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In This Issue:

  • A Thank You to Our Community
  • Our Holiday Open House Is Today!
  • Learning More About Healthy Relationships
  • Understand Any Website with Read Easy.ai
  • Remembering the Life of Disability Activist Diane Coleman


The image shows the text Thank You in bold orange letters surrounded by a circular burst of purple and orange lines resembling fireworks. The design conveys celebration and gratitude.

A Thank You to

Our Community


We are blown away by the support we received this Colorado Gives season! To all of our generous community members who donated to us through Colorado Gives, thank you for supporting all we do. Through your support, we raised an exceptional $6,327—surpassing our $5,000 goal! We look forward to continuing our work to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and to reaching even more individuals and families in 2025.


If you didn’t have a chance to take part in Colorado Gives, there’s still time to help change the lives of people with disabilities with a gift to The Arc this holiday season! You can give to The Arc any time by visiting our website or mailing a check. Every donation powers crucial advocacy support, community events, and more to ensure that individuals with IDD have the resources they need to live the lives they want.


Thank you so much for all you do to show your support for our community. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

A festive green sweater featuring a repeating pattern of cartoon-style laughing faces wearing red and white Santa hats with snowflake designs scattered across the background. The sweater has red cuffs neckline and hem.

Our Holiday Open House

Is Today!


Today is the day—remember to swing by our Holiday Open House this afternoon from 3:00 to 7:00! The Holiday Open House is one of our biggest gatherings of the year and is the perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends. Don’t forget to put on your favorite holiday sweater as you join us for this festive afternoon!


Where: The Arc’s Office: 13949 West Colfax Ave, Building 1, Suite 102, Lakewood, CO 80401

When: Today, December 11, 3:00PM-7:00PM


We can’t wait to see you there!

Two young adults with Down syndrome standing together smiling warmly indoors. One wears a yellow sweater and the other a blue and white striped shirt. They have their arms around each other. The background shows a bright room with a view outside.

Learning More About

Healthy Relationships


Having healthy relationships can be a rewarding part of life. If you are thinking about getting into a relationship, or you are already in one, it can be helpful to look at information to make sure your relationships are healthy and safe.


To help, The Arc-JCC&GC has put together a list of resources that can assist you in making good decisions when it comes to relationships. These resources answer questions like:


  • What are some signs of a healthy relationship?
  • What are some signs of an unhealthy relationship?
  • What types of boundaries should I set for each of my different relationships (friends, acquaintances, significant others)?


You can view the entire list of resources here.

A person using a laptop displaying a grid of travel images and text on the screen. The workspace includes a cup of coffee a glass of water and a camera in the background. The surface features a partially visible map suggesting a travel planning theme.

Understand Any Website with Read Easy.ai


Did you know? There’s a browser extension that can make any website easier to understand! Read Easy.ai is an extension that can be added to Google Chrome, and it’s simple to use.


  • On any webpage, highlight the text you need simplified.
  • Right click.
  • Choose the option “Read Easy”
  • Then choose “Directly Make It Readable”
  • Read Easy.ai will simplify the selected text.


You can download the Read Easy.ai extension here. You will also need to create an account through Read Easy.ai. The website offers multiple plans, including a limited plan that is free to sign up for. Click here to learn more about Read Easy.ai.


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Remembering the Life of Disability Activist Diane Coleman


Last month, renowned disability activist Diane Coleman passed away, leaving behind a decades-long legacy of advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities. Coleman, who had neuromuscular disabilities, worked to ensure that the inherent dignity of each person with a disability is recognized in our society. Her work fought against practices rooted in ableist, unacceptable ideologies.


Coleman, a member of disability rights group ADAPT, joined numerous protests to shed light on disability issues, including protests against the lack of accessibility in some public transportation systems. She was also the founder and president of Not Dead Yet. The national disability rights organization opposes the legalization of assisted suicide, decrying the practice as a form of discrimination against people with disabilities and health conditions.


Coleman contributed to multiple written works arguing against the legalization of assisted death, showing how the practice can lead to the unequal treatment of patients. “Legalizing assisted suicide means that some people who say they want to die will receive suicide intervention, while others will receive suicide assistance. The difference between these two groups of people will be their health or disability status,” she once wrote.


“It’s the ultimate form of discrimination to offer people with disabilities help to die without having offered real options to live,” Coleman told The New York Times in 2011.


Read more about Coleman’s life and legacy.

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