Brief History

Since 1954, The Arc has been a major resource for individuals and families seeking support, services, and opportunities to make the communities of Wake County more understanding, accepting and supportive of people with special needs. Through The Arc, families have gained information, training, inspiration, and strength to pursue their dreams and those of their family members. The dreams of the first four decades have included:

Education in the Public School System - The Arc worked for the establishment of the first classes for children with developmental disabilities in the 1950’s and for the passage of state and national laws to guarantee a free and appropriate public education for all children, including those with disabilities.

Recreational, Summer & Afterschool Programs - Arc members helped in the development of a summer day-camp for children with special needs (now operated by Raleigh Parks & Recreation), an afterschool program and Friday Night Fun for teens and young adults at the YWCA, and various recreational programs and events in the community.

Preschool Programs & Early Intervention Services - Arc members were involved in the founding of Frankie Lemmon Memorial School & Developmental Center, Shelley School, and Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities.

Group Homes - The Arc was instrumental in the purchase and establishment of the first four group homes in Wake County for adults with developmental disabilities. (These homes are now run by Residential Support Services.)

Spiritual Programs - Arc members have worked with many area houses of worship to develop or modify programs to meet the spiritual needs of children and adults with special needs.

Respite Care - In 1983, with a grant from the Council on Developmental Disabilities, The Arc established a county-wide respite care program. The program is now a service of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities. The program hires and trains care providers to give parents occasional respite from the daily demands of caring for a child or adult with special needs.

Transition Services - In 1987, The Arc negotiated the first interagency agreement between three public agencies (Wake County School System, Vocational Rehabilitation, Area Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities/Substance Abuse Service) to ease the transition of students with developmental disabilities into employment and adult services after graduation from Wake County Schools. The schools are now required by federal law to provide transition services. In Wake County, VR, MH/DD/SAS and The Arc continue to advise and collaborate with the school system in the provision of transition services.

Waiting List Campaign – From 1997 through 1999, The Arc of Wake County collaborated with The Arc of North Carolina on a major public awareness initiative & campaign to end waiting lists for services for people with developmental disabilities and their families. Although we were not successful in eliminating the waiting lists, we were successful in securing significant service dollars targeted for those who had been waiting. The impact of those efforts was felt especially in Wake County, where several hundred people were able to access needed services.

The Arc has grown from six charter members in 1954 to its current membership of almost 250 individuals and families concerned about the needs of persons with developmental disabilities and their families.