Congratulations to Our 2023 Partners in Policymaking® Graduates!

On Tuesday, August 15th, we proudly celebrated the graduation of Maryland's 2022-23 Partners in Policymaking® class! These 27 graduates are advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and family members of people with IDD. They spent the past year building their advocacy toolbox. While their time in the program has come to an end, their advocacy journey has just begun! Once a Partner, always a Partner! You can read about this class of grads in the Partners Yearbook through the button below. Please also check out pictures of the event on our Facebook page! Thank you to our project partners at the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council and People on the Go of Maryland for making this amazing opportunity possible.

Save the Date - The Arc Maryland's SpArc Tank Ig-Nite

November 16th

Join us for SpArc Tank Ig-Nite, our premiere event supporting the development of new technology, resources, devices, or other initiatives to enhance the lives of children and adults with IDD in Maryland! On the evening of November 16th, organizations will compete for funding of up to $10,000 through pitches to our "SpArc Tank" of board members!

Seize the opportunity to strengthen and support innovative projects from non-profits that improve the lives of Marylanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities! You can become a SpArc Tank Ig-Nite sponsor and have a positive impact on the community! Your sponsorship goes directly back to the community. Please review our sponsorship levels and their complete list of benefits through the button below.

Stay tuned for the application for SpArc projects that will be out in the coming days!

The Arc Maryland Launches Coalition for Spanish-Speaking Families of Marylanders with IDD

Spanish-speaking families in Maryland are invited to join The Arc Maryland's coalition to create positive change for Spanish-speaking individuals with IDD and their families! The Maryland Coalition of Spanish-Speaking Parents of Children and Adults with IDD(MCPSS-IDD) will meet for the first time on August 31st from 10 AM to 12 PM in Columbia. During our first meeting, we will develop standards for membership and a charter for our work together. Register for the meeting through the button below! For questions or more information, contact Coni Nepomuceno, Director of Family Programs and Outreach, at CNepomuceno@TheArcMD.org.

The Arc Maryland's Governmental Affairs Retreat is Just One Month Away! Registration is Open

September 21st, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Join us virtually on Thursday, September 21st, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM to share input, refine our legislative priorities for the year, and put together an action plan to prepare for Maryland's 2024 Legislative Session. Register through the button below to receive the event's zoom link!

Together We're Better: Embracing a More Inclusive Culture in Maryland Schools

As the 2023-2024 school year kicks off, we are excited to share outcomes of the Together We're Better inclusive schools program last year and our plans for the future! Through school presentations, artwork contests, and more, this premiere school inclusion program made quite the splash last school year. You can read about it in our Impact Report below! We are grateful to our partners at the Maryland State Department of Education, The Maryland Department of Disabilities, the Maryland Developmental Disabilities Council, and the Maryland State Arts Council for funding and programmatic support as we work together to move the dial on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. To learn more about the program, visit our website or contact Sharon Dols at sdols@thearcmd.org or Natalie Dohner at ndohner@thearcmd.org.

People On the Go of Maryland's 2023 Conference

September 22nd, 8 AM to 5 PM

Join People On the Go of Maryland and advocates from across the state at their 2023 Conference at the BWI Airport Marriott Hotel on Friday, September 22nd! This year's theme is Breaking Barriers: The Mission of an Advocate. The Conference will feature breakout sessions on employment, entrepreneurship, direct support professionals, housing, and more! The Arc Maryland is proud to be an Advocacy Champion Sponsor of the Conference; we support the growth and determination of People On the Go and its many advocates in Maryland! Get your tickets through the button below.

Join Us for a Social Security Reform Event in DC -

Disabled Marriage Equality Now: Commitment Ceremony & Dance Party

September 13th, 4:30 to 7 PM

WEAR YOUR FESTIVE WEDDING ATTIRE! Be part of history and come participate, as a couple or as a witness, in an epic mass commitment ceremony performance art project for disabled marriage equality. Please note: This event is a performance art piece. This symbolizes the public demand for marriage equality for people with disabilities. It is not a legally binding ceremony nor does it require real couples to participate. Everyone is welcome to play the role of spouse-to-be and create a vision of a future where disabled people can marry without Social Security penalty.

Join us on September 13th at the National Mall on 3rd Street Southwest in DC for a rally and performance art ceremony. Please sign up via the link below so we know who is coming. If there is a lot of interest, we may be able to secure a bus that would leave from a central location to take us into the city and back home at the end of the night.

Become a Maryland AT Champion with the MDOD

The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) is searching for two people between the ages of 18-24 with disabilities to serve as Assistant Technology Champions from October 2023 to March 2024. The 10-hour-a-month position will collaborate with the Maryland AT program to develop social media content relating to assistive technology and includes an approximately $2,000 stipend. If you or someone you know is interested, you can apply below by August 31st.

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 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