Arc of the United States
| Formation | 1950 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Parent advocacy groups |
| Type | 501(c)(3) organization |
| Purpose | Disability rights, services, and advocacy |
| Headquarters | 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20006 |
Area served | United States |
| Membership | 577 chapters (as of 2024)[1] |
Key people | Katherine (Katy) Neas (CEO)[2] |
| Website | thearc |
The Arc of the United States is an organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The organization was founded in the 1950s by parents of people with developmental disabilities.[3] The Arc of the United States is based in Washington, D.C. and, as of 2024, operates chapters in 577 cities, as well as all states except Maine.[1]
Programs and activities
The Arc of the United States primarily conducts advocacy and public awareness work focused on Medicaid, special education, Social Security, and health care policy; it also organizes grassroots advocacy within the same fields.[4][5][6] The organization also advocates against stigma and discrimination against disabled people. This includes awareness campaigns to combat ableist slurs and to advocate for better employment for people with disabilities.[7][8][9]
Its special education initiative, Arc@School, provides plain-language training and resources about the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law ensuring children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education.[10][11]
The National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability (NCCJD) is a program of The Arc of the United States established in 2013 with support from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance. It serves to provide training and resources for justice professionals. They also provide resources to perople with disabilities who are actively interacting with the criminal justice system. This can include victims, witnesses, suspects, defendants, and detainees[12][13]
The organization hosts a National Convention that hosts people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), family members, professionals, and advocates to discuss current issues; historical speakers have included John F. Kennedy, who addressed the National Convention in 1963.[14]
The Arc oversees Wings for Autism/Wings for All, an annual airport “rehearsal” program run with airlines, airports, and security partners to help travelers with autism and other IDDs prepare for air travel.[15][16]
According to financial statements submitted to the IRS, the organization's 2019 income was $9.8 million. Its end of year assets were reported to be $13.4 million.[17] Major sources of income are charitable donations; dues for membership in local and state chapters; and government grants, contracts, and fees.[18]
History
The first organization of families was the Children's Benevolent League, incorporated in 1936 in the state of Washington. The San Francisco chapter was founded in 1951.[19][20][21]
From 1953 to 1973 the organization was called the National Association for Retarded Children (NARC), adopting the mantle of the New York-based NYSARC.
From 1973 to 1981, the name was changed to the National Association for Retarded Citizens. From 1981 to 1992 that was changed to Association for Retarded Citizens of the United States. The Arc assumed its present name in 1992, recognizing the pejorative nature of the word "retarded".[22][23]
In the 1980s the Arc condemned the use of physical punishment to modify behavior in people with disabilities.[24]
In 2008, the Arc was among a group of disability organizations, including the Special Olympics and the National Down Syndrome Congress, which called for a boycott of the film Tropic Thunder, partly due to the way it used the word "retard".[25][26]
In 2021, Berkshire County Arc management and board were found to have misused state funds on company building projects and personal credit cards, which the CEO said,"The end result was that there was no finding of wrongdoing or financial misappropriation of funds."[27][28][29]
References
- ^ a b "2024 Annual Report" (PDF). The Arc of the United States. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
- ^ "The Arc of the United States Names Katy Neas CEO". The Arc of the United States. June 26, 2024. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
- ^ "History". The Arc of the United States. 2011.
- ^ "Uproar as disability rights protesters in wheelchairs dragged out of House Medicaid meeting". The Independent. May 14, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "The Department of Education helps students with disabilities. Don't let it disappear". Newsweek. February 17, 2025. Retrieved October 7, 2025.
- ^ "Social Security Administration to remove food assistance as SSI benefit barrier". CNBC. March 28, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "The R-Word Is Back". HuffPost. March 14, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "7 Tips for Successfully Hiring Talent with Developmental Disabilities". Society for Human Resource Management. March 10, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "At the DNC, a father's tears became a cultural flashpoint about masculinity and disability". USA Today. August 22, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "Easier Special Education Advocacy for Parents". Word In Black. June 14, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "The Arc@School". The Arc of the United States. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "Serving Safely: Overview Webinar Presentation" (PDF). U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "NCCJD Celebrates 10 Years of Disability and Criminal Justice Advocacy". The Arc of the United States. October 18, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "Address to the National Association for Retarded Children". John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. October 24, 1963. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "How travel embraces neurodiversity". Travel Weekly. January 6, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ "Taking flight". TIME for Kids. October 9, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
- ^ ProPublica, Mike Tigas, Sisi Wei, Ken Schwencke, Brandon Roberts, Alec Glassford (May 9, 2013). "THE ARC OF THE UNITED STATES - Form Form 990 for period ending Dec 2019 - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "IRS Form 990: Report of Organization Exempt from Income Tax". The Arc of the United States. Archived from the original on November 26, 2008.
- ^ Crawford, Sabrina (2006). Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to And Living in the San Francisco Bay Area: Including San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, And Palo Alto. New York: First Book. p. 274. ISBN 0-912301-63-5.
Arc of San Francisco.
- ^ "Affordable Housing Coalitions and Agencies". California Department of Developmental Services. California Health and Human Services Agency. November 1, 2007. Archived from the original on April 11, 2009.
- ^ Smith, Matt (March 13, 2007). "A Walk in the Park". SF Weekly. Village Voice Media. Archived from the original on June 10, 2011. Retrieved February 18, 2009.
- ^ "History of The Arc". The Arc. Retrieved August 20, 2019.
- ^ "The Arc's Name Changes Throughout Its History". 2011.
- ^ "3 Nov 1985, 3 - Casper Star-Tribune at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
- ^ Cieply, Michael (August 11, 2008). "Groups Call for Boycott of 'Tropic Thunder' Film". The New York Times.
- ^ ABC News. "Stiller's 'Thunder' Under Fire From Disability Groups". ABC News. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
- ^ "Audit finds Berkshire agency which serves the disabled misspent more than $777,000 in state money". May 26, 2021.
- ^ Eagle, Tony Dobrowolski, The Berkshire (April 7, 2023). "Maryann Hyatt found her career in a nontraditional way. It's led her to become the president and CEO of Berkshire County Arc". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Office of the State Auditor (May 25, 2021). "Audit of the Berkshire County Arc, Inc. (BCArc)".