Summary
Organization name
The Arc of Aurora
1975
Tax id (EIN)
84-0678813
Category
Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy
Organization Size
Large Organization
Address
1342 South Chambers RoadAurora, CO 80017
Arapahoe County, CO, US
The Arc of Aurora is a private not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
Testimonials
Consider what people have said who we have helped:
- “A spectacular advocate for us. I don't know what I would have done without them." ~Leigh-Anne
- “They have given us support and advice and helped us financially and with their food bank.” ~Maria
- “I wouldn’t be where I am today without The Arc of Aurora.” ~Silas
- “Without The Arc of Aurora, I don’t think my child would have had a good education at school.” ~Asia
Mission
The Arc of Aurora helps children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families live the highest quality lives possible by providing information and referral; community training and education; individual, class and systems change advocacy; and individual, family, volunteer and community support. Put simply, The Arc of Aurora helps people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families get what they need from the systems that are designed and funded to support them.
Background Statement
The Arc of Aurora was incorporated in 1975 as the Association for Retarded Citizens, an advocacy support organization for families of people with developmental disabilities. The first office was a corner of Aurora City Councilwoman Molly Markert's basement; the original office phone number was also Molly's.
The ARC acronym was eventually changed with self-advocates (people with developmental disabilities themselves) insisting that the organization get rid of the word "retarded" because it had a negative connotation. Thus, the ARC acronym was retired and The Arc (no acronym) was born.
The Arc of Aurora is an affiliated chapter of The Arc of the United States, although we are managed by an independent and community-based board of directors. The Arcs in Colorado were created to meet the need for conflict free individual advocacy.
The amount of advocacy provided by The Arc of Aurora to an individual or family is solely dependent upon the individual's/family's needs, not his/her/its financial status. Individualized services range from brief contacts of less than one hour to extensive interventions.
Throughout the many years of The Arc's existence, we have witnessed a federal law passed to allow children with developmental disabilities to receive a free and appropriate education, and we have seen the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Arc of Aurora's social enterprise, THINK+change, offers solutions-focused training and tools that change knowledge, attitude, and behavior to ultimately improve the quality of life for people with developmental disabilities. Education is, after all, the least intrusive form of advocacy! THINK+change brands and builds on The Arc of Aurora's successful training track record and product line where the sky is the limit on training issues and tools to support positive change for people with developmental disabilities!
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Organization Data
Aurora, CO 80017