Lead The Way at The Arc Maryland's 2024 Statewide Convention & Awards Banquet

May 30th at Turf Valley Resport

You're invited to the 2024 State Convention & Awards Banquet! Learn how you can Lead the Way in technology, employment, advocacy, and more alongside members of The Arc, advocates, family members, professionals, volunteer leaders, partners from affiliate organizations, and government agencies!

On May 30th, we will be joined by Plenary Speaker Collette Divitto, an entrepreneur, business owner, and advocate with Down syndrome. Determined, Collette turned her passion for baking into a business, and founded Collettey’s Cookies. To date, Collette has sold over 400,000 cookies, and Collettey’s Cookies now employs a diverse workforce of 15 people. She also founded Collettey's Leadership to provide workshops, training, empowerment, and leadership for those with or without (dis)abilities. Come there what Collette has to say and attend other exciting and innovative breakout sessions throughout the day!

Tickets are on sale now for the Convention/Awards Banquet, as well as our Volunteer of the Year Breakfast and Direct Support Professional of the Year Happy Hour! There are scholarship opportunities for advocates with IDD to attend the convention! Complete and submit the application here by Monday, April 29th!

Congratulations To Our 2024 Statewide Awards Honorees!

Every outstanding employee, organization, business, and partner deserves time for celebration: time for our reflection and thanks for the incredible ways each is leading the way to make Maryland a great place for people with IDD and their families! Our Statewide Awards Program recognizes the people and organizations who are laying the foundation for a world that is equitable, inclusive, accepting, and innovative. Their efforts to advance our mission in schools, workplaces, healthcare, and the community make them stand out in the crowd. Join us on May 30th at the Statewide Convention & Awards Banquet to celebrate them! Click the button below is a full list of the 2024 honorees.

That's a Wrap! Maryland's 2024 Legislative Session

April 8th marked the end of Maryland's 2024 Legislative Session, a busy time of year for The Arc Maryland! Over the course of the 90 day session, our Governmental Affairs Committee and leadership worked tirelessly to advance and protect the resources and rights of Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. You can read all about the session in our 2024 Legislative Wrap-Up Report, available below.

MCSSP-IDD Meeting - Legal Resources for Spanish Speaking Parents of Children & Adults with IDD

May 23rd from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

The Maryland Coalition of Spanish-Speaking Parents of Children and Adults with IDD has a virtual meeting coming up on May 23rd, and you are invited! The Coalition will be joined by Immigration Attorney Maria Colon, Esq. for a discussion on resources for parents without a legal status. Register for the Zoom meeting through the button below. For questions, contact Coni Nepomuceno at cnepomuceno@thearcmd.org.

Disclaimer: the information that will be provided during this session is not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice or represent the views of, or advice from, The Arc Maryland. Attendees should consult their attorneys to obtain advice with respect to particular legal matters. Use of the information obtained in this session does not create an attorney-client relationship between parties.

The Arc Maryland Celebrates Autism Acceptance Month

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and we kicked it off with first annual Autism Acceptance Day Coalition event! On April 2nd, Coalition partners, advocates, children and adults with autism, and legislators from across the state joined together in Annapolis for a celebration lunch and dance party. Thanks to everyone who attended to make this day so special for people with Autism and their families!

Extra Support for Extra-Ordinary People: Home and Community-Based Services Webinar Series

The Maryland Department of Health, Office of Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs has a webinar series going on right now to provide information on HCBS for children and youth. These programs are designed to support particular populations and some programs waive parental income limits, allowing families of all incomes to receive needed support that might otherwise be out of reach.

The first webinar in the series, which is an overview on HCBS for children and youth with specific healthcare needs, takes place on April 30th from 11 AM to Noon. The next webinar on HCBS for individuals with developmental disabilities will follow closely on May 7th from Noon to 1 PM. You can register for each below!

Funding Available To Nonprofits and States To Create New Disability Employment Models

The U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration is offering $236 million in grants from its Disability Innovation Fund program to establish innovative approaches to transition young people with disabilities into competitive, integrated employment. The funding is available for both state agencies and, for the first time, nonprofits. The Department is hosting a meeting on May 1st to go over the grant, and is accepting applications from now to July 8th.

Coni and Ande Attend the Disability Policy Seminar in DC

Earlier this month, Coni Nepomuceno, our Director of Family Programs and Outreach, and Ande Kolp, or Executive Director, went to the nation's capital to learn about federal legislation initiatives and meet with representatives! Coni served as the Maryland State Captain for attendees, arranging meetings and prep conversations so attendees from MD would be prepared for an awesome experience on the Hill!

Sharon Dols Named to Maryland's Top 100 Women by the Daily Record

Our Deputy Executive Director, Sharon Dols, was part of this year's Top 100 Women in Maryland by the Daily Record. This honor was founded to recognize outstanding achievements by women demonstrated through professional accomplishments, community leadership, and mentoring.

Congratulations to Sharon for the well-deserved honor! Maryland's Top 100 Women will be honored at a reception on May 6th at The Lyric in Baltimore.

Support The Arc Maryland

Are you looking for ways to support the work of The Arc Maryland? We have many opportunities for ways in which you can give! See below or contact below or contact sdols@thearcmd.org for more information.

Or mail your donation to:

The Arc Maryland

Attn: Annual Charity Campaign

8601 Robert Fulton Drive, Suite 140

Columbia, MD 21046

Thank You to Our Convention Sponsors!

Thank you to these amazing partners for sponsoring our upcoming Statewide Convention & Awards Banquet. If you are interested in supporting the event as a Sponsor, Exhibitor, or Advertiser, you still have a few days left to participate! Check out opportunities here by April 29th.

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