This past summer was very busy agency wide and filled with many activities that reflect our agency mission to provide the highest quality services on the south shore.
Congratulations to all employees in Residential supports, Community Based Day and Employment supports for another excellent Licensing Survey report from the state Department of Developmental Services! The report of the survey conducted this past August was very positive, giving our programs high scores and highlighted the agency's history of providing high quality services and supports. This would not have been possible without the highly skilled and caring efforts put in each and every day by our direct support employees, case managers, program managers, and our department directors. Thank you!
In addition, Personal Care Management employees deserve special Kudos! Due to new PCA overtime rules MassHealth implemented in July, PCM staff have been working diligently with program consumers to help them manage PCA hours and avoid costly overtime as much as possible. As a PCM provider, our goal is to ensure members understand the new regulations, and that no one loses their needed PCA hours in the process.
We have many new faces at The Arc this fall. We have strengthened our clinical expertise by hiring a Behavioral Consultant with a Master's degree in Augmentative Communication and Behavior Management; A Coordinator for our Autism Resource Center which provides information and supports to people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families; A Shared Living Coordinator who is recruiting, screening and training potential home care providers for this new program. And finally a new Facilities Manager with a well rounded back ground that includes facility maintenance and management; construction; and project management. As we continue to celebrate our 65 years of advocacy and service on the South Shore, we're excited to welcome them to The Arc of the South Shore!
Sincerely,
Daryl Cook Ivan
Executive Director
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All new Mingle and Jingle
Sunday, December 11th
Open House from 11am - 2pm
Laura's Center for the Arts, The South Shore YMCA (Emilson Branch)
97 Mill Street, Hanover
This year's event will feature local choirs and bands:
The Higashi School Jazz Band
South Shore Conservatory Community Voices
Whipple Center Chorus
Holiday sing-a-long with Daniel Birmingham
Tickets - $10 per individual or $25 per family of four.
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Achieve with us.
Help us Celebrate 65 Years of Serving our Communities!
- Increase our capability and capacity to support individuals with Autism and help us to continue growing our Autism Resource Center
- Develop more community based activities for individuals
- Expand community living options for individuals
- Support self advocacy efforts
- Enhance clinical support to our programs resulting in a positive quality of life for each person
- Create innovative new programming
- Support our capital needs to expand our facilities due to increased referral
The Arc of the South Shore provides Family Support Services, Residential Services, First Early Intervention, Day Services, Employment Services, Adult Foster Care, Personal Care Services, Shared Living and Community Based Day Supports to more than 2,000 individuals each year.
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Happy 65th Anniversary!
4th Annual Gala ~ A Summer Soiree
On Thursday evening, June 9, 2016, the Arc of the South Shore held its 4th Annual Gala - A Summer Soiree. Under a lighted white tent at the Arc's headquarters, located on the beautiful shores of Webb State Park, there was plenty of good food and wine as nearly 250 guests, sponsors and local business leaders gathered to celebrate 65 years of providing services and advocacy to our individuals and families on the South Shore. Our annual fundraiser included presentations from family members, a silent auction, raffles and a citation from Senator Patrick O'Connor. 
The proceeds from the night will support the programming, services and advocacy for the 2,000 individuals and families of The Arc of the South Shore. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to all the restaurants, wineries and breweries for their hard work and contributions to a very successful night!!
SAVE THE DATE - JUNE 8, 2017
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The Autism Resource Center of 
The Arc of the South Shore
The Autism Resource Center has been busy scheduling many activities for the community. Please visit our website for programming information and future events. Check out our new Disney Club and our upcoming school vacation week programs including yoga, art and music therapy!
Click here for more information
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The Arc of the South Shore is the Heart of the South Shore!
Have you heard or seen The Arc of the South Shore's new PSA campaign?
Both the radio and television spots, star the voices of our very own Jason H. and Joan D. of our Community Based Day Supports Program! You can hear them on WPLM (99.1 FM) and see the ad on Comcast and Prime Media!
A very special thank you to Jim Liedtka of Country Club Communications and Lou Leta of Digital Video & Consulting, Inc. for donating both their time and talent!
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29th Annual Louis Bailey Golf Tournament
The Arc of the South Shore's 29th Annual Louis Bailey Golf Tournament was held on Monday, September 12th at the Cohasset Golf Club!! It was a fabulous day on the
beautiful greens of the Cohasset Golf Club which is one of the oldest private clubs in NewEngland with a challenging 18-hole course. Over 140 corporate sponsors, golfers,
individuals and volunteers enjoyed the day with food, fun, and friendship along with an auction and prizes. The proceeds of the golf tournament will support the Arc's
programming, services and advocacy, and will directly impact the more than 2,000
individuals and their families that we serve annually.
Save the Date for the 30th Louis Bailey Tournament ~ Monday, September 18, 2017
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Board of Director Spotlight ~ Louise Voveris
Our daughter, Joanne, was born in September 1969. She was the middle child of our three. She was severely brain damaged, with many orthopedic problems and very poor vision which would progress to legal blindness before she reached 12. For my husband and me institutionalization was never an option though it was suggested and even recommended. We decided to keep her with us as long as possible. This is a decision which we never regretted. We would open our hearts and appreciate the differences in each of us.
At that time there we no programs available for children born with severe special needs. Early Intervention and 766, to name a few, did not exist. Somehow, and I really don't recall how, I became aware of the Mothers Group which met at the Memorial School in Weymouth, It was through these wonderful people that I found a great many friends. We helped each other with everyday problems that arose with our children. Out shared experiences were invaluable and worth so much more than any advice received for the "professional". Because of these friendships, a great many of us decided to pass along our knowledge to others.
I originally heard of the South Shore Association for Retarded Children back in approximately 1951 when an aunt was signing up everyone to become a member of this new association. the cost of membership was $1.00 per year - what a bargain this turned out to be. I became a board member and later as Board Secretary in 1975. I had to step down after a few years because of Joanne's surgeries, but returned later and had been the Arc Board Secretary until I retired in 2016 after more than 40 years.
When I first became a member of the Arc board we were a very small organization constantly trying to overcome budget worries and looking to find a permanent home. Somehow we managed! We went from place to place for space until the site in North Weymouth, became our home. There was a great deal of work to be done since the building had originally been an old Nike site during World War II and had been adandoned for a long time. Parents painted, plastered and repaired the building to the best of their abilities.
Joanne was 26 when diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblasitc Leukemia and passed away in November of 1993. I knew then that I had to remain active not only with The Arc, but also with The Citizens Advisory Board of Massachusetts. What little expertise I have, I would attempt to pass along to others. I hope I have succeeded even in a small way.
The Arc of the South Shore staff, family, friends and Board of Directors would like to thank Louise for her many years of service and for being a champion for the individuals that we serve. We are happy to announce that Louise has been been voted an Honorary Board Member as of November 10, 2016.
If you are interested in learning more about Board opportunities, please contact
Daryl Cook-Ivan by email or calling 781-335-3023.
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Out and About
MGA Links Golf Outing
The First Tee of Massachusetts hosted a golf clinic for 12 of our Arc individuals at the MGA Links at Mamantapett in Norton, MA. It was a beautiful day on the pristine greens of MGA Links, and the Arc golfers had a fantastic time!! Bob Beach, the golf professional from Braintree Municipal Golf Course, and Joe McCabe, the golf professional from The First Tee of Massachusetts, joined our golfers as instructors for the day. The Arc golfers participated in a full morning of on-course activities, which included skill work on the putting green and driving range. The day concluded with lunch in the clubhouse. Everyone enjoyed a beautiful day on the links learning some new golfing techniques and meeting up again with some old friends!!
A special thank you to Bob Beach for coordinating the golf outing for our Arc individuals!! It is a very special day for our golfers, and they look forward to it all year long!
The Arc Weather Watchers!
Meteorologist Pamela Gardner from WBZ - Channel 4 came to visit The Arc of the South Shore and our individuals in our Community Based Day Supports Program. Pamela spoke about weather trends, showed behind the scenes video of the station, answered questions and did some photo ops. We were also featured on the 5:30 news the following week! Watch the clip now
On Monday, November 7th Officer Jennifer Pompeo from the Weymouth Police Department came to visit the Community Based Day Program to give a presentation on bullying. She spoke about a topic that unfortunately many of us have had to deal with over the course of our lives. She helped to define what bullying is, the different types of bullying (physical, verbal and emotional) why it's important to tell someone if you are being bullied, and some strategies on how to handle it and prevent future occurrences. All of the individuals were able to participate in this presentation and learn how to "band together against bullying".
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Family Spotlight - Meet Emily
Emily loves spending time with her family and loves Boston sports. Always with a big smile on her face, she enjoys every part of life. Emily is part of the Arc's Day Habilitation program, and brightens up everyone's day. She takes part in everything she can and is happy to do it.
Emily loves being with her family. She has two siblings and a great group of friends. With such a close family, everyone loves being around Emily because she puts a smile on their faces. Every year family and friends team up for an MS walk, often in Cohasset, with their own team "Emily's Walk". So many friends and family come out for this great event to help support Emily. The 6-mile walk benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Emily has friends from Weymouth high school who still walk even though they have moved on they still fight for her. Each year the Emily's Walk team wears T-shirts, and Emily waits at the finish line to cheer her team on. Before her MS attack, Emily played youth soccer and basketball but loved ice skating and swimming. Everyone who walks for her recognizes how much she enjoys being out there, and she is the best cheerleader.
Whether it's the Boston Red Sox, Bruins or the New England Patriots, Emily is cheering on her favorite teams. She has been lucky enough to go cheer on these teams she loves, and gets so much excitement being there live. The entire family are Boston fans and it's always a great time to get together and watch the teams, Emily cheering the loudest. Her mom, Laurie who is also a big Boston fan, especially of the Patriots, loves watching games with her girl.
The Arc of the South Shore's Day Hab program has really benefited Emily throughout the years. MS is a very isolating disease and is very unusual for children to get, especially as severe as Emily. Some people with MS are able to drive and live on their own, but for Emily she will always live at home and need care. The Day Hab program has given her a place to go enjoy activities with friends and helping with her MS symptoms. Because she has constant fatigue, difficulty with balance and problems finding words in speech the Arc is so supportive in helping to find ways to adjust and grow. They have been such an amazing support for Emily and her family, and as 2015 continues, Emily has seen no hospitalizations. Emily is such a bright spot in everyone she meets life and her family hopes to see her continue to succeed.
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Other News
Inclusion China visits The Arc of the South Shore
On Wednesday, October 26, The Arc of the South Shore welcomed a group of Chinese parents from various parent organizations in China. The visit was organized through Harvard Law School and the Inclusion China program. The group was able to tour our facility and meet with Daryl Cook-Ivan our Executive Director as well as some of our staff from the First Early Intervention and the Autism Resource Center. The discussion centered around Special Education laws on the state and federal level, as well as ideas in collaborating with school personnel to provide the best possible educational opportunities for their children. This group of parent leaders and activists are also involved in working on the legislative level to implement policy changes for educating children with disabilities.
Dear Daryl Cook and
Janine,
I hope the email finds you very well. We just finished the attendance of the Global Conference in Florida, our study-visit group were largely inspired by the conference, especially the visibility and the voices of self-advocates from different countries.
Here, on behalf of Inclusion China and the parents' organization's from different regions, I would like to thank you very much for the kind reception of our group. We were deeply impressed by your organization's professional leadership, staff's working attitudes and the result of your good work, which is built on the vision of the individuals.
What we plan to do is to share all that we learnt from you to more parents' organizations and parents through the workshop and our social media platform. Some of us will prepare a written report in Chinese to share to other team members. We would like to keep long-term contacts with you for future communication and collaboration. And if possible, one day, we wish to invite some of you to China to introduce your work to other stakeholders in China. We will work hard on this agenda.
In China, we still have a long journey of work to enable us to achieve the result you've managed today, but we are very optimistic since our experience provided us a good reference and roadmap to use already. We, the parents in China, need to put our efforts together to advocate this dream in a wise way.
Last but not least, let me thank you and your team again, as well as Dr. Cui Fengming's support to bridge us, we hope to see you again in the near future!
Best regards
Jessica Dai (President of Inclusion China)
Share your home and make a difference.
Arc of the South Shore is looking for kind, committed, and compassionate people in
The South Shore area.
A Shared Living Provider is someone who opens their home and provides daily support and companionship to an adult with a developmental disability. A Provider is a teacher, mentor and friend, helping the person to live a meaningful life at home and in the community.
In exchange for your support and companionship, you will receive a generous tax free stipend, and on-going training. Qualifications include: an environment friendly home, with a clutter free single/private bedroom, that is accessible to meet the needs of an individual. Providers must have a valid driver's license and a reliable vehicle.CPR & First Aid certification are required; training is available if you do not have required certifications. Applicants must complete a CORI and finger printing.
The Arc of the South Shore is currently seeking qualified homes on the South Shore, particularly the towns of Cohasset, Duxbury or Hingham.
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Upcoming Events and Programs
All New Mingle and Jingle
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Open House ~ 11am-2pm
Laura's Center for the Arts, South Shore YMCA (Emilson Branch)
97 Mill Street, Hanover, MA 02339
Exploring Disney Animation - Frozen
Sunday, December 11, 2016
3pm-5:00pm
The South Shore YMCA - Emilson Branch (Heritage Room)
Sensory Family Showing of MOANA
Sunday, December 18, 2016 ~ Movie begins at 10:00am (doors open at 9:30)
Patriot Cinemas at 1775 Washington Street, Hanover, MA
So your Special Needs Trust is Funded: What Now?
presented by Attorney Annette Hines
January 24, 2017 ~ 6pm-8pm
Abington Public Library (Copeland Meeting Room) ~ 600 Gliniewicz Way
Abington, MA
Limited space
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Fall 
The Arc of the South Shore
