Arc of the United States

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.

Work

The organization advocates for disabled people and helps them with issues like finding jobs, and helping employers adapt to the needs of disabled people.^[3]

According to financial statements submitted to the IRS, the organization's 2019 income was $9.8 million. Its end of year assets were reported to be $13.4 million.^[4] Major sources of income are charitable donations; dues for membership in local and state chapters; and government grants, contracts, and fees.^[5]

The Arc's National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability deals with the unique misunderstandings that can happen on all sides.^[6][7]

History

The first organization of families was the Children's Benevolent League, incorporated in 1936 in the state of Washington.^[8] The San Francisco chapter was founded in 1951.^[9][10][11]

From 1953 to 1973 the organization was called the National Association for Retarded Children, adopting the mantle of the New York-based NYSARC.

President John F. Kennedy addressing the NARC in 1963.

President Richard Nixon meeting with the 1972 poster child of the NARC.

From 1973 to 1981, the name was changed to the "National Association for Retarded Citizens". From 1981 to 1992 that was changed to "Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States". The Arc assumed its present name in 1992, recognising the pejorative nature of the word "retarded".^[12][13]

In the 1980s the Arc condemned the use of physical punishment to modify behavior in people with disabilities.^[14]

In 2008, 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 Tropic Thunder, partly due to the way it used the word "retard".^[15][16]

In 2021, Berkshire County Arc management and board were found to have misused state funds on company building projects and personal credit cards, which the CEO said resulted in organizational changes.^[17][18][19]