December 19, 2019 | Issue #21
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Leo Sarkissian on Bloomberg Baystate Business
On December 12, Executive Director Leo Sarkissian appeared on Bloomberg Radio’s Baystate Business for a discussion of the workforce, Nicky's Law, 31 Nights of Light, and much more. Listen now.
Featured
Join The Arc as we light the Prudential Center up in The Arc Orange
On December 28, The Arc will be taking part in the 11th Annual 31 Nights of Light program at the Prudential Center. Starting at 4:30PM, join us in the Center Court for a lighting ceremony and a festive performance by 13-year-old piano prodigy Braeden Yee.
Dine and donate: eat at the Prudential California Pizza Kitchen on December 28 to support The Arc
Bring in the flyer (PDF) at the link below, present it to your server, and California Pizza Kitchen will donate 20% of your check to The Arc of Massachusetts. Purchases include dine-in, takeout, catering, and all beverages.
Government Affairs
The Arc announces Disability Presidential Forum
On January 13, 2020, the American Association of People with Disabilities' REV UP campaign will be hosting the official Disability Presidential Forum, sponsored by The Arc. All presidential candidates have been invited to attend this forum. It is a non-partisan, non-political event.

Learn more about the Presidential Forum here, and stay tuned to learn more about our plans for this exciting event.
Support The Arc of Massachusetts
Thanks to you people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities in Massachusetts – there are more than 200,000 – have better access to the services and the funding they need to live full lives in the community. On their behalf, thank you for giving them opportunity and hope.

As 2019 winds down, The Arc of Massachusetts is looking ahead to the new year. Our goals are to fight for laws that protect the dignity and safety of people with disabilities, to educate medical professionals on how to best diagnose and serve our constituents, and to make sure that all people with I/DD including autism have access to supports and services. 

We simply can’t do it without you. You can have a real, lasting impact on the lives of people with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and other disabilities. 

Would you be willing to make a special year-end donation of $100, $250 or whatever you can afford to help us meet our goal?
Not itemizing your taxes? Consider making a gift from your IRA!

Qualified charitable distributions allow people 70 ½ and older to give up to $100,000 from their Individual Retirement Account (IRA) to charity each year. The distribution counts toward your minimum required distribution for the year and it is excluded from your adjusted gross income. Charitable distributions are not eligible for a charitable tax deduction since they are exempt from income tax. The tax-free transfer lets you benefit from making a gift to The Arc of Massachusetts, even without itemizing.

It is critical that the gift from your IRA must be made directly by the custodian of your IRA, not you. Learn more at arcmass.org/ira . 
Programs of The Arc of Massachusetts
SUPPORT brokers welcomes Eileen Berger
Eileen Berger has worked as a disability and student services administrator in higher education for 28 years and as a speech, language and hearing specialist in K-12 education. Eileen consults with families, students, school districts and institutions of higher education.
The Arc US
The Arc releases findings of I/DD and mental health needs study
The Arc US and the Family Support Research and Training Center has released a document on I/DD and co-occurring mental illness. The publication summarizes the findings from focus groups in 4 states and best practice recommendations.
Sponsor Spotlight

The work of The Arc of Massachusetts is made possible by generous donations from people like you, friend. None of our advocacy, education, and outreach would be possible without your continued support. Please consider giving today.