The Arc of Stanly County

What is The Arc?

The Arc promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes. The organization does this through living the core values of people first, equity, community, self-determination, and diversity.

The Arc is people - people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, parents and other family members, professionals, and friends of people with disabilities. The Arc is a grassroots organization with 140,000 members who are affiliated through approximately 750 state and local chapters across the nation.

What is The Arc of Stanly County?

The Arc of Stanly County is a chapter of The Arc of NC and The Arc of the United States. It serves to carry out the work of the Arc in Stanly County, working to gain all citizens equal rights, respect, and the opportunity to live valued lives.

The Arc of Stanly County works to ensure that people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in Stanly County have the services and supports they need to grow, develop and live in their own community.

The Arc also exists because people with mental retardation need help to ensure that their rights as citizens of this country are protected, and they are supported to live as they choose.

When Was The Arc of Stanly County Founded?

The Arc of Stanly County (formerly called The Association for Retarded Children) was founded in 1958 by a small group of parents and other concerned individuals. At that time, little was known about the condition of mental retardation or its causes, and there were virtually no programs and activities in communities to assist in the development and care of children and adults with mental retardation and to help support families. 
 

 In the early days the association worked to change the public's perception of children with mental retardation and to educate parents and others regarding the potential of people with mental retardation. The Arc also worked to procure services for children and adults who were denied day care, preschool, education and work programs.

Today, the Arc of Stanly County provides advocacy for individuals with disabilities and their families. It works to establish and change perceptions of people with disabilities so that they can be included as full members of Stanly County and the communities in which they live.

What is Advocacy?

Webster’s dictionary defines "advocate" as one who argues for, recommends, or supports a cause or policy. Advocates cannot always change problems nor create outcomes that a person with a disability or his/her family may want. However, an advocate can try to ease the burdens and pressures caused by the problems.

Listed below are some of the ways that The Arc of Stanly County advocates for people with disabilities and their families.

• Witness: Simply being there is often enough. "Being there" is not about acting for people with disabilities and their families, but about lending them authority. Even this passive support empowers people and makes them feel they can succeed.
• Buffer: Someone who helps absorb some of the pressures on the family by fielding or deflecting matters that might exacerbate their troubles or stress.
• Voice: Making sure people with disabilities and their families' views are represented and their voices are heard.
• Go-between: Someone who helps facilitate and improve communication between the families and service providers.
• Interpreter: Someone who helps translate language and wording to aid in family’s understanding.
• Listener: Someone who helps people with disabilities and their families to not feel isolated by encouraging them to share feelings, worries and concerns.
• Sleuth: Someone who searches out information that will help people with disabilities and their families achieve positive outcomes.
• Problem-solver: Someone who helps people with disabilities and their families identify the choices they have and support them in their decisions.
• Confidante: Someone with whom private and confidential information can be safely shared in the sure knowledge that it will not be passed on or used against the family and/or the person supported.
• Mentor: Someone with whom private and confidential information can be safely shared in the sure knowledge that it will not be passed on or used against the family and/or the person supported.
• Ally: Someone who is unambiguously on the family's side, prepared to stand by them, and whose actions are always consistent with this stance.

To speak with someone regarding obtaining Academic Advocacy services, please call Jeanette Wilhelm at 704-986-7234.