The Arc Of Litchfield County Inc

CONTINUED FROM PARTS I & III: RESPECT, AND DIGNITY. LARC IS A LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE ARC, THE LARGEST COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATION FOR THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. ON A DAILY BASIS, LARC SUPPORTS 145 INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES THROUGHOUT NORTHWEST CONNECTICUT. SERVICES INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL GROUP HOMES, IN-HOME SUPPORTS, TRANSPORTATION, DAY AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS. OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR INCLUDE: -LARC IS PARTICIPATING IN PROJECT SEARCH, AN EMPLOYMENT TRAINING MODEL THAT IS SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATING INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES INTO COMPETITIVE WAGE JOBS. -LARC IS WORKING WITH LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO ENSURE THAT INDIVIDUALS TRANSITIONING FROM SCHOOL TO WORK ARE AWARE OF THE OPPORTUNITY. THE PROJECT SEARCH PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BE A ONE-YEAR PROGRAM AND IS BASED ON A SCHOOL YEAR. PARTICIPATING INDIVIDUALS, PRIMARILY AGED 21 AND OLDER, WILL WORK IN INTERNSHIPS AT CHARLOTTE HUNGERFOR

RESIDENTIAL: LARC OPERATES FIVE COMMUNITY GROUP HOMES AND TWO APARTMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF 24-HOUR SUPPORTS, LOCATED IN HARWINGTON, LITCHFIELD, TORRINGTON, BARKHAMSTED AND NEW HARTFORD. INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE IN INDEPENDENTLY LEASED APARTMENTS ARE ALSO SUPPORTED BY LARC. LARC ALSO PROVIDES IN-HOME SUPPORTS. THE MAJORITY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE ELDERLY FAMILIES/GUARDIANS THAT ARE UNABLE TO DRIVE. WITHOUT OUR PROGRAM, THEY WOULD BE STUCK AT HOME WITH LITTLE OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY. A TOTAL OF 29 INDIVIDUALS ARE SERVED IN LARC'S RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS AND 16 INDIVIDUALS ARE SERVED IN LARC'S IN HOME SUPPORTS.

LARC ALSO OFFERS RECREATION, GUARDIANSHIP, ADVOCACY, TRANSPORTATION SERVICES AND AN AUTISM RESOURCE CENTER. LARC'S SOCIAL ENRICHMENT PROGRAM HAS RESUMED AFTER BEING PAUSED DUE TO COVID. THE PROGRAM IS FUNDED SOLELY BY PRIVATE DONATIONS, PROVIDING CRITICAL RESPITE AND RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS GROUP OUTINGS, SOCIAL GATHERINGS, AND SPECIAL OLYMPICS. LARC'S AUTISM RESOURCE CENTER HAS BECOME KNOWN IN THE REGION FOR PROVIDING INNOVATIVE SUPPORTS TO AREA YOUTH. WE ARE WORKING TO ALIGN OUR PROGRAMMING WITH AVAILABLE FUNDING, TO HELP ENSURE FISCAL STABILITY AND THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE ASD SUPPORTS THAT ARE BILLABLE AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS. IT IS OUR INTENTION TO MOVE THE CENTER FROM GRANT AND DONOR-FUNDED TO OFFICIAL ASD PROVIDER FUNDED IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO. LARC'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS MADE THE DECISION TO SUSPEND CAMP OPERATIONS IN 2021, AND FURTHER, TO SELL THE CAMP PROPERTY, WHICH HAD BECOME A DRAIN ON AGENCY OPERATIONS AND FINANCES. WE ARE ABOUT TO CLOSE ON THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY. THIS WILL HELP US FOCUS MORE FULLY ON OUR CORE MISSION, AND WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO THE AGENCY IN MANY WAYS.

VOCATIONAL DAY PROGRAM: APPROXIMATELY 54 INDIVIDUALS ARE WORKING THROUGH LARC'S VOCATIONAL PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES INDIVIDUALIZED EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS, JOB DEVELOPMENT, PLACEMENT, ON-THE-JOB TRAINING AND CONTINUOUS SUPPORTS TO INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. LARC IS PROVIDING GROUP SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT AT 6 SITES EMPLOYING 39 INDIVIDUALS. THE CANAAN POLICE BARRACKS AND THE CT DEPARTMENT OF LABOR CONTRACTS CONTINUE TO SUCCESSFULLY PERFORM FOR OVER 25 YEARS, REPRESENTING A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR ANY MAINTENANCE COMPANY. ANOTHER INDICATOR OF THE PROGRAM'S SUCCESS IS THE LONGEVITY OF OUR CLIENTS' EMPLOYMENT.

DAY SUPPORT PROGRAM: THE DAY SUPPORT PROGRAM PROVIDES EXPERIENCES AND ACTIVITIES THAT ARE STIMULATING AND VALUE BASED TO 46 INDIVIDUALS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL OR AGING ISSUES. LARC ALSO OFFERS COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES THROUGH VOLUNTEERING, PARTICIPATING IN THE LOCAL SENIOR CENTER, AND ENJOYING LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES TO OVER APPROXIMATELY 75 INDIVIDUALS AT OVER 14 LOCATIONS. DSO PARTICIPANTS HAVE RECENTLY BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE CITY OF TORRINGTON FOR THEIR VOLUNTEER EFFORTS FOR THE MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM.