In This Issue:

• Our Year in Review
• Webinar: Stay Organized with the Dani Plan
• A Thank You to Our Sponsors
• Project SEARCH Is Accepting Applications
• Support The Arc at King Soopers
• The Arc-JCC&GC Will Be Closed for the Holidays
• Don't Miss Our Holiday-Themed Coffee House!

Our Year in Review

Here at The Arc, 2024 has been a year of fun, community, and creative thinking to support and empower people with IDD and their families! As we look back on an amazing year, we’ve rounded up five highlights that made this year so spectacular for our chapter.

1.     Be a Changemaker Campaign

During Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM) in March, The Arc-JCC&GC launched our ‘Be a Changemaker’ campaign—a list of 34 action items that community members can do to make the world a more inclusive place for people with IDD. Though the campaign began in March, individuals can participate at any time! Browse our list of action items and try as many as you’d like to help increase understanding and encourage belonging.

2.     Comedy Night with Josh Blue

Also during DDAM, we were thrilled to invite Josh Blue, a comedian with cerebral palsy, to put on a comedy show for our community! A near sell-out crowd gathered at the Lakewood Cultural Center for the comedian’s hilarious performance and an insightful conversation between Josh Blue and our executive director, Lori Ropa.

3.     Our Annual Picnic

We were thrilled to see so many of our community members at our summer picnic at Clement Park in Littleton. As always, the fun-filled event was all about coming together and enjoying some fabulous food, games, and music. We look forward to doing it again next year!

4.     The Arc’s National Convention

This past November, The Arc-JCC&GC sent staff members, board members, and individuals from our community to The Arc's National Convention in Columbus, Ohio! Every year, The Arc’s Convention brings together individuals from chapters of The Arc all over the country. Our attendees had a wonderful time learning from other chapters and connecting with the broader Arc community!

5.    The Arc’s Holiday Open House

Every year, our Holiday Open House is a chance for everyone in our community to share in the spirit of the season. The Holiday Open House took place at our office, where attendees made new friends, shared plenty of laughs, and competed in our fun and festive holiday sweater contest. We had such a wonderful time with all who attended!

As 2024 comes to a close, we’d like to share a message from our executive director, Lori Ropa, about all we have accomplished as a community this year, and the transformational changes that 2024 has brought to The Arc!

Webinar: Stay Organized with the Dani Plan

Come learn about a revolutionary tool called the Dani Plan, designed for your loved one with intellectual and developmental disabilities! With the Dani Plan, you can:

• Customize a plan for your loved one with disabilities in a single, easy to navigate online source
• Upload and store documents
• Securely share the plan with key people
• Set text reminders for caregivers
• Prepare for the unexpected and gain peace of mind

Join a live, one-hour Zoom demonstration hosted by the Dani Plan, in partnership with The Arc-JCC&GC, to learn more about this digital tool!

Date: Wednesday, January 15

Time: 1:00PM Mountain Time

Through a partnership with the Dani Plan, The Arc-JCC&GC is receiving a fee for promoting this webinar. If you decide to purchase the Dani Plan after attending the webinar, please use the code JCCGC30 to show you’re a supporter of The Arc-JCC&GC and to get a special discount. All revenue generated through this effort helps us continue to provide advocacy and other programs.

A Thank You to Our Sponsors

Thank you so much to our year-round sponsors! We are so grateful for these organizations' dedication to promoting and protecting the rights of those we serve by supporting The Arc-JCC&GC all year long. 

Project SEARCH Is Accepting Applications

If a career is your dream, Project SEARCH might be your perfect next step. The program, a school-to-work transition program for individuals with a significant disability, is taking applications for its 2025 class.

Participants in the yearlong program will receive on-the-job training at Children’s Hospital Colorado, in a variety of departments such as:

• Food services
• Inpatient units
• Data center and information technology
• Central distribution

Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be nearing their last year of school services. They also must qualify for services through the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and their local Community Centered Board (CCB).

If you are in a special education or school transition program and are interested in Project SEARCH, you can apply or learn more here. Please note that applications will close on February 14, 2025. 

Support The Arc at

King Soopers

Turn your grocery run into an act of kindness! Through the King Soopers Community Rewards program, The Arc-JCC&GC can receive a donation each time you shop at King Soopers—at no added cost to you.

Setup is easy:

• Visit the King Soopers Community Rewards website
• Log in to your existing account, or create a new account
• Search for “The Arc – Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties” by name or use code MY949. When the organization is selected, click “Save”

That’s it! Now, when you use your King Soopers card as you normally would, The Arc will receive a donation, with no additional cost to you.

The Arc-JCC&GC Will Be Closed for the Holidays

Happy Holidays! As we celebrate the holiday season, our office will be closed from noon on December 24 through January 1.

Additionally, the January People First meeting will occur on the second Wednesday of the month, January 8, from 5:30PM-7:00PM.

We can't wait to see you in 2025!

Don't Miss Our Holiday-Themed Coffee House!

• Thursday, December 19, 2024
• 5:30PM-7:00PM
• Panera Bread - 650 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80226 (Southeast corner of Wadsworth & Center Ave)
• This month, consider participating in our optional White Elephant Gift Exchange! If you would like to participate, bring a wrapped gift in the price range of $5 to $15.

Click here to learn more about Coffee House. Any questions? Please email info@arcjc.org.