January 6, 2022
Dear Friends,
You probably know of our mission statement: To improve the quality of life, increase the independence and assure the full inclusion in the community of all persons with developmental disabilities. In short, I believe that access is our mission. Quality of life improves when we have access to health care & services. Independence increases when we have access to education and supports that don’t restrict us. Full inclusion in the community is access. What unites our efforts is the core belief that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can and should have access to services and supports, true inclusion in the community, opportunities for learning, growth, and belonging. I am honored to continue to work alongside exceptional self-advocates and family members devoted to increasing access to person/family centered care and support. Our greatest assets are the personal experience of our members, self-advocates, families, and community members. When we connect, we all benefit.
Our board of directors, staff, and volunteers strive to provide the right services, at the right time, in the right place. This has certainly continued to be challenging during the pandemic. You may have noticed our new & improved website! We recently partnered with Daman Wandke and the team at Wandke Consulting, designing our website to be accessible to all. We place high value on access, knowing that access to information, supports, and advocacy all improve our lives and strengthen our caregiving. Our hope is that each of you feel welcome to join in Arc events, to reach out with your ideas about access, to know we will continue to share information and support with you. Staff are accessible during open office hours, by phone and email. Board members and meetings are accessible thru open meetings and videos of past meetings can be viewed on our YouTube channel.
Access needs are unique and can change over time. In the words of the Disability Visibility Project: Access is love. Their project Access Is Love aims to help build a world where accessibility is understood as an act of love. How can we increase and improve access? How can we support you accessing services and supports? Don’t hesitate to connect and share your ideas on access.
Warm regards,
Beverly Porter
Arc of Whatcom County Executive Director
Learn more about disability inclusion services from Wandke Consulting at https://wandke.com/
More on the Disability Visibility Project at https://disabilityvisibilityproject.com/2019/02/01/access-is-love/
People accessing the ordinary and extraordinary opportunities of life
