COMMUNITY & CULTURE
NONPROFIT
SPOTLIGHT
I
t comes as no surprise that St. Louis ARC’s biggest fundraiser of
the year is inspired by superheroes, as the organization and its
supporters are champions for individuals with disabilities and
their families.
St. Louis ARC was established in the early 1950s, when a
group of parents realized that they were the best possible advocates for
their children.
“In 1950, if you had a child with a disability, the doctor informed
you that should put the child away in an institution,” said Mark Keeley,
president and CEO of St. Louis ARC. “Most parents listened to their
doctors’ advice, but some chose not to listen.”
Keeley said the initial meeting in Minneapolis, which consisted of
parents of sons and daughters with developmental disabilities, was the
basis for the national ARC organization. Following that gathering, a
group of St. Louis parents called for a meeting in an ad.
“They had prepared 15 chairs in the room, but 150 people showed up!
That was the birth of our agency,” he said.
In the beginning, St. Louis ARC offered services such as physical and
speech therapy, as well as recreational activities like square dancing,
bowling and roller skating. The following decade would produce
more growth for the organization, and for the first time, it extended its
vocational services to adults with developmental disabilities.
Today, St. Louis ARC serves more than 4,000 individuals each
year, from infants to senior citizens, with workshops, support groups,
therapies, social and recreational programs, employment and training
services, and residential and adult day programs.
“Last year, we helped 100 individuals get jobs in a wide variety of
settings,” Keeley said. “We have a young man who has autism and now
works at a law firm. Because of his tremendous attention to detail, he
was hired to enter expert witness testimony into the firm's catalog.
We have many individuals just like that, who are making a positive
difference in their communities.”
Keeley said research shows that for people with developmental
disabilities like autism, if they do not get a job within three years of
graduating from school, the likelihood of them becoming employed and
living independently declines.
“The goal is to help people be as independent as possible. To have
independence, you have to have a paycheck, you have to have money
coming in,” he said. “We spend a lot of time connecting people with
others. We build relationships around them to strengthen them. All of
us have to have a network of support.”
MISSION : To empower people with intellectual and developmental
disabilities and their families to lead better lives by providing a lifetime
of high-quality services, family support and advocacy.
HOW YOU CAN HELP: The Superheroes for Kids event takes place
Thursday, April 19, at Palladium Saint Louis. Described as a “cosmic
cocktail party of epic proportions,” the event encourages guests to
come attired as their favorite superhero. Mary and David Steward II are
honorary co-chairs; John and Mimi Londoff, Bhavik Patel, Paul and Teri
Weber, and Richard and Kathie Winter are event chairs. For tickets and
more information, visit slarc.org or call (314) 569-2211.
SAVVY I SOPHISTICATED I SASSY
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