Your Arc membership makes a difference…

… in peoples’ lives.

As an advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, our job at The Arc Mower County is to ensure there are services and programs available for the people we serve that promote independence, community involvement and make their lives as full as possible.

..in our community.

One of our goals is to increase public awareness about the needs, rights and most importantly, the abilities of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A strong membership base helps The Arc demonstrate to local government officials that many in our community care about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

…across the state.

Through The Arc Minnesota, our state organization, your Arc membership strengthens our voice with lawmakers. We want to be heard on legislative issues such as housing, education and transportation that affect people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

…and it doesn’t cost a lot.

You can become a member of The Arc for just $30/individual or $45/family. But if you join at a higher membership level, your additional contribution helps support programs that don’t get funding from other sources.

…and for you

For all the help that you give us, we want to give something back to you. Along with the good feeling you get from knowing you’ve helped over 300 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities served by The Arc Mower County, you receive a number of benefits as a token of our appreciation for your commitment to The Arc.

Your support is vital in full-filling our mission.

 Why Arc? Why Membership?

Arc members have literally changed the world for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Because of Arc members, children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities have moved out of institutions and into their own apartments and jobs in the community.

Because of the hard work of Arc members, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities today have choices in how they live, learn, work and play.

We cannot forget only a generation ago, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities were denied basic human rights and put into institutions, out of sight, out of mind.

Membership in Arc is your statement that you are unwilling to go back to those days — that you want to be counted as someone willing to go on record as supporting opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to choose and realize their dreams of where and how they live, learn, work and play.

Arc needs you because numbers count, and Arc’s voice is stronger, louder and listened to more carefully at the legislature with the addition of every new member

Membership is the foundation for all of Arc’s services. The Arc Mower County needs you as a member. When you formally join Arc as a member, you add to Arc’s strong base of people who are concerned about children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

 Upcoming

People First Aktion Club’s All-you-can-eat chicken dumpling soup and chili supper

4:30 to 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23, 2015, at the

Mower County Senior Center, 400 3rd Ave NE, Austin. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children (Ages 4 to 12). Children ages 3 and under are free. Includes your choice of Chicken dumpling soup and/or chili, beverage and dessert. Call The Arc at 507-433-8994 to purchase tickets or to volunteer.

Jamey Helgeson is the Program Director at The Arc Mower County and can be reached at jamey@thearcmc.org or by calling 507-433-8994, Extension 102. You can also visit our website (www.thearcmc.org) and follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/thearcmc).