We're honored to announce that Congressman Harold Ford Sr. and Serenity Funeral Home have become the first sponsors of our 75th anniversary gala with a generous $2,500 gift.

For decades, Congressman Ford served Memphis families in Washington. He co-authored the Family Support Act that transformed how America supports working families. He secured Empowerment Zones that brought $100 million to underserved communities. He answered constituent calls personally when others wouldn't pick up.

Through Serenity Funeral Home, the Ford family continues serving Memphis with dignity and care. They've been there for The Arc families during their hardest days, providing comfort and grace when we've needed it most.

Ford's sponsorship of the 75th anniversary celebration means everything to us. He understands that The Arc Mid-South has spent 75 years fighting for families who need someone in their corner. His support honors that work.

We're grateful for Congressman Ford's continued commitment to Memphis families. We look forward to celebrating with him on October 25 at The Great Hall.

Thank you, Congressman Ford. Thank you, Serenity.

For gala information: thearcmidsouth.org/annual-gala

This year's gala theme celebrates what Memphis does best: rise to meet challenges head-on.

Right now at The Arc Mid-South, our education classroom has over 30 people waiting to get in. Job training requests have doubled. Families who've never needed help before are struggling. The challenges that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are facing in Memphis are growing faster than our capacity to meet them. That's the hard truth.

But Memphis has always met its biggest challenges by rising up and building solutions. When existing systems don't work, we create better ones. When people get left behind, we go get them. That's the Memphis way: seeing what needs to be done and rising to the challenge. For 75 years, The Arc Mid-South has been part of that tradition.

Join us on October 25 at The Great Hall as we bring together the leaders, families, and advocates who embody this spirit. Who know that rising to the challenge means showing up and committing to meaningful change.

Join us as we rise to meet this challenge, together.

For tickets and more information, please visit:

thearcmidsouth.org/annual-gala2025

Late August, five MATA board members resigned after the City Council abruptly halted the CEO search, leaving just four people to oversee a transit system that 17,000 riders with disabilities depend on. The Council is withholding $15 million of MATA's funding, and the agency just pulled its 2023 buses from service due to defects.

While media coverage focuses on the $144,000 that executives spent on spa visits and luxury shopping, the real scandal is what's happening to paratransit riders. Federal investigators found MATA denies 27-37% of paratransit trip requests, not the 1-2% they claim publicly. When MATA fails to show up, they mark it as a "rider no-show" and use these false reports to suspend people's service. One of four pickups for medical appointments arrives late.

On September 9, the City Council appointed two trustees to control MATA's $30 million funding through a new transportation trust. The City now dictates exactly how MATA spends money—and withholds funding if MATA doesn't comply. But there's still no mention of protecting paratransit services in this restructuring.

Making matters worse, MATA's website is completely broken. Every link redirects to the homepage, preventing riders from filing complaints or accessing policies.

The fight isn't over. Document every denial and late pickup. If MATA has failed you, call The Arc Mid-South at 901-327-2473. We're building formal ADA complaints because missing dialysis while politicians argue over money isn't acceptable.

In August, L.E.T.S. students worked on dressing professionally and dining out independently.

With help from Administrative Coordinator Rich Macy, they practiced tying ties until everyone got it right. Instructor Vivian Douglas took them to The Grand Pacific in Bartlett, where they handled ordering, tipping, and all the social parts of eating out.

This matters because education should prepare you for real life. When schools focus only on academics, they leave out crucial practical knowledge like how to dress for work, how to behave in public spaces, and how to make purchases confidently. Students with intellectual disabilities get hit hardest by these gaps. Most people pick up these skills informally by watching others and figuring them out as they go. But many students with IDD need direct instruction that most schools don’t provide.

L.E.T.S. takes a comprehensive approach to education. That means treating life skills as core curriculum, not add-ons. Every skill connects to independence, from getting jobs, building relationships, and participating in community life.

That's why L.E.T.S. exists. To provide the education that actually prepares people for the lives they want.

We're collecting items for our 75th anniversary gala auction on October 25.

Last year, 150+ Memphis businesses helped us raise $19,000.

This year, we need your help to reach our goal of $30,000.

What we need: Gift certificates, experiences, services, merchandise, vacation packages

Deadline: September 15 (August 22 for early recognition)

How to give: Email events@thearcmidsouth.org with your item description and value

Every gift is tax-deductible and directly supports our programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.