Submitted by Karen Haught
The Arc of Volusia was founded in 1962 as an educational program by 7 families providing an alternative to the then-common practice of institutionalizing children who had intellectual and developmental disabilities. With just 3 volunteers, and donated space at the Daytona Beach YMCA, The Arc of Volusia was born. Upon the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975, (which ensured public school education through age 22) our focus shifted to providing day training to intellectually and developmentally disabled (I/DD) adults.
Our mission is to provide the opportunity for hope, growth, and change to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Volusia County. We do this by facilitating a three-pronged adult day training program that includes life skills development, a sheltered workshop/job training environment (both onsite at our Daytona Beach and DeLand campuses) and a supported employment program in the Volusia County community.
Our vision is that one day, all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) will be included and participate as full members of their communities, throughout their lives. We strive to make this vision a reality in Volusia County through a compassionate and knowledgeable staff who are committed to guiding our clients to greater community through all aspects of daily life including educational, social, physical, emotional, and occupational activity.
We are proud to have the winning combination of a debt-free, modern, welcoming facilities, combined, more importantly, with a stellar staff committed to our clients’ well-being.
The values that guide The Arc of Volusia are:
Our greatest measure of accomplishment stems from seeing our clients overcome challenges to become more integrated members of their own community whether it is as an employee, a consumer, or simply as a contributing Volusia County resident.
The Arc of Volusia’s 3-pronged program serves our community by providing an active, meaningful day to intellectually and developmentally disabled (I/DD) adults within Volusia County. The Adult Day Training Program (ADT) is the heartbeat of our agency and is formally identified by The Agency for Persons with Disabilities as “Life Skills Development – Level 3.” Our goal is to further develop each individual’s skills of daily living, helping them become more independent. We provide a meaningful day of activities that include community outings, volunteer opportunities, job skills training and job exploration, accessing community services, and self-advocacy. These opportunities are provided within settings that are both age and culturally appropriate.
The Sheltered Workshop Program is an add-on to our ADT program, providing I/DD adults the opportunity to spend a portion of their day earning a paycheck. Our individuals are enthusiastic about opportunities to learn and earn, which means they are motivated and focused while completing a project. We have completed projects for many Volusia County businesses, providing light manufacturing, package assembly/disassembly, and mailroom services, including pickup and delivery to and from our on-site workshop facility. Local partner businesses have included ABB, Bylight, FDOT, 4Front Solutions, Sccy, Sparton, and more.
At The Arc of Volusia, this workshop program is provided as a value-added experience for the individuals we serve. Our clients are compensated according to Department of Labor guidelines, with upwards of 80% of every dollar brought in through our outsourcing programs used to pay wages to our clients. In addition to the benefits to our clients, this program offers our local business partners competitive pricing, quality control, and no hidden costs, without the need for workers compensation, employment taxes or overtime.
The Supported Employment Program is a unique employment service for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who require ongoing support services to succeed in competitive community employment. Our role is to establish relationships with potential employers, provide coaching to the client, and empower the client to be successful in the competitive job market. Our Arc of Volusia clients can be found working in many Volusia County businesses including Publix, ERAU, Sodexo, Winn-Dixie, Taco Bell, McDonalds and several others.
The Arc of Volusia’s program doesn’t only exist for the benefit of the intellectually and developmentally disabled individual, but also for the individual’s family and support network. While I/DD adults are spending their days developing life skills and socializing in a safe, supervised setting, family members are able to work and/or maintain their other responsibilities of daily life, knowing that their loved one is having a meaningful day of activities.
On March 27, Arc of Volusia’s Daytona Beach campus will be hosting “Pasta With A Purpose,” which will provide the local community with the opportunity to enjoy a delicious dinner prepared by our own Chef Matt, and tour the campus to get a firsthand look at what exciting things go on daily in our program. It’s also an opportunity to help us celebrate our 63rd Birthday in Daytona Beach, (complete with birthday cake, of course) and each dinner purchased will include a 1-year Arc of Volusia Supporter Membership. Takeout meals are also available, and tickets can be purchased at www.arcvolusia.org/pasta.
