The nonprofit ARC, established to assist individuals with intellectual, emotional, and developmental disabilities, merged the two smaller entities of Genesee and Orleans with Livingston and Wyoming in the fall of 2021 to create Arc GLOW.
Board President Cheryl Englert expressed her thanks for the Genesee County Legislature’s support of the agency during a presentation this week in honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
"As a parent of a young man who is served by Arc GLOW and a long-term member of the Board of Directors, I want to thank you for our partnership. My grandparents came from Batavia, so coming back to Batavia is coming home. And so when we merged as one organization, it felt good to have my ancestry honored, and my son honored too, so I'm very glad to be part of the organization that works with you,” Englert said Wednesday in the legislative chambers. “And I'm pleased that our partnership, that we work together, and our community is accepting of our folks in all the programs we do, and I appreciate every one of you for supporting us now and in the future.”
Legislator Brooks Hawley read the proclamation given to Arc GLOW:
WHEREAS, people with a developmental disability are of all racial, ethnic, educational, social, and economic backgrounds, and all are valued members of society who find fulfillment living everyday lives, and
WHEREAS, we value what is important to people with disabilities and their families who are striving for daily lives no different than that of all other citizens, and
WHEREAS, early intervention, education, meaningful work, and home and community- based services continue to be vital to allowing citizens with a developmental disability to enjoy the rights of citizenship, achieve personal success and allows them contribute to their local communities alongside their neighbors without disabilities, and
WHEREAS, Genesee County Legislature recognizes the many accomplishments and contributions of people with developmental disabilities, we encourage all citizens to support Genesee County residents with developmental disabilities and their families in all aspects of life. Now therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Genesee County Legislature does hereby proclaim March 2024 to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and urges all citizens to give full support to efforts towards enabling people with developmental disabilities to live full and productive lives of inclusion in our communities.
