In This Issue:

  • New Resource: Learn About Medicaid for People with Disabilities
  • Changing Perceptions About People with IDD
  • You're Invited: Documentary Screening with The Arc and RRCC
  • Chat with Our Advocacy Team at Evergreen Meet & Greet
  • Boost Your Advocacy Skills at JPEP Conference
  • Share Your Poetry with Our Community
  • Your Tax Refund Can Make a Difference
  • Come Say Hi at Coffee House Tomorrow
 
Adult supports a child wearing glasses who sits in a wheelchair outdoors on a park path.

New Resource: Learn About Medicaid for People with Disabilities


If you’re looking for information on Health First Colorado (Medicaid) for people with disabilities, be sure to check out our new Medicaid resource pages.


These free, self-guided trainings will equip you to understand the basics of Medicaid for people with disabilities, Home and Community Based Services (HCBS), Community First Choice, and more. Whether you're a person with a disability or a family member to a child or adult with a disability, our resource pages can help you explore how Medicaid can provide support.


Visit each resource using the links below:
 
A woman speaks directly to the camera in a video still. On-screen text reads, "That some people see me as invisible."

Changing Perceptions About People with IDD


March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM), and we’re celebrating all month long with our new video series, Selfies.


Each week, we’re sharing a new video conveying insightful perspectives from self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on topics like advocating for oneself, Medicaid, and more.


In this week’s video, self-advocates address misconceptions about the IDD community by answering the question: What do you wish more people understood about people with disabilities?
Watch the Video
 
A foggy forest path stretches into the distance as an older man wearing a white hat, white shirt, and tan pants walks along the road. Large text over the image reads, “IN A DIFFERENT KEY.”

You're Invited: Documentary Screening with The Arc and RRCC


This Autism Acceptance Month, learn more about the experiences of the autism community by joining us for a screening of In a Different Key! On April 7, we’re partnering with Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) to screen this award-winning documentary for our local community.


Following the story of the first man to be diagnosed with autism, Caren Zucker and John Donvan’s In a Different Key spotlights the autism community and the fight for inclusion. Immediately after the screening, our team will facilitate a post-viewing discussion about the film. Refreshments will be provided.


Anyone is welcome to attend this free community event!


When: Tuesday, April 7, 3:00pm-5:30pm

Where: Red Rocks Community College Lakewood Campus: 13300 W 6th Ave, Lakewood, CO 80228 – The Den (inside the lower West Entrance)


If you would like to attend, please email info@arcjc.org, noting the number of people in your party and any needs for accommodations.
 
Two adults talk at a community event indoors, with tables and other attendees in the background.

Chat with Our Advocacy Team at Evergreen Meet & Greet


In partnership with Evergreen Park & Recreation District, The Arc-JCC&GC invites individuals with IDD and their families to join us for a community meet-and-greet!


Swing by to chat with our team of advocates, learn about our programs, and discover how we can support you. Light refreshments will be provided.


When: Wednesday, March 25th, 3:15pm-4:30pm

Where: Activity Options Evergreen Center - 3719 Evergreen Pkwy, Evergreen, CO 80439


We hope you can join us!


Can’t make the event? Learn more about our advocacy programs by visiting our website.
 
A staff member sits behind a table speaking with a visitor at a community resource fair. Informational materials and giveaway items are displayed on the table while others gather in the background.

Boost Your Advocacy Skills at JPEP Conference


Registration is now open for the 2026 Jeffco Parents Encouraging Parents (JPEP) Conference! Planned by parents and a team of experts, including our Director of Child & Family Advocacy, Dr. Sally Carruthers, this free experience invites parents of students with disabilities to build their advocacy skills through workshops, small group discussions, and more.


When: Friday, April 24th, 8:00am-5:00pm

Where: Bear Creek High School - 9800 W Dartmouth Pl, Lakewood, CO 80227


Advocates from The Arc-JCC&GC look forward to presenting and sharing our knowledge—we hope to see you there!


Space is limited and registration is expected to fill up quickly, so be sure to register soon if you’d like to attend. Register or learn more here.
 
Person sitting outdoors in a wheelchair writes in a notebook while holding a coffee cup. Text on the image reads “national poetry month.”

Share Your Poetry with Our Community


Do you have a poem you’re ready to share with the world? Let your creativity shine by featuring your work in our eNewsletter!


We’re inviting all members of our community—individuals with IDD, family members, and all other supporters—to send us an original poem.


Then, in April, we’ll publish the poems we've received in our eNewsletter for National Poetry Month!


Join us in celebrating imagination. If you have a poem you would like to submit, please:

  • Send your poem to communications@arcjc.org
  • The subject line of your email should be “National Poetry Month”
  • Tell us if you would like your name to be included (First Name and Last Initial) or if you would like your poem to be published anonymously


For any questions, please email communications@arcjc.org.


We look forward to seeing the creativity of our community!
 
Graphic reading ‘ReFUND’ with The Arc Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties logo and registration number 20023003706.

Your Tax Refund Can Make a Difference


Turn your 2025 tax refund into support for The Arc and the people we serve!


If you’ve not yet filed your 2025 tax return, consider donating all or part of your state income tax refund to The Arc-JCC&GC to help power our advocacy work, community events, and more.


The process is simple and can be completed while filing your state income tax return. Simply enter The Arc – Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties’ ID Number, 20023003706, on the Voluntary Contributions schedule of your return, and your refund will fuel our efforts to promote inclusion and protect civil rights. Learn more about this process here.
 
The image is a circular illustration showing two people smiling and holding mugs. One wears a black beanie and a blue sweater while the other wears a colorful striped beanie and an orange jacket over a blue shirt. The background is soft pink.

Come Say Hi at Coffee House Tomorrow


  • Where: Panera Bread - 650 S. Wadsworth Blvd, Lakewood, CO 80226 (Southeast corner of Wadsworth & Center Ave)
  • When: Thursday, March 19th from 5:30pm-7:00pm


We hope you can join us! Click here to learn more about Coffee House.


For any questions, please reach out to us at info@arcjc.org.
 
Facebook  Instagram

The Arc - Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties | 13949 W. Colfax Ave. Ste 102 | Lakewood, CO 80401 US

Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice