This includes asking our Direct Support Professionals to follow thorough cleaning and handwashing protocols when providing supports to people with disabilities.”

The Arc continues to support 151 people in a residential capacity and has over 200 essential staff reporting for duty each day. DSPs ensure the people they support maintain safe and healthy environments in their home, including medication administration, engaging in household activities, continuing health & wellness practices, and promoting positive thinking during an emotionally taxing and challenging time.

Said Rondeau, “With this $500 grant from the CFAAC’s Community Crisis Response Fund, we can source more of these critical supplies. We are grateful for the support of the CFAAC and all they are doing for the community during this difficult time.”

About The Arc Central Chesapeake Region

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region provides services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through living options, workforce development, and fiscal management services. Serving Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, The Arc provides an innovative, person-directed approach across the arc of a person’s life with a focus on equity and self-determination. Learn more at www.thearcccr.org.

About CFAAC:

The Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC) is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3), publicly supported philanthropic organization with the long-term goal of building permanent funds that provide support to local nonprofit organizations through grants and special projects. Its mission is to inspire and promote giving in Anne Arundel County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. Established in 1998, CFAAC is one of the largest funders of nonprofit organizations in Anne Arundel County. CFAAC distributed nearly $3 million in 2019 to a variety of nonprofit organizations. Learn more at www.cfaac.org.

Foundation for Central Special student who died last year provides funding to aid people with disabilities through Arc

Ten thousand dollars in funding for Autism-related requests is available for the first time this year through the Arc Central Chesapeake Region partnership with the Bowen Foundation for Autism, which is an organization for namesake Bowen Levy, who died last year after choking on a glove at Central Special School in Edgewater.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, a local nonprofit that supports children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Anne Arundel County and Maryland’s Eastern Shore, has also made $30,000 of funding available for local families who have children with disabilities, through their Family Fund grant program.

The funding is to cover therapies and specialized medical equipment critical to these children’s success that are not covered by insurance – and are financially out of reach for families. The additional $10,000 of funding available specifically for Autism-related requests is being offered for the first time this year.

According to Director of Development and Communications Catie Comer, this is the third year the Family Fund grant program funding has been made available to the community.

In the past, funding has been given to families to provide services such as “respite care, riding therapy, and in one case, a universal stand for eye gaze technology; which allows a person who cannot communicate verbally to use the communication technology anywhere they go.”
Funding for camps is also available, however, this is to be used in conjunction with other existing resources for camps is also available, however, this is to be used in conjunction with other existing resources for camps. For more information, and to access the grant application, see www.thearcccr.org/familyfund.
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The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Announces $30,000 Family Fund to Support Local Children with Disabilities

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, a nonprofit committed to transforming lives for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), announced today over $30,000 available for Maryland youth through their Family Fund grant. Created in 2017, the Family Fund provides grants for services and supports not covered by insurance.

“We are very grateful for the generosity of our community, which makes this fund possible,” said Jonathon Rondeau, CEO, The Arc. “There are effective therapies, services, and adaptive equipment available to support children with disabilities, but these resources are expensive, and are often not covered by insurance. With our Family Fund, we work to fill the gaps in access to the supports we know make a significant difference in the lives of youth with a disability.”

This grant cycle includes $10,000 of Autism-specific funding, contributed by The Bowen Foundation for Autism.

“We are excited to widen the reach of the Family Fund, with the support of our affiliate, The Bowen Foundation for Autism,” said Rondeau. “Last year we granted out $20,000. We are grateful for the opportunity to provide even more support to the community, as access to these supports are critical in ensuring children with disabilities thrive.”

The Arc is seeking applicants that have a child with I/DD under the age of 21, who reside in Maryland. Applications for the Family Fund open March 1, 2020, with awards issued in May of this year.

The complete application is available on The Arc’s website, www.thearccc.org/familyfund.

The Family Fund does not cover emergency or crisis requests. If you require emergency funding, please contact resources@thearcccr.org and The Arc will assist you with appropriate resources.

About The Arc Central Chesapeake Region
The Arc Central Chesapeake Region provides services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through living options, workforce development, and fiscal management services. Serving Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, The Arc provides an innovative, person-directed approach across the arc of a person’s life with a focus on equity and self-determination. www.thearcccr.org

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Announces $10,000 Grant to Develop Relationship Training for Direct Support Professionals in Maryland.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, a nonprofit committed to transforming lives for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, today announced that it had been awarded a $10,000 grant from The Arc Maryland. The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, in collaboration with Dr. Karyn Harvey, will create and implement a training program for Direct Support Professionals to learn how to facilitate authentic relationships, with a focus on friendships, for people with a disability.

“We are thrilled to receive the grant, which will help us empower dedicated Direct Support Professionals who provide the supports and expertise that help people with a disability live, work, play, and thrive in the community,” said Jonathon Rondeau, CEO, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region. “Many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are limited to relationships with family and paid staff, and while those relationships are important, they do not always extend into the broader community. Our goal is to transform how Direct Support Professionals approach identifying and creating opportunities for connection and authentic friendships for people with a disability. This training will be the first of its kind in our area, and we could not develop this program without the expertise of Dr. Harvey. We look forward to bringing this new model to Maryland.”

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, in partnership with Dr. Karyn Harvey, will create and implement a training program for Direct Support Professionals around facilitating the development and sustainment of authentic relationships, with a focus on friendships, for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The initiative will utilize a Train-the-Trainer model for sustainability, and The Arc Central Chesapeake Region will continue to invest in future trainee cohorts with the goal of all Arc team Direct Support Professionals receiving this training. Technology will be leveraged to expand the reach and impact of the training. Lessons learned and best practices of this pilot training will serve the broader disability community in Maryland by providing a practical model for advancing our common vision of equity and access for people with intellectual and development disabilities.

About The Arc Central Chesapeake Region
www.thearcccr.org

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region provides services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through living options, workforce development and fiscal management services. Serving Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, The Arc provides an innovative, person-directed approach across the arc of a person’s life with a focus on equity and self-determination.

About Dr. Karyn Harvey
https://karynharvey.org/index.html

Dr. Harvey has worked as a clinician in the field of intellectual disabilities for over 25 years. She has a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D. in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Maryland.  She has published articles about therapeutic interventions with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), workbooks for individuals with IDD and two books; Positive Identity Development, and Trauma-Informed Behavioral Interventions. In 2016 she received the Earl Loschen Award from NADD for Excellence in Clinical Practice.

About The Arc Maryland
http://www.thearcmd.org/

The Arc Maryland works to create a world where children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have and enjoy equal rights and opportunities. The Arc Maryland is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the rights and quality of life of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region Announces Newest Board Member, Raj Kudchadkar

The Arc Central Chesapeake Region and Laura Austin, President of the Board, are pleased to announce the addition of Raj Kudchadkar to the Board of Directors, effective January 9, 2020. A strong, diverse, and committed Board of Directors is integral to The Arc’s recently updated and robust strategic plan. The addition of Raj Kudchadkar strengthens organizational governance and sustainability as The Arc works to achieve full inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“We are excited to welcome Raj Kudchadkar to our Board,” said Jonathon Rondeau, Chief Executive Officer at The Arc. “An accomplished business leader, Raj brings a deep commitment to equity and inclusion, complementing our mission and vision. We look forward to sharing in Raj’s ability to build community while tackling systems change. We have a tremendous Board of Directors here at The Arc, dedicated to changing lives for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and Raj is a terrific addition to our team.”

Raj Kudchadkar is the Director of Business Development for the Maryland Coalition for Inclusive Education. Before his work with the Coalition, Kudchadkar was President and CEO of the Central Maryland Chamber of Commerce and was voted one of Seven Anne Arundel County Newsmakers in 2017. Kudchadkar holds a Juris Doctor from American University, a Masters in Public Policy from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College. Kudchadkar is a 2019 graduate of Leadership Anne Arundel and also sits on the Board of the Central Maryland Transportation Alliance.

Read the Capital Gazette article: https://www.capitalgazette.com/neighborhoods/ac-cn-peoplekudchadkar-01262020-20200127-3fo6qqlz5fbmdpx4r5j2jajdje-story.html

Action Alert: Contact Governor Hogan by December 2, 2019

ADVOCACY ALERT

Urge the Governor and the General Assembly to Include No Less than a 4% Increase for DDA Community Service Providers in the FY21 Budget!

 Dear Friends of The Arc,

Last Spring, you helped us #Fightfor15, and with the influence of your voice, we were able to attain a mandate that the Governor include a 4% increase in his FY21 budget for developmental disability services. Our work is not done! Although the legislature mandated that the Governor include this funding in his budget, there is a legal avenue he could use to include the funding, and then remove it through a companion piece of legislation.

Now that the Governor is actively developing his budget for FY21, we need to emphasize even more why it is critical that the budget reflects this increase. Please help us advocate for our community. Encourage the Governor to include enough funding in his budget to ensure providers like The Arc can continue to deliver quality service and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

ACT NOW!

The Governor Values the Voice of His Constituents.
Tell Him Why This Is Important to YOU!

 It is critical that you let Governor Hogan know how important DDA community supports are to you/your loved one. Please take a few minutes to write to him by December 2, 2019.

For your convenience, click below for guidelines, talking points, and a template to assist you in communicating your concerns.

DSPs & Other Arc Staff

Families, Advocates, & People Who Use Supports

Thank You for Your Advocacy!
Please Feel Free to Share with Your Network.