Employees gathered for breakfast and a kick-off ceremony before heading out to their sites.

The Arc's Melissa Kramer and Maureen Yuhasz with Sister Jean at Sister Jean's Kitchen in Atlantic City.

Arc Employees 'Make a Difference'

The Arc's caring and compassionate staff members make a difference in our community each and every day by providing support to people with developmental disabilities and their families. But on October 27th and 30th, our impact reached an all-time high! More than 140 Arc employees and several service recipients participated in Make a Difference Day, where we volunteered at 28 different sites throughout the county and beyond. Through this outreach project, Arc employees built stronger ties with each other and with the community, and ultimately helped to create a more welcoming environment for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Volunteer activities included: planting and cleanup at the Egg Harbor Township Arboretum and Nature park; activity assistance at Our Lady's Residence Health Care Center; an Ocean City Beach cleanup; information input and grounds cleanup at the Hamilton Township Historical Society; storybook reading to elementary school children in Pleasantville; packaging meals for senior citizens at Jewish Older Adult Services; a winter clothing drive for the A.C. Rescue Mission; serving meals at Sister Jean's Kitchen; and visiting children at Shore Memorial Hospital, among others.

Here are just a few examples of how Arc employees felt about participating in Make a Difference Day:

"I truly enjoyed being a part of Make a Difference Day. Having the opportunity to read and share stories with the students at Leeds Avenue School and Pleasant-Tech Academy in Pleasantville, NJ was an experience I will never forget...The students were excited and I hope we will have future opportunities to share with them."--Duncan Lane, Supportive Living Counselor.

"I have to admit it was a life altering situation, and most of us plan to continue to volunteer there especially on the holidays.  We served 820 meals in 1 ½ hours, plus had the opportunity to meet hundreds of very special people."--Maureen Yuhasz, Supported Employment Coordinator, on her volunteer experience at Sister Jean Webster's Kitchen. 

Thank you to all of the organizations who welcomed our volunteers and provided such meaningful experiences to our staff!