The Arc's desire is to support the inclusion of people in their community, not BE their community.

Relationships lead to a sense of belonging, love, inclusion, continuity, and meaning to life. Most people find that they value their relationships more highly than anything else in their lives.< People with disabilities are often deprived of both the quantity and quality of relationships that non- disabled people experiences.

The purpose of Arcin’ Round the Community is to:

• Celebrate the wonderful creation of each individual and his/her unique giftedness.




• Create community where there has often been isolation, loneliness and brokenness.




• Establish and support opportunities for people with disabilities and other community citizens to come together and share common experiences.




• Initiate opportunities for people with different abilities to be present and actively participate in the community using the same resources and doing the same activities as other citizens.




• Find the places where people come together as citizens – providing access to people who are not functioning as paid professionals but as neighbors’ and citizens.




• Build a range of relationships with people with and without disabilities including family, friends, peers and other community members.




• Locate common everyday activities and memberships.




• Produce opportunities to do new and interesting things




• Provide opportunities to have contact with people in the community including people and organizations with and ethnic traditions in common




• Assist in discovering what people have in common




• Establish opportunities where common interest and routines can be shared between people with disabilities and other community members




• Encourage natural supports between people with disabilities, co-workers and other community members