The Arc of Whatcom County

History

Advocating for the rights of citizens with developmental disabilities

The Arc of Whatcom County provides information and referrals, educational programs, and funding for people with developmental disabilities, their families and the organizations that serve them. The Arc of Whatcom County is dedicated to meeting the needs of children and adults with developmental disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, autism and Down syndrome.

Because their children with developmental disabilities require lifelong care, families face a tremendous challenge. The Arc's commitment is to ensure that whether it is a voucher for an infant car seat, specialized child care, help with special education services in the schools, vocational assistance after high school, or support to senior families with guardianship and long-term care planning; families who come to The Arc find the assistance that will make a difference in their lives.

In Whatcom County over 2,000 persons with developmental disabilities, their families and service providers look to The Arc as their life-line, connecting them with available resources in our community, bringing them the latest information on ways to effectively meet the needs of their family members. State funded services place many children and families on waiting lists for 1-5 years. As our families' needs continue to grow, State funded supports continue to shrink.

Each child with a developmental disability is unique, with diverse care issues. The challenge for our agency is to design and implement individualized services for each exceptional child and their family. Please help us, help our families find their place in our community.