For the second straight year, the ladies of the Ivy Circle Garden Club in Ocala donated their time and efforts to improve the landscaping around the ARC Marion campus.  Specifically, they spruced up the area surrounding Group Home 12 where several of our adult developmentally disabled clients live.  This is exactly the type of community involvement [...]

Ran across a story today that just blew me away… not only is this an organization in Florida that I’ve worked with before, but they are truly living out philanthropy at its finest.  You can see the full story here, but in a nutshell, Madden, a branding and marketing company in Lakeland started at Noon [...]

During the fall last year, we began a project within the ARC Marion arts & crafts classes where we converted some of the great original pieces of art into blank greeting cards.  Well, we are at it again with this year’s assortment of Christmas and Thanksgiving cards all produced by original artwork of the developmentally disabled clients [...]

*This week’s blog was written by guest blogger, Beth Lewis, Director of  Community Supports of ARC Marion.
When we tell stories of people with developmental disabilities, they usually end up being something about money. That’s really unfortunate when the subject of money also has something to do with someone’s life. Stories about funding in the human [...]

Today we have a guest blog from the Community Supports Director, Beth Lewis.  Beth is sharing about Companion services at ARC Marion, Inc
A service like Companion is described in the Agency for Healthcare Administration (AHCA)/ Department of Children and Families (DCF) Handbook as, “non-medical care, supervision and socialization activities provided to an adult on a [...]

I had a parent of an ARC Marion client hobble into my office, literally.  She recently had a slip and fall type accident that resulted in a hip fracture-quite a surprise for someone her age-that in turn has her in a wheelchair or using a walker for a few months!  Her life has been totally [...]

**In honor of Veteran’s Day, I asked a former employee and Viet Nam veteran, Frank Champ, to be our guest blogger today.  Here is his story.**
Back 14 years ago I was offered a position with an ARC in Manchester, CT.  When the CEO interviewed me she admittedly was impressed with my credentials and began the [...]

In talking with a client’s mother the other day I realized something that is lacking for families of the developmentally and intellectually disabled- a child-sitting network.  I don’t want to use the word “babysitting,” because the children needing to be looked after are essentially all adults.
I’ve mentioned before how my family used to take vacations [...]

ARC Marion is doing something for the first time that we hope is a huge success.  It was birthed out of a conversation that has lead to what it is today- a new project for ARC Marion clients to rally around and support.  In speaking with a local businessman about Christmas gifts for his clients [...]

Coming up on November 19 is one of the can’t miss events of the year in our community- our Elegant Evening of Thanks event.  This marks the 12th year for the annual community celebration, and year after year it has grown by leaps and bounds.  This year will be no different.  What used to be [...]

For the third straight year ARC Marion client artwork will be featured in the children’s workshop area of the Fine Arts for Ocala Fall Arts Festival.  Ever since we started putting art in the exhibit, the developmentally disabled clients at ARC Marion have been so excited to work on projects all year long in hopes [...]

For seven years, two local businessmen have teamed up to put on a golf event benefiting ARC Marion and the Heart of Florida Hope Foundation.  One, a mortgage broker, the other, a radio celebrity and radio station owner, but together they make up the (Matt Tabacchi) Allstate Mortgage/Brady Ackerman Golf Scramble.  It’s truly known as [...]

In yet another great story about our local community embracing those with disabilities with fervor and enthusiasm, I am so happy pleased with another story I read recently in our local newspaper.  A dance troupe that assembled last fall includes five dancers with Down syndrome ranging in age from 11 to 27.  All of the [...]

When the Heart of Florida Hope Foundation began the Scholarships for Hope fund, there was a plan in place.  In the state of Florida there are 20,000 individuals who qualify for Medicaid waiver funding that are put on a waiting list.  You might imagine it takes several years for those people to come off of [...]

Once again, those who support ARC Marion and the Heart of Florida Hope Foundation’s annual Hog for Hope events have come through in a big way, and we simply want to say thanks! 
Whether you own a business that sponsored us, or you live in the Marion County area and were able to attend our events, [...]

When I was a child, my sister attended public school, just like I did.  We were so fortunate to have a great forward thinking school system that helped her a lot in my hometown of Cleveland, Tennessee.  However, during the summer months, parents of disabled children look for things for their kids to do just [...]

A few months ago, I posted information about our annual Hog for Hope  fundraiser, and how excited we were to get started with the specifics, in this, our ninth year.   The events wrap up on Friday, June 4 with a BBQ catered meal sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, live blue bands all night long, and the [...]

It was in October that we first told you the story about a former ARC Marion Early Intervention Program student giving back to the EIP by building a playset for his Eagle Scout project.  Well, just last week, our local newspaper published the story about Garrett Jackson and another student, Matthew Winfree, who both chose [...]

No sooner did I post the blog about Brian’s League did I hear about yet another amazing baseball organization in our local community that is catering to the needs of the disabled children right here in Marion County, Florida!   The organization called “Dream Catchers” is a baseball league backed by Little League International for disabled children from [...]

In our quest to find sponsors for our annual Hog for HopeTM events, one new local company stepped up to the plate at the Silver Level.  As a first time sponsor, that’s a pretty big accomplishment, but now we know why.
Recently I noticed an ad in our local newspaper for a Marion County Baseball League [...]

We are so blessed that people in our community are starting to understand what we do to help the people we serve.  Furthermore, we are blessed that those same people are willing to put their money where their mouths are, literally.
In the coming week, we will collect close to 100 sold Hog for Hope bike [...]

This year marks the 9th annual Hog for Hope™ fundraiser benefiting ARC Marion.  In 2002, the Heart of Florida Hope Foundation ventured into the fundraising world with several events surrounding one common theme.  Six hundred chance drawing tickets are sold for $100 each for a chance to win a custom painted one-of-a-kind Harley-Davidson motorcycle.  The [...]

When I have the opportunity to write about a cause in which I am extremely passionate, I’m sure it’s easy to see my heart in print even if you can’t see it on my sleeve.  From time to time I get a little hot under the collar fighting for people with developmental disabilities who don’t [...]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen more joy on the faces of the clients at ARC Marion than I do when they are told what kind of good things they are doing in the community.  In October, when they collected new pajamas and books for homeless children in Marion County, they were overjoyed to help.  [...]

During the Elegant Evening of Thanks event held on Friday, November 20, I had the privilege to stand before the crowd over nearly 240 people and share about the clients at ARC Marion.  My words. My heart. I thought I would recount my words here in print for anyone else who might be interested…
“The clients [...]

OK I’m going to say it.  John Travolta and Kelly Preston are just like me.  They call Marion County, Florida home, and so do I.  O.K. we aren’t neighbors (have you seen the layout of their house in Jumbolair?), and I haven’t seen them in Starbucks or Cold Stone Creamery or Target like I’ve heard [...]

For months this blog has been devoted to the special people in this world who are developmentally disabled.  Though they may not look the same, talk the same or act the same as you, they are real, genuine individuals who care about their work, their play and their communities.
There’s another group of people who deserve [...]

For the second November in a row, the clients, staff, family and friends of ARC Marion are collecting  nonperishable food items for Interfaith Emergency Services  food pantry in Ocala.  Last year, it was a developmentally disabled ARC Marion client who suggested we do something in the community to help others in need.  At that same time, our local [...]

The ARC Marion Early Intervention Program is truly an amazing place.  Through play-based curriculum children from roughly birth to age three have the opportunity to learn skills to help them grow and develop.  Some children come to EIP who can’t roll over or sit up much less run, jump and play like most little children.  [...]