Nineteen-year-old Wei, a young adult with developmental disabilities, starts his mornings with a 6:30 AM alarm that gets snoozed a few times before he’s out of bed at 7:12 AM, ready to pursue his professional goals. Wei is a client of The Arc San Francisco. Through our Workforce Development Program, he secured a paid internship at the California Academy of Sciences. Five days a week, he puts on his uniform, and his dad drives him to work.

Wei makes sure he arrives to work on time and presents himself responsibly. These are skills he learned through The Arc SF’s transition-age youth workshops. “If you’re not on time,” he says, “you could get F-I-R-E-D if it keeps happening.” He takes pride in showing up well-groomed and in uniform, knowing it’s important to “dress nice” and look professional.

The Arc SF maintains a vital internship partnership with the California Academy of Sciences, where Wei receives daily support and feedback tailored to his growth. Staff and peers at The Arc SF have helped him build job skills and navigate workplace expectations.

He has learned to return from breaks on time, ask for help before taking on tasks outside his scope, and avoid impulsive comments. His mentor, Cas, an older intern, also provides guidance. The internship is customized to support Wei’s development, and he plans to transition from custodial work to Guest Experience.

Your support enables internships like Wei’s.

A gift today helps create customized opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities to work, grow, and thrive, building skills and confidence to pursue their goals.

Before Wei had the chance to build these habits, his future was uncertain. His mom, Kelly, was deeply concerned. She knew that without a clear next step after graduation, Wei risked more than boredom. He could lose momentum, confidence, and self-esteem. He could regress and face growing anxiety about entering the real world and workplace.

Determined to prevent that, Kelly began reaching out. A full year before Wei graduated, she contacted four different organizations, including The Arc SF.

Despite her efforts, Wei was placed on The Arc SF’s waitlist, left wondering, “Am I gonna get in or not?” It’s a question that reflects the uncertainty faced by so many families today.

There is a critical gap between access and opportunity for adults with developmental disabilities like Wei. Your donation today helps close that gap and ensures more people can receive the support they deserve.

Wei and part of his support team at The Arc San Francisco!

While Kelly was worried about Wei being left behind, The Arc SF’s Intake Coordinator, Vanessa Baioco, helped move his intake forward with care and urgency. Vanessa didn’t just answer questions. She called regularly with updates, responded quickly and thoroughly, and helped find creative solutions so Wei could start as soon as a slot was available. Kelly shares, “I had a lot of questions. Sometimes five or six a week. Vanessa always responded with great detail and helped us feel seen and supported.”

Transportation wasn’t immediately available, but Kelly and her family found creative solutions to get Wei to work. Their persistence helped move his intake forward and ensured he could begin services as soon as a slot opened.

Kelly also stayed proactive, communicating regularly with The Arc SF, GGRC, and the transportation company to keep Wei’s case moving forward. That persistence helped bring Wei’s intake to the forefront and ensured he could begin services as soon as possible.

Wei’s journey from being “just a number” on a discouraging waitlist to a confident young professional shows the power of your timely support. Since joining The Arc SF, Kelly reports that Wei has grown in confidence, emotional regulation, and independence.

He is now facing the real challenges of work. Ask him about the hardest part of his internship, and he’ll tell you, “When I clean all the bathrooms and then I go back to the bathrooms and they are dirty again. I think, oh darn, I just cleaned that!”

It’s a relatable frustration and a sign of a truly engaged working adult.

This growth is why Kelly says, “I really feel like you guys care, so it’s not just like a program, but you care about the person and what they need and try to help them.”

While Wei has a strong support system, not every participant does. Your gift helps us reach families who are still waiting and uphold our commitment to personalized support and opportunity.

As a parent and a donor herself, Kelly joins us in asking for your support. She knows that giving is the only way to ensure The Arc SF can continue to serve families like hers.

In these times of threatened federal funding, your support is more essential than ever. Thank you for considering a donation today.

Your gift helps us serve adults with developmental disabilities who are still waiting for services and ensures that current participants like Wei continue to thrive.

We are grateful for your life-changing support.

Sincerely,

Kristen Pederson

Executive Director

The Arc San Francisco

P.S. Every hour an adult with developmental disabilities waits is a moment they could be building skills, gaining confidence, and moving toward their personal goals. Please donate now to give them the immediate support they deserve.