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Arc ReporttoCommunity2024 100824
St. Louis Arc
About About
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Empowering people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and their families to lead
better lives by providing a lifetime of high-quality
services, family support, and advocacy.
2024
Report to the
Community
Empowering people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities and their families to lead
better lives by providing a lifetime of high-quality
services, family support, and advocacy.
2024
Report to the
Community
F
ive-year-old BJ is a great big
brother, says his mom Kalyn. “He
is so sweet and protective of his
little sister.” But his mom wasn’t
sure he was ready for Kindergarten.
At preschool, it seemed like BJ wasn’t
talking to anyone, not to his teachers,
not to the kids.
Because BJ’s preschool was a
partner center served by St. Louis
Arc’s Embedded Early Education
services, Arc’s Early Learning Specialist
Rose Foor provided screening and
assessments. BJ spent most of his
time observing from the sidelines,
hesitant to join in play or engage
with his peers. Assessments showed
challenges in several key areas of
development, so Rose worked with BJ’s
preschool teachers to provide the right
environment to help him succeed
and thrive.
Extra support included biweekly
therapy sessions with Arc’s family
therapist, who helped BJ increase his
social skills with his peers, and action
plans targeting developmental goals.
Reassessment helped Rose identify
when new strategies were needed.
Because BJ had been held back in the
3s and 4s room, she advocated for
him to move to a classroom with his
same-aged peers, who could model
appropriate speech and social behavior
for him.
“I wasn’t sure what would be best for
BJ,” says his mom. “But any concerns
I had, Rose was always there, helping
us and supporting us.” BJ was able
to move to a Pre-K classroom for the
half year before Kindergarten, and
Rose collaborated closely with the
Pre-K teacher to focus on Kindergarten
readiness, communication and social
skills. She also worked with BJ’s
parents and Special School District
to ensure that he would have all the
resources he needed in the new
school year.
“By placing BJ in an environment where
he could learn from his peers and
equipping both him and his teachers
with the necessary tools,” says Rose,
“we helped him not only catch up but
also move forward with condence.
Each year, St. Louis Arc serves more than 4,500 people and families
throughout the St. Louis region.
Our full range of programs, resources, support,
networking and advocacy impacts the lives of people across the lifespan and in every
area of life. We are successful when each person is able to live a full life as an active,
contributing member of the community; and when families are able to care for and
support their family members throughout their lives.
THE ARC IMPACT
BJ’s really opened up
in Kindergarten. Hes
making friends, learning
his whole rst and last
name and how to spell
it,” says his mom. “He
has just come so far!
BJ
Starting Kindergarten
with Condence
Jacob
A New Perspective Leads
to Employment Success
I
t’s known as a place where nothing is
as it seems – but for Jacob Younge
the Museum of Illusions is truly a fun
and rewarding workplace! Jacobs
enviable job title is “Illusions Expert” at
the Museum, located at The Foundry in
St. Louis.
“My job is to explain to our guests how it
works,” says Jacob. “I show them how to
interact with all the exhibits, and build a
connection so they have a good time.
Jacob also works the front reception
desk, assists people in the gift shop, and
serves as a tour guide when needed.
Jacob worked at his previous job for
the past eight years. He was good at
what he did, but he wanted
opportunities to advance and make
more money. Most of all, he hoped for
work that would utilize his skills and
his education, including the bachelor’s
degree in Communication he earned
in May 2022.
Through Arc’s Employment Services
Plus program, Jacob connected with
career consultant Laurie Gaterman.
Laurie encouraged Jacob to be open
to jobs that t his skills in a variety of
different elds. She helped him
research jobs and set up
informational interviews so he could
learn more about specic positions.
Working with Laurie, Jacob was able
to improve his resume and practice
his interviewing skills.
He secured several interviews, including
with the newly opened Museum of
Illusions, where he was hired in May 2024.
“We researched it online and it looked
cool,” says Jacob. “But it wasn’t until after
the four-day orientation and training that
I realized, yeah, I can do this.
“It’s a communications position, a great
environment and I like the people,” says
Jacob. And the people like him too – he
was recently recognized as “Expert of
the Month” by the Museum! “I really
enjoy it and would like to keep doing it for
a while,” he says. “My other goal is to
move out and live on my own, and I know
I want to be in a good position and
earning to do that.
Maggie also participates regularly in Arc’s
Bounce Forward social activities for young
adults, and receives Pre-Employment and
Employment Services support.
Maggie was able to work on both
friendships and transportation skills
this summer when she wanted to meet
up with a friend to see a movie and
hang out. Working with her Launch
Transition Advisor, Maggie learned how
to independently ride the MetroBus using
the Transit app as a resource. She now
feels more condent to use the MetroBus
when she needs to go somewhere while
her family members are at work.
A majority of the goals I’ve had, the Arc
has helped me accomplish them,” says
Maggie. “And Arc’s been a great way
to meet new people. We all have our
differences, our unique things, but we
can relate to each other a lot. So it’s
been great.
W
hen Maggie started St. Louis Arc’s
Launch program this past May,
she set some goals for herself,
like making new friends and
learning how to ride the MetroBus.
Maggie
Independence
is the Goal
Launch is part of St. Louis Arc’s NEXT
Transition services for youth and young
adults. It provides both one-on-one
coaching and group learning sessions
to help young people increase their
independence and achieve the life
they want.
Maggie attends Launch classes ve
times per month, either in-person or
virtually. “Skills they teach are really good,
important skills, like money management,
paying bills and rent, also friendships
and relationships, and budgeting,” she
explains. Last summer, Maggie signed
up for the weeklong, overnight NextED
Challenge to practice independent living
skills. She eventually hopes to move into
her own apartment.
Capable Kids and Families
®
A lending library of therapeutic toys
and equipment for children, and support
services and resources for parents.
180 CHILDREN
Embedded Early Education
Embedded supports for teachers,
children, and families in North County
early childhood centers.
766 CHILDREN IN 25 CENTERS
Prevention
Education and awareness aimed at reducing
the incidence of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Education to: 
30,961 PEOPLE
Broader reach through media: 
2,660,931
Parents Learning Together
Parenting support and education for people
with disabilities who are raising children.
52 PARENTS + 112 CHILDREN
Support and Counseling
Counseling and targeted support for
moms, dads, siblings, caregivers of
older adults, and people with disabilities.
217 PARTICIPANTS
Family Education & Advocacy
Workshop series, networking opportunities,
advocacy support, and other educational
activities for families and participants.
1,466 PARTICIPANTS
Family Navigation
1:1 support to assist an individual or their family
in navigating through a transition or goal.
251 PARTICIPANTS
In-home Residential
Support (Respite)
Short-term relief for families caring for a
child or adult with a disability. Arc provides
reimbursement services.
1,578 FAMILIES
Resources and Referrals
Connecting families to information and resources
through phone, email, and in-person meetings.
3,416 ENGAGEMENTS
Transition Supports
NEXT: Teen and young adult transition
programs, including independent living
classes, individualized coaching and
social skills events.
314 PARTICIPANTS
Independent Living
CONNECT: Providing customized levels
of support to help individuals live
independently in the community.
90 PARTICIPANTS
Supported Employment
Support to nd and maintain paid
employment; includes assessment,
job coaching, job placement, and retention.
497 PARTICIPANTS
Employment Training
Support in attaining employment skills, including
summer programs (Neighborhood Experiences
and SWEP/STEP) and collaborating with school
districts to help students gain work experience.
99 PARTICIPANTS
Childrens
Services
Family
Support
Independence
Skills
A Lifetime of Support
Recreation
Individual and team sports, weekend camp,
active living programs, E-Sports,
and Arc United Sports.
546 PARTICIPANTS
Social and Instructional
Activities such as dances, book club, art and
cooking classes, Family Fun Nights, music
therapy, Arc Escapes and community meet-ups.
443 PARTICIPANTS
Dautel Circle
Support for people to live in homes located
on a campus-like environment in west
St.Louis County with 24-hour stang.
62 RESIDENTS
Community-Based
Support for people to live in
apartments and homes in the
community with 24-hour stang.
49 RESIDENTS
Residential
Support
Community Engagement
Day program for adults to participate in
their communities through volunteerism
and recreation.
136 PARTICIPANTS
Aging With Empowerment
Program for aging adults that allows choice
of daily activities, common community space,
and options for socialization both in the
community and on-site.
61 PARTICIPANTS
LIFT
Learning Independence for Tomorrow
day program for adults to participate in their
community while focusing on building
skills in communication, safety, and
behavior management.
15 PARTICIPANTS
Adult Behavioral Supports
Strategies for supporting individuals to decrease
challenging behaviors, helping them improve their
quality of life, meet goals, or participate more
fully in the community.
75 PARTICIPANTS
Day
Support
A Lifetime of Support
Social
Opportunities
In FY2024, The Arc...
706
volunteers
Beneted from
the services of
504
staff
Employed
full- and part-time
Participant numbers based on the scal year ended June 30, 2024.
ARC HIGHLIGHTS
Promoting Health for All
Arcs innovative Nutrition Center approach means people we support
in community residential living can access healthful, prepared meals
that make life more convenient. Each week, residents and their direct
support staff are able to select food they want that meets a wide
range of dietary needs. Healthy eating, made easier! And with
a substantial impact on people’s quality of life.
525
Meals per week
FUN
FACT
Connecting People to Jobs and Careers
More than 500 people received some stage of employment support from St. Louis
Arc this year, from the earliest skill building to hiring, job coaching and job retention.
Arc’s services prepare job candidates with targeted training in the community,
advocacy for high-quality positions and ongoing, individualized support so people
can maintain jobs and progress in their careers. With a typical tenure of 5-8 years,
people we support serve as dedicated employees for companies across the region!
187
Different Employers
FUN
FACT
16
New Leisure Programs
FUN
FACT
Expanding Opportunities for Fun
After surveys found high interest in leisure programming, Arc’s Leisure Services
staff met the challenge! St. Louis Arc offers 48 varied programs for all kinds of
interests and skill levels throughout the year, including 16 new opportunities
in 2024. New “United” sports – where Arc athletes participate alongside peers
without disabilities – include kickball, martial arts, and the all-popular pickle
ball. Other offerings include new dance instruction, art and music classes, and
expanded “Ageless Adventurers” programming targeted to people age 45 and
older, with or without disabilities.
Reaching Families with Information
St. Louis Arc’s Family Workshop Series provides in-depth information on a wide
range of topics to help families supporting a family member with an intellectual
or developmental disability. Led by Arc’s expert staff and community advocates,
Family Workshops and weekly Q&A sessions are offered in-person or virtually,
with recordings and materials available through Arcs online resource library.
Family Workshop Attendees
FUN
FACT
853