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If you have more questions or want more details on positions available at The Arc of Alachua County, please contact Shanna Wilson, Human Resources Administrator, at 352-334-4060 ext. 114 or at hr.recruitment@arcalachua.org.
ATTENTION: The Arc of Alachua County is pleased to announce that it is expanding its shredding drop off service to two (2) days per week: Monday and Wednesday beginning Monday, April 3, 2023.
Alachua County residents can drop off their shredding at our main campus across from Santa Fe College on any Monday or Wednesday of the week from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. This expanded drop off service will be offered each week on Monday and Wednesday only from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Arc's main campus at 3303 NW 83rd St.
The fee for shredding will remain $0.32/lb. Residents are reminded, however, that we no longer offer 'Free Shred Wednesdays' on any Wednesday of the month. The Arc also asks that visitors who bring their shredding into The Arc on a Monday or a Wednesday to park in one of the VISITOR spots at the front of the building and to walk into the front lobby where they can ask for assistance from a member of our Gone4Ever (G4E) shredding crew. Do not, under any circumstances, drive to the back of our campus with your shredding without communicating to the people in our front lobby of your intention to drop off your shredding!
The 25th Annual - Silver Anniversary - Bob Rose Golf Scramble tees off on Friday, April 14th at 12:30 p.m. at the Hawkstone in Gainesville. This is the area's finest and longest-running golf fundraiser, raising $50,000 in cash and in-kind donations for the developmentally disabled.
We thank long-time premier sponsors WSKY Radio 97.3 FM and Infotech, as well as tournament namesake and Talk Show Superstar, Bob Rose, for their support throughout these past 25 years.
We acknowledge and thank all of our sponsors and supporters - not only for selling out this year's event, but for their incredible generosity since 1998!
Premier Sponsors
Sponsors
The Arc is battling COVID successfully as demonstrated by the fact that zero employees and zero clients are currently testing positive for COVID. Given this continued progress battling COVID, we kept our Day Program open this week. This week's COVID danger level remains low.
Since there are zero cases of COVID among its employees and clients at The Arc, the Day Program will be open next week: Monday, March 20 - Friday, March 24, 2023.
The Arc is making great progress on recruiting and hiring DSPs as our current number of DSP vacancies is 32 (down from a high of 75 on 7/1/22). The Arc is aggressively recruiting Board-certified Behavior Analysts, DSPs and Residential Managers. The lead copy on The Arc's website remains the vacancies in these three mission-critical areas. Moreover, weekly social media messaging on the need for qualified people to fill these positions goes out on all Arc social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Please note that all full time jobs - including DSP positions - come with Paid Time Off, 401K, Health Insurance and more.
The Arc reports zero positive COVID cases among its employees and clients this week. Members of the Safety & Supervision Committee agreed to keep the Day Program open next week: Monday, March 20 - Friday, March 24.
The Arc is still aggressively recruiting Board-certified Behavior Analysts, DSPs and Residential Managers. The progress in recruiting and hiring DSPs has been excellent.
New DSP Hiring signage in front of our main campus building and magnetized signs for company vehicles are aiding our marketing to prospective employees. DSP Hiring messaging and accompanying copy is now the top priority on our website (arcalachua.org) and on all of our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram).
The Arc estimates that it will be able to securely and safely bring back all clients, even those living in the community, back into our Day Program by the end of April 2023.
In an effort to facilitate the re-entry of community-based clients back into the Day Program, members of the Safety & Supervision Committee, in concert with Day Program leadership, are in the process of contacting the parents of some of our community-based clients and bringing a few of these clients back into our Day Program in recent days. This process will continue throughout March & April 2023 (COVID & staffing-willing).
The Arc of Alachua County is thrilled to announce its new Clinical Director: Dr. Jen Hammond. Dr. Hammond's name may sound familiar to some of you who have been associated with The Arc for a number of years. Jen served as a behavior analyst and clinical researcher here at The Arc from 2004-2008. She then was named Clinical Director of The Arc and served in that capacity from 2008-2009.
Since her departure from The Arc in 2009, Jen continued to do research on Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) at Stanford University's School of Medicine in Palo Alto, CA. She developed a line of research aimed at better understanding the gene-brain-behavior relations involved in skin-pricking, a characteristic behavior of many individuals with PWS. She was actively involved in many local, regional and national PWS Chapters during this time and published a number of peer-reviewed research articles in journals such as Developmental Disabilities, American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Brain, and Human Brain Mapping.
Jen notes that, with the passage of time, she has kept The Arc of Alachua County and its PWS population 'near-and-dear' to her heart. When she learned of The Arc's search for a Clinical Director, Dr. Hammond responded immediately. She is thrilled to return to The Arc (and we are excited to have her back) as she begins work with our behavior analysts and Arc Team members to meet the needs of our population.
She is conducting her duties as Arc Clinical Director in a hybrid remote/in-person capacity. Last week she was on-site at The Arc for several days, meeting with members of The Arc Team and a number of Arc clients. She works full-time with no caseload of her own. She focuses entirely on oversight, supervision, training, program improvement and medical services, relying heavily on the utilization of technology such as video monitoring and various meeting platforms. She meets with the members of the Behavior Services Department daily, and serves as a fully integrated member and leader of the Clinical Team.
Please see the attached letters below from Arc President/CEO Mark A. Swain and from Dr. Hammond introducing Jen as our Clinical Director.
Alan Abramowitz, CEO of The Arc of Florida, provided an impassioned speech at the 2022 Arc Annual Meeting & Recognition Event. He urged all guests to advocate forcefully on behalf of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
He also stressed the need to work as a team and speak one message with one voice.
Alan's rousing speech proved a clarion call for all advocates to work together to improve the lives for all people with developmental disabilities. A standing room only audience attended this annual celebration of The Arc which also announced a number of very special winners of individual awards including:
The event could not have happened without the generous support of our event, individual award, and table sponsors:
The Arc thanks all of its employees, clients, volunteers, donors, families, supporters and advocates for making The Arc of Alachua County's 56th year of service a good one.
During this COVID-19 Pandemic, The Arc of Alachua County has as its top priority maintaining the health and safety of our clients, employees, families and friends. I know that it can be challenging and frustrating reconciling adherence to the proper mitigation strategies with communication with your loved ones. Please know that The Arc is working overtime keeping all members of our family safe and well during this difficult time. I pledge to you that we will get through this pandemic together as long as we stay united, and treat each other with dignity and respect.
Clients and employees of The Arc of Alachua County were joined by our very good friends at corporate partner Audacy and UF Students from the Strong Roots Movement for the planting of an herb garden in the interior courtyard at The Arc’s main campus.
Arc CEO Mark A. Swain and SKY Radio Legend & Bob Rose Golf Scramble Namesake, Bob Rose, were joined by a dozen Audacy staffers and a dozen hard-working and dedicated students from the UF Chapter of the Strong Roots Movement on Friday, April 22nd to turn our ragged inner courtyard into a gorgeous new herb garden and oasis. A number of Arc clients and employees also rolled up their sleeves to join our community partners in cleaning out the beds, weeding, planting and watering the new garden.
This new garden will be a beautiful, quiet oasis for our developmentally disabled clients and our Arc employees when at the main campus.
The Arc extends its great gratitude to Audacy and UF’s Strong Roots Movement for volunteering their great people (and sweat equity) to this service project to benefit The Arc of Alachua County.
Hear our latest radio spot featuring CEO/President Mark Swain.
May 24th saw 25 bicyclists representing colleges and universities throughout the U.S. being escorted onto The Arc's main campus by Santa Fe College police officers as part of the 2022 Gear Up Florida Friendship Visit. This 'client-favorite' event brings together Arc clients, Arc employees, visitors and community VIPs for an afternoon of food, fellowship and fun. The Gainesville stop was just one of many for these bicyclists traveling over 1,000 miles from Homestead to Tallahassee in the hot month of May to help raise money and awareness about people with developmental disabilities.
The visit included photos, a client autograph session with the bicyclists, a luncheon catered by Dos Mamas, a dance with Live DJ Michael Davis (aka Mr. October), and a group photo at the end. Arc President/CEO Mark A. Swain, and President of The Arc's Board of Directors, Cathy Costello, provided remarks at the event thanking Gear Up Florida, The Ability Experience and the bikers for their care and concern for people with developmental disabilities.
After leaving The Arc that afternoon, the bicyclists enjoy an afternoon of swimming and relaxation at the gorgeous Gainesville Health & Fitness Center, dinner from Dos Mamas Catering, and bedding down at First United Methodist Church. The bikers headed off early on May 25th for their next stop - Jacksonville.
The Arc of Alachua County thanks all of our vendors and sponsors, our clients and employees, and our bicyclists representing Gear Up Florida and The Ability Experience.
We look forward to seeing you all in May 2023!
LiveScan provides fingerprinting, screening and photo capture services by appointment only at our main campus, 3303 NW 83rd St. (across from Santa Fe College), every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
LiveScan appointments can be scheduled from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
LiveScan does not accept walk-ins at this time.
LiveScan keeps The Arc's main campus safe for staff and customers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We are only allowing one (1) LiveScan guest to wait in our lobby at a time. Each LiveScan guest will be greeted by The Arc receptionist. Upon entering the lobby, he or she will tell our receptionist at the main desk that he/she is here for his/her LiveScan fingerprinting. The LiveScan guest will then be seated in our front lobby until The Arc's LiveScan staff member escorts him/her into the building and to his/her appointment.
LiveScan fingerprints are done quickly, locally and reasonably, so please call Ferol Johnston at 352-334-4060 ext. 106 to schedule yours.
LiveScan information is easy to find, just click the LEARN MORE button below.
The Arc of Alachua County is a community based organization committed to providing a continuum of exemplary services, supports, and advocacy to assure that people with developmental disabilities can enjoy respect and dignity and be full participants in the community.
The Arc of Alachua County is a community based organization committed to providing a continuum of exemplary services, supports, and advocacy to assure that people with developmental disabilities can enjoy respect and dignity and be full participants in the community.
The Arc has a rich history spanning 60 years and marked by accomplishment. We continue to carry out the mission and vision of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as their parents and siblings.
Over the last 60 years, The Arc has grown and adapted to the changes that people with disabilities face across their life span. Through the decades, The Arc has seen several name changes, advocated for the passage of state and federal legislation on behalf of people with disabilities and established a broad network of state and local chapters that range from small voluntary groups to large, professional organizations.
Although much has changed for those that we serve, we always try to raise awareness, supporters, and always help improve the lives of the intellectually and developmentally disabled.
I am sure it is no surprise to you, but people always want to know what we have been up to around The Arc and at our events. Our followers on facebook get to see quite a few or our pictures, but the rest of you are left in the dark.
Well even though everyone should be our fans on facebook, we still decided to put up a gallery of images to show some of the highlights from the major events we have had this year.
Every year we hold several events we consider picture worthy. But dont worry, you will probably see some other, "non event" pictures sneak in as well. If you have a good picture you would like to share, stop by The Arc and let us scan it and share it as well.
We hope to keep the new gallery up to date throughout the year, so check back and enjoy.
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