Community Inclusion is a program of The Arc of the Glades that bridges the gap between dependence and independence and between segregated and integrated. The Community Inclusion Program provides people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities opportunities to experience and learn to navigate the resources and barriers of the larger community.

The area served by The Arc of the Glades is agri-rural western Palm Beach County. Poverty levels are high, unemployment levels are chronically among the highest in Florida, and community resources are limited. Individuals with I/DD face greater than typical barriers to developing comfort and familiarity with identifying and accessing community resources for daily life, recreation, transportation, opportunities for shopping, etc.

The keys to an independent life rest in the hands of those who can successfully find and use community resources. To that end, both the individual and the community need to interact in concert, with certainty and without fear. The Community Inclusion Program transports small groups of individuals to activities of their choosing that are consistent with their Individual Program Plan goals and Support Plan goals. These activities include banking, shopping, volunteering at area Not-For-Profits, recreation, and planned trips (2010 trip - 3 days in Orlando at the Hilton WDW; past trips include Jacksonville, Tampa, St. Augustine, Daytona Beach). All of these activities foster the individual capacity to function competently in varied community settings and activities, and develop skills essential for independent community life.

The genesis of The Arc's Community Inclusion Program was in the recovery phase of Hurricane Wilma in late 2005. The Arc's facilities were damaged and use was restricted for about two weeks immediately following the storm. Staff visited consumers at home to ensure their safety. In the days that followed, staff took small groups of individuals who asked to help their community in some way to serve food at church emergency stations, help supply food banks, load ice at county distribution sites, and assist elderly neighbors with yard clean up. The rewards of helping were clear and program participants requested more opportunities to "give back".

Seeking to combine volunteerism with the goals of individual program plans, The Arc developed an extension of Community Inclusion called The Simulated Work Project. Through this program The Arc developed volunteer activities at area Not-For-Profits from which a program participant could choose, and provide assistance to that organization under the combined supervision of The Arc's staff and a site supervisor. The result is work experience for the individual, volunteer assistance for the area NFP organization, and useful references that promote employability.

For more information, contact us at 561-996-9583 or e-mail at arcglades@yahoo.com.