A Powerful Story. The Arc of Florida is pleased to republish Three Fields (brothers) with an additional, but equally compelling viewpoint. Three Fields (brothers) was written by Anderson Burke and outlines his family’s journey. Andy discovers the journals of his recently deceased mother which document the heartache of giving up her third son and the effect this had on the family. Andy set out to find and meet his lost sibling. For a time, he was neighbors with Kathy Jackson, Executive Director of The Arc of the St. Johns, and as their friendship grew, she asked him to tell his story. His brother was a client at The Arc of the St. Johns. In the newer edition, Three Fields (A Brother. A Sister.), Dick Bradley’s account is added. Dick tells the story of his sister, also with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a completely different outcome. His story is one of love and happiness within the family dynamic. With so many similarities between Andy, Dick and their respective families, Three Fields (A Brother. A Sister.) is a gripping story which conveys the importance of support and acceptance for each and every family. Order yours today!
Step Up and Find Your Voice – September starts Committee Week. Delegation meetings start in Florida in August. These meetings are open to the public and anyone can ask to speak in order to bring up issues that are important to them. By sharing your opinions and ideas with your legislators, you help them decide what to do about issues and how to shape legislation for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Check out the link to our Delegation Calendar

Committee Week is a time that the legislature comes back to the Capitol to start preparing for the upcoming legislative session. The next session starts January 9, 2024. Committee weeks are critical because senators and representatives discuss issues they plan to legislate on in the coming year. They may also schedule times to hear from experts and the public on certain topics. There is always time for public comment by filling out a card, but you are required to travel to Tallahassee to give comment. Agendas are available a week or two before the committee meeting. 
September 18-22 - first interim committee week in Senate.
October 9-13 - first interim committee week in House.
Take advantage of our Monthly Meetings! Each month we offer informational meetings covering a variety of topics. Our Advocacy Meetings are for family members, self-advocates and professionals to be part of Florida’s advocacy for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our Provider Forums are designed for small and moderate providers to keep them informed during legislative session and up to date on advocacy. Our Lunch-n-Learns are geared for parents, caregivers, and self-advocates and are centered around the lunch time hour focusing on need-to-know topics.
Thank you for your advocacy! If you want additional information regarding this issues, please contact our CEO Alan Abramowitz at alan@arcflorida.org or 850.241.3232.