In This Issue:

• The Arc in the Community
• Share Your Poetry with Our Community
• Take Part in Upcoming Disability Needs Assessment
• National Parks Access Pass for People with Disabilities
• Self-Advocates & Family Members: Apply for JFK Partners Traineeships
• April Celebrations & Observances

The Arc in the Community

Thank you to all who were able to join us for our meet-and-greet at the Activity Options Center in Evergreen! Hosted in partnership with Evergreen Park & Recreation District, this event was a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with individuals and families in the Evergreen area, learn about their needs, and share about our advocacy programs.

Keep an eye on our eNewsletter to stay in the know about upcoming events with our team.

Share Your Poetry with Our Community

Important: We've heard from our community that individuals have experienced technical difficulties when emailing their poems to communications@arcjc.org. This issue has been fixed. If you previously tried to submit a poem and received an error, please re-submit your poem by following the instructions below.

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, later this month, 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!

National Parks Access Pass for People with Disabilities

Did you know? If you have a permanent disability, you may be eligible for the National Park Service’s free Access Pass—a lifetime pass that provides admittance to more than 2,000 recreation sites.

The Access Pass is for individuals with a permanent disability that severely limits one or more major life activities. It can be obtained in person or by mail. Click here to learn more or order online.

Self-Advocates & Family Members: Apply for JFK Partners Traineeships

Are you an individual with IDD or a family member who is looking to build a career in the disability space?

JFK Partners, a Colorado University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, is taking applications for its next cohort of trainees! More information from JFK Partners below:

JFK Partners offers training opportunities for graduate students and emerging professionals interested in specializing in working with individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Our training topics are diverse, but share the common goal of enhancing the quality of services for children, youth, and adults with disabilities and their families.

As part of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, JFK Partners’ faculty offer knowledge and experience that guides each trainee’s learning experiences. Training experiences are composed of coursework, a Scholarly Project, practicum, and/or clinical placements. Stipends from federal grants are provided to program participants as they complete their training year.

Learn more using the links below:

• Self-Advocate Traineeship
• Family Member Traineeship
• All Traineeships and Fellowships

April Celebrations & Observances

Whether it’s celebrating diversity, commemorating historical achievements, or finding creative ways to support people with disabilities, April is full of opportunities to promote inclusion. Read on to learn more about this month’s celebrations and observances.

Autism Acceptance Month: Apr 1-Apr 30

Autism Acceptance Month is about working together to transform our society into one that is inclusive, supportive, and accessible for people with autism. Click the above link to learn what you can do to support people with autism as a family member, friend, educator, coworker, or health care provider.

National Deaf History Month: Apr 1-Apr 30

This observance is a time to learn about deaf culture and monumental moments in American deaf history, including the date in 1864 when the world’s first-ever university for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, Gallaudet University, was authorized to confer degrees. It is also an opportunity to help reduce barriers for the deaf community by learning sign language.

Bohring-Opitz Syndrome Awareness Day: Apr 6

Bohring-Opitz Syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects development, impacts organ function, and causes intellectual disability. Bohring-Opitz Syndrome Awareness Day focuses on educating the public about this rare disorder and establishing a network of support for individuals with Bohring-Opitz Syndrome and their families.

Disability Book Week: Apr 19-Apr 25

Disability representation in literature not only promotes inclusion, acceptance, and awareness; it also empowers readers with disabilities. Disability Book Week is an annual observance that encourages one and all to read a book that features one or more characters with a disability. Use the link above to explore inclusive reads for readers of all ages.