By Anthony J. DeSalis, Esq. President & CEO, Arc of San Diego  (2018 Annual Report)

For more than 65 years, The Arc of San Diego has been providing individuals in our community with the services and resources they need to live their most fulfilling lives. From vocational training and job placement to early intervention services for children from birth to three years old, The Arc of San Diego delivers support to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities through every stage of life. More than 2,000 children and adults are served across 20 locations throughout San Diego County.

In 2018, we:

• Placed 110 individuals with disabilities in jobs of their choice throughout San Diego County, with close to $6 million in wages was earned by individuals with disabilities in Employment Services over the last year.
• Provided employment training and support to over 400 individuals with disabilities.
• Had 323 community members volunteer for almost 15,000 hours of service, with program participants volunteering another 10,910 hours in the community.

Like many young adults, Kathy was ready to lead an independent life and move away from her home and family in Los Angeles. She followed her heart to San Diego where she was supported by programs at The Arc of San Diego that helped her secure safe housing, gain employment, and build an authentic community.

The Arc of San Diego provides a variety of services that allows a tailored approach to suit the unique and varied needs of our clients. Being the leading, most comprehensive provider of our programs gives clients the opportunity to customize how they spend their time meaningfully in pursuit of achieving their life’s goals.

Kathy has benefited from The Arc of San Diego’s services since she was 21 years old, and just recently celebrated her 50th birthday! With support from The Arc of San Diego, Kathy works at Yard House restaurant in Carlsbad with the guidance of her job coach, and participates in the Day Training Program at Arc North County. She is a talented artist, in a bowling league, and a well-spoken advocate for herself and her peers. She is happily married and loves playing practical jokes on her friends.

The Arc of San Diego is dedicated to empowering our clients throughout the course of their lifetime, which is why strengthened bonds with our greater community mean so much to the success of the organization.