Paula Arnold, Community Development Consultant for The Arc Big Bend, spoke at the Rotary Club meeting on Wednesday, July 22. She discussed what The Arc Big Bend is and how it helps the people in Madison County. The Arc Big Bend was founded in 1974 and is a community based nonprofit 501 C-3 organization primarily serving persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc Big Bend is a disability neutral organization and that means they will serve persons with any disability. There are two physical locations in Madison. The administrative building is in the Industrial Park on Commerce Drive and the Life Skills Development Center is located on Range Avenue. At the Life Skills Development Center, The Arc Big Bend serves residents from Madison, Jefferson, Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla, Taylor, Suwannee, Hamilton and Lafayette counties.
Programs that the Life Skills Development Center offer are adult basic education, employment readiness, personal grooming and hygiene, exercise, gardening, technology skills, community outings and arts and crafts. At the Life Skills Development Center, there are 30-40 people who come either three or five days a week. The Arc Big Bend manages the maintenance and landscaping of the rest areas off I-10 in Madison, Taylor and Jefferson Counties and the facilities at Cherry Lake. They also have a specialty screen-printing business that print promotional items including shirts. The Arc Big Bend employees 59 people and 40 have a disability. Arnold encourages everyone to call The Arc Big Bend or drop by and see the Life Skills Development Center to learn more about what they offer. If you have questions concerning The Arc Big Bend, you may contact them at (850) 973-4614.
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1. Greene Publishing, Inc. Photo By Jessie R. Box, July 22, 2015 Paula Arnold spoke about The Arc Big Bend at the Rotary Club meeting on Wednesday, July 22.