April showers brought with them an exciting month at The Arc! Our Bridging Abilities Auction went off without a hitch and we're incredibly grateful for all of you who helped spread the word, who bid on an auction item, and the ongoing generosity of our amazing auction sponsors. Together, we raised $8,623 for our Covid Relief Fund. This fund will be used to manage expenses related to COVID-19, including providing emergency financial assistance to people and families we support.
We're also especially thankful to Senator Susan Moran, Leo Sarkissian of The Arc of Massachusetts, Kim Scharf of our Parent Advisory Council, Dennis Carman of The United Way of Greater Plymouth, our dedicated staff, and all of the incredible people we support for their participation in our auction video program. Did you miss your chance to view the video? You can still watch it here >
The Arc was excited to welcome another small group of people back to our Archways and Pathways Community-Based Day Supports and Employment Support programs in mid-April. As vaccinations progress, we hope for a fuller re-opening soon. Stay tuned for the most current updates.
With warmer weather and greater numbers of people receiving the vaccine comes a greater sense of normalcy. If you still need to get vaccinated, we encourage you to use the official Massachusetts website to locate a vaccine location and book an appointment or reach out to us and we will do everything we can to assist.
Wishing you and yours all the best,
Mary Valachovic
Executive Director
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Events
Caring for the Caregiver:
A Monthly Webinar Series - Providing practical information, tools, and tips to family caregivers
Free of Charge.
Open to all family caregivers.
Are you a family caregiver living in Massachusetts?
Your support and care may include managing medications, getting to a doctor's appointment, helping with groceries, or organizing finances.
If you care for a loved one who is older and/or living with a disability or illness, you are a family caregiver.
No matter where you are in your journey - from just starting to plan to providing full-time care - caregiving may cause emotional, physical, and financial stress.
This monthly webinar series will bring simple tips,
practical solutions, and awareness of community resources to family caregivers throughout Massachusetts.
Wednesday, May 5
12 - 1 PM
Virtual Subsidized Housing Workshop, Hosted by Plymouth Family Resource Center and NeighborWorks Housing
Learn what your housing options are in the area and how to access them.
Facilitated by
Veronica Wright-Housing Consumer Education Center Coordinator
with NeighborWorks Housing Solutions
Monday, May 17
12:00 PM
To register call Anne Arcuri at (781) 917-4768 or email: aarcuri@baystatecs.org
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An Interview with...
Patty Duffy
The Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod is thrilled to welcome our newest Family Advisory Council member, Patty Duffy! Patty brings enthusiasm and tremendous knowledge of available disability resources on the Cape. We are fortunate to have her as a member of the council!
1) Why did you decide to join the Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod’s Family Advisory Council?
Several years ago, my daughter suffered a serious medical emergency. In my quest for information, I found the Arc of Plymouth and the Upper Cape. Living on the Upper Cape for many years, I was not aware of the many services the Arc provides. Increased awareness of the many offering of the Arc inspired me to get involved.
2) As a member of the Family Advisory Council, what excites you the most?
I have learned the importance of parent education and strong advocacy. Looking back, I wish I had taken advantage of more advocacy training. I am excited to participate in a team that aids in the communication of the many services provided by the Arc of Plymouth and the Upper Cape.
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2020 Census
Massachusetts Retains All 9 Congressional Seats In US Congress
On Monday, April 26, Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin announced the results of the US Census and its impact on Massachusetts. At the press conference, Galvin stated that the MA population increased by 7.4% from 2010, with a new number of 7.029 million.
This growth of almost 500,000 reflects a shift in population towards eastern MA. The result is that MA will retain its current 9 congressional seats in Congress. Each of the congressional districts represents about 781,102 residents. This is certainly good news for Massachusetts.
In 2020, The Arc of Massachusetts led a coordinated effort to raise awareness of completing the census within the disability community – a population defined by the US Census Bureau as “Hard-to-Count.”
Even though the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic affected outreach work, our efforts included multiple webinars, a series of newsletters, Massachusetts- and disability-specific fact sheets and infographics, text banking, social media days of action, and more.
Thank you to all members of our community who took part in any of these above efforts – and to those who did the most important thing of all: completed their census!
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Cape Corner Updates
The Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod continued to build connections and partnerships on the Cape in the month of April.
We had the pleasure of exchanging information about services with the talented staff at Falmouth Human Services. Their mission has been to support and empower residents and strengthen the Town of Falmouth community since 1975.
The licensed professionals at Falmouth Human Services offer consultation, referral, outreach, counseling, and community development support. All services are free of charge and tailored to meet the individual needs of Falmouth residents.
If you would like to learn more, please call (508) 548-0533. The Falmouth community and surrounding areas are very fortunate to have the expertise and knowledge of Falmouth Human Services!
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Budget News
The House Ways and Means Budget Release Includes Full Funding for The Arc’s DDS Budget Ask
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The Arc is grateful for this remarkable outcome. The requested dollars in the DDS budget were maintained (coinciding with The Arc of Massachusetts budget requests) resulting in a proposed additional $7 million for Family Support and Respite, an additional $15 million for Day and Work programs, and an additional $7 million for the Transportation line items. Other line items for our community were also maintained (see below).
The Arc appreciates the support of our legislators in the House and those individuals and families who took action to send letters and speak with their legislators regarding the FY’22 Budget.
Thank you for your advocacy and let’s keep up the momentum for our community!
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The Arc of Plymouth and Upper Cape Cod appreciates your support! |
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