April 14, 2017







School vacation week is not so quiet at the State House.  Last week we shared the good news on the landmark decision from the House Ways and Means Committee Report and Chair Brian Dempsey.  
 
Over the next few weeks, committees are setting schedules for bill committee hearings. We soon will have the hearing dates for the bills we are advancing during this session. You can learn about the bills here
 
Next week the House of Representatives will debate budget amendments that have been filed. This is the second important step for the 2018 budget in the House. Speaker DeLeo, a longtime friend of The Arc will oversee the proceedings. We hope to see the positive advances continue. When the session ends next week, the budget will move to the Senate.
 
This week you can do three things even if you have done them already! 
The release on the House Ways and Means report here provides more information. 
    
Sincerely,
Leo V. Sarkissian
Executive Director    
GIVINGgiving
Meet the Challenge!
Although The Arc of Massachusetts has moved into our new headquarters, there is still a little bit of work to be done as staff and volunteers unpack and settle in: the final pieces of furniture will be delivered, the landscapers will beatify the outside as soon as weather allows, and the parking lot will be paved and striped.
 
We also need to raise a few more dollars to reach our fundraising goal of $1.6 million in order to close out the Home for the Future Capital Campaign. A few weeks ago, three long-time supporters of The Arc of Massachusetts issued a fundraising challenge: if we can raise at least $200,000 in new gifts and commitments for the Home for the Future Capital Campaign between, January 1 and June 30, 2017, we will receive an additional gift of $100,000!
 
Support the Home for the Future Campaign today! We need your help to meet the challenge. In making a gift, you can boost your gift by 50%! Please visit arcmass.org/campaign to learn more about the new headquarters building and to donate.     
WEBINARSwebinar
What's Out There?

May 4, 2017 7:00 - 8:00 PM
 
$25
     

Do you have a son or daughter with an intellectual and/or developmental disability including autism under the age of 22?  

Many services and supports are available to families that include a child or children with developmental disabilities and special health care needs. This presentation will review publicly funded services and supports that your family can utilize, regardless of income. We'll review eligibility criteria, application processes, and points of contact for programs through the Department of Developmental Services, MassHealth, the Department of Public Health, and more. The information provided will be relevant to families with children of all ages, from immediately after diagnosis up through age 22.  
 
Sophia Johansson serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Massachusetts Organizing for Change and works directly with families to develop their leadership skills in her role as Northeast Regional Coordinator. She is both a child and parent to an individual with disabilities and is passionate about empowering families to navigate the system while also "imagining better" for their loved ones.
  Financial assistance is available.  Contact Kerry  Mahoney@arcmass.org  
Did you miss a webinar ?

 It is not too late! You can view the recorded webinar using The Arc's on demand feature.  To view click here and select "view session recordings."
WHAT'S TRENDINGwhatstrending
Bay Cove's Changing Lives Gala
Bay Cove Human Services hosts its  2017  Changing Lives Gala on  Wednesday, June 14 , beginning  at 6 p.m. , at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. At the event-Bay Cove's largest annual fundraiser-the agency will proudly present  Alma Wahlberg (matriarch of Boston's famed Wahlberg family) with its 2017  Changing Lives Award, in tribute to her and her family's longstanding commitment to helping the most vulnerable individuals in our community.
 
The event will feature a dinner specially designed by Alma's son, Paul Wahlberg, owner and executive chef of Alma Nove and Wahlburgers. The gala also includes a cocktail reception, live music, a silent auction, plus a fantastic live auction hosted by celebrity auctioneer Susan Wornick, where attendees can bid on an exciting collection of exclusive items. 
 
Individual tickets to the gala are $250, and sponsorships at a variety of levels are still available. To reserve your tickets for the event, please call 617-371-3184, or visit www.baycove.org/gala
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CALENDARcalendar
"Choice and Control" FREE Workshop
Hosted by MDDC and MASS

Content is on making good decisions to have more control of your life. Designed for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017
1:00 - 3:00 pm

Cary Library
1874 Massachusetts Ave | Lexington

RSVP by April 17 to Louise Gorham (617-872-4169)
or Lee Larriu (617-770-7676 ext 118)
Partnering with Families Across Cultures:
 More Than Just an Invitation & Translation
Hosted by MFOFC and TASH

Thursday, May 11, 2017
10:00 am-4:00 pm

Cooperative For Human Services
420 Bedford Street, Suite 100 | Lexington

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHTsponsorspotlight



The Arc of Massachusetts | 781-891-6270 |   arcmass.org
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