Our annual Awareness Is the Key to Change Conference is approaching! Make plans now to attend!

We are delighted to announce that The Arc Mid-South will be hosting our 2024 Awareness Is the Key to Change Conference on July 25, 2024. This year’s theme is “Transformation to Success”. The event is free. You are invited to attend this conference and hear various exciting presentations.

The conference will include something for everyone. To kick off our conference, you will be graced by our keynote speaker, Dr. Marie Feagins, Superintendent of Memphis-Shelby County Schools. You will leave with a wealth of information from the following sessions: an overview of Transitional Services by a team of professionals from our school system, Mental Health and how it affects our daily coping skills, waiver funding, and who will speak for me.

You will hear from Probate Court Judge Kathleen Gomes on conservatorship and other attorneys on financial planning. We will also have a team of self-advocates discussing “Nothing Without Me” and over a dozen vendors with much-needed resources and information.

We cannot wait to share ideas with you. See more details in this issue of our Common Thread newsletter! At the conclusion of the conference, we will have a celebration for the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Meet the Keynote Speaker for the Awareness Is the Key to Change Conference

Marie N. Feagins, Ed.D., started her tenure as Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent on April 1, 2024. Through her exceptional leadership, strategic initiatives, and collaborative efforts in previous roles, Dr. Feagins has driven remarkable improvements in student outcomes, facilities, and crisis management.

Dr. Feagins holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Samford University, an Education Specialist/Master of Education in School Counseling from the University of West Alabama, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Alabama, and a Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University.

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Our L.E.T.S. students celebrated the end of their school year on Thursday, May 30. They played games like Jenga, Trouble!, and cornhole. There was music and dancing, along with snacks like hot wings, cake, and ice cream.

Everyone had a good time, and they are looking forward to the new school year, which starts on Tuesday, July 9.

Dollar General Grant for Adult Literacy

A big "Thank You" goes to Dollar General, who recently gave a Grant for Adult Literacy to The Arc Mid-South. This grant will help support our L.E.T.S. program, increasing literacy and life skills for our students. Thanks for helping to support our mission!

Caregiver Peer Support Group – Thursday, June 27 – 6pm-7pm

A monthly support group online meeting for caregivers across the state. Caregivers enrolled in our program often speak to us about their feelings of isolation and desire for more connection with other caregivers; we are excited for this next step in creating greater bonds in the caregiving community.

TN Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder – Healthcare Committee Call (TEAMS) – Tuesday, July 9 – 9am-10am

The TN Council on Autism Spectrum Disorder holds a quarterly TEAMS call focusing on Healthcare for Tennesseans with autism. If you are interested in joining, please reach out to Jenna Martin, either by phone or by email to request the meeting link.

(615) 626-1579