Thank you to everyone who participated in, contributed to, or supported The Arc Walk in March! We have another successful event on the books and look forward to our 30th Anniversary Arc Walk next year!
Last month, the Culinary Arts program launched their new Coffee Cart, a moveable feast of sorts offering refreshing caffeinated and decaf beverages prepared by our program participants, as well as snacks and pastries to keep the munchies at bay. Contact the Culinary Arts Program at 562-855-3479 to hire the cart and our baristas for your party or event, or even just to treat your office and cement your status as everyone’s favorite coworker.
The Banquet Hall is about to get a facelift! We’re in the process of scheduling a paint crew to revive and vivify the exterior so that it matches the recent beautification of the interior. Weather permitting, this project should be done in time for summer. Call Julie at 562-855-3466 to schedule your celebration at our Hall.
This month, we want to share a little about our ExCELS Program. ExCELS stands for Experiencing the Community through Educational Learning Skills and the acronym is apt because our program participants are always excelling! This is a comprehensive program that focuses on teaching important skills such as numbers and letters, while also incorporating lessons about various life skills such as money management and health and wellness. We keep learning fun and with the use of interactive teaching materials such as dominoes or blocks. Participants also memorize vital safety information like their addresses and parents’ or caregivers’ phone numbers in case of emergency. Throughout the week, the group embarks on fun community outings and field trips to apply everything they’ve learned!
Our ExCELS participants love to dance during their 30 minutes of daily movement. Some of them also enjoy karaoke. They spend time in the community several days a week, on field trips and excursions. Recently, they visited Travel Town Museum in LA and Dave & Buster’s.
The group celebrated Cinco de Mayo by making and decorating their own piñatas — you can see Cristal displaying hers in the photo!
Giselle is a Direct Service Provider in our Community Integration Training (CIT) program and she’s been with The Arc for about 11 months. We wanted to throw the spotlight on her because she has a significant achievement coming up: Giselle is graduating from Cal State Los Angeles this month with a degree in Rehab Services!
Ever since she was a child, Giselle has had the strong desire to be part of something that positively impacts people and the earth. That philanthropic urge motivated her to volunteer at a food bank; work with populations such as youth in foster care, kids with autism, and adults reentering society; and help families suffering the effects of natural disasters.
Outside of work and volunteering, Giselle enjoys art, the outdoors, Pilates, and spending time with loved ones. The most interesting place she’s visited is Niagara Falls, Canada, by boat.
Go Giselle!
Three of our Culinary Arts participants graduated from the program this month! These three superstars have each spent four years in the Culinary Arts program, where they’ve learned the ins and outs of the food service industry — prepping and cooking meals, cleaning equipment, food and kitchen safety, barista work, general maintenance, customer service, and so much more. Their dedication has paid off and now they’re ready to graduate to the Career Development program where they’ll receive guidance with résumé writing, job searching, and interviewing for employment in the restaurant industry. They’ve worked so hard and they’re ready to spread their wings. Abraham, Kristian, and Jackie: Congratulations!! We’re so proud of you! Here’s to your continued growth and success!
On May 16, The Arc and The Rotary Club of Downey partnered for a day of fishing at Wilderness Park. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife released 500 pounds of channel catfish into the lake in preparation for the event. Rotary Club and AAA volunteers did the casting, then the participants who were able to helped reel in the fish. The fish were stored in coolers for the rest of the day and participants took their catches home at the end of the day. This year’s fishing derby was covered by The Downey Patriot
Check out our Photo Gallery for more of the fun.
Coming up on March 29, we’’ll be hosting our 29th Annual The Arc Walk for Independence at Stonewood Center in Downey! Registration, sponsorship opportunities, and more can be found here.
We plan to issue this newsletter every two months. We hope you enjoy it!
Exciting news from the Creative Arts program: several of our participants were honored at Los Angeles City Hall for their work! With fifteen participants, Creative Arts currently has the highest enrollment of The Arc’s programs. These talented individuals have been busy working on their portfolios, looking to expand their artistic opportunities and build their skills beyond exhibitions to engage in the larger Art community in surrounding cities.
Creative Arts is helmed by Program Innovation Leader Sheila, who exposes participants to broader concepts like color theory, sustainability using recycled and upcycled items, and creative freedom. She and her staff help participants find creative ways to express themselves, which is important for everyone but can be vital to those who are semi- or non-verbal.
Program participants and staff have been busy building an in-classroom Gallery that they plan to open to visitors. They take frequent trips to art museums like LACMA, MOLA, The Getty, and The Broad, as well as craft and thrift stores. Sheila is starting an Instagram account to showcase their work as well — follow @Thearclaoccreativearts; it will be active soon.
From crafting to fine arts, the Creative Arts Program caters to every level of artist, from beginner to advanced.
With her welcoming demeanor and sparkling smile, Carol Bejarano seemed like the obvious choice for our very first Employee Spotlight. Carol has been with The Arc for 11 years and is the Program Innovation Leader of the Career Development Program.
In Career Development, she helps participants search and apply for job openings, craft résumés, practice interview skills, and prepare for gainful employment in the workplace. Carol says that she has always been passionate about helping people and she feels that working at The Arc offers a multitude of opportunities to positively impact the lives of individuals with disabilities, foster their independence, and enable them to lead more fulfilling lives in their communities.
Carol’s other passion is family life. Carol grew up with parents who instilled in their thirteen children the importance of loving and respecting one another. Carol remains dedicated to that ethos in her own family every day. An avid traveler, Carol has been all over the world, but she feels that the most interesting places she’s visited are the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site in Germany and Stonehenge in England. Her favorite way to unwind is with a glass of wine and a good movie. If she ever wins the lottery, her first big purchase would be a house in Cambria, California.
We’ve been making some exciting changes and updates to our facility and programs! We installed a new security system for both buildings, as well as a security gate between the two buildings to keep our fleet of passenger vans safe and sound during off hours. We replaced the defunct roll-up door in Building 1, making it easier to receive deliveries directly to the storage room. And, thanks to a generous technology grant from LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn, we were over 30 new computers and tablets to bring our classrooms more opportunities for learning and fun. Kristian in Career Development is showing us how it’s done! >>
The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.
