Statements
Mission
The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville is a family based organization that promotes, protects and advocates for the right of people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities to live self-determined, meaningful lives in inclusive communities.
Background
The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville was incorporated in 1952 as the Association for Retarded Children of Davidson County, and now represents the interests of over 5000 people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities and their families in Davidson and other Middle Tennessee counties.The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville helped to found some of Nashville's most important services for people with disabilities, including The Rochelle Center, named for W.R. Rochelle, The Arc's first executive director, and Mid-TN Supported Living, one of Tennessee's first and most successful supported living programs for people with intellectual disabilities.The Arc itself currently provides direct support to over 1200 adults and children with disabilities through its Family Support, Community Enhancement Fund, Employment, Independent Support Coordination, and Family Outreach and Advocacy Programs. Since its inception, The Arc Davidson County& Greater Nashville has promoted the participation of children and adults with disabilities in all aspects of community life, including public education, recreation, housing, and employment. The Arc is a chapter of The Arc of The United States, the largest national disability advocacy organization.
Impact
2015 Accomplishments: The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville's social enterprise, eDocTN, began with providing employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities in our own internal document scanning business. The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville partnered with The Arc Williamson County to host the 4th annual Sprout Film Festival, highlighting innovative and artistic films by or about people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. All funds from the event go to support students with IDD entering post secondary education programs in Davidson/Williamson Counties.The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville's Employment department continues to partner with AIG to employ 30 individuals with IDD.The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville's Support Coordination department received another 4 star rating which signifies outstanding services and supports to individuals with IDD.The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville's Family Support department was able to decrease their waiting list by 100%. 2016/2017 Accomplishments: The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville began to attract businesses in order to build eDocTN as a trusted and well known document imaging business in Nashville. The goal is to train and employ individuals with disabilities.The Arc Davidson County and Greater Nashville increased partnerships with community employers to help employ individuals with IDD.The Arc will establish fundraisers and donors to increase the opportunity of greater service for our community. The Arc's Family Support Program partnered with TN Department of Health to administer the state-wide Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) program.The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville Support Coordination department received another 4-star rating.The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville partnered with The Arc Williamson County to host the 1st Annual Festival of Trees at the Holiday Inn-Vanderbilt. Numerous local disability organizations participated.
Needs
NEEDSThe Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville sees a great need for dental and housing assistance for individuals with disabilities.The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville sees a great need for employing individuals with IDD. The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville sees an increasing need for sexual awareness & sexual harassment training for individuals with IDD.
CEO Statement
The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville is committed to protect, promote and advocate for the rights for people with an intellectual or developmental disability to live self-determined, meaningful lives in inclusive communities. As a parent of an adult son with an intellectual disability, I am honored to be a part of an organization from which my family has personally benefited for thirty-two years. The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville envisions communities in which people with an intellectual or developmental disability are accorded the respect, equality, safety, and security to which all members of society are entitled. The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville works with other nonprofit organizations to ensure that the people with intellectual and developmental disabilities whom we serve have the services they need throughout their lifespan. The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville is affiliated with The Arc US and conducts its business with integrity, accountability, and open, honest and timely communication. The Arc is committed to person-centered quality and excellence in all that it does.
Board Chair Statement
The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville is doing great work, especially in the area of employment for youth with disabilities. The ArcAbility Employment Program is preparing youth for employment within their local communities, and, the eDocTN program, a social enterprise of The Arc Davidson County & Greater Nashville, is hiring individuals with disabilities to complete scanning projects within the greater Nashville community. My experience has been that communities don't realize how very important it is for the individual with disabilities to work. Individuals with disabilities want to work. They're just not given a chance which leads to high levels of poverty, isolation, and financial dependency. This in turn costs taxpayers hundreds of dollars in benefits. But, most individuals with disabilities want to work - and they can! This helps the community. When a person receiving governmental benefits is working, it saves taxpayers .50 cents on every dollar and their talents enrich the community. This is a win-win for all when we help and promote employment programs!
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Human Services - Family Services |
| Secondary Category: | Civil Rights, Social Action, Advocacy - Disabled Persons' Rights |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
The Targeted Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Family Support Program is state-wide (covering 99 counties).The Family Support Program covers Davidson & Wilson Counties.
| TN - Bedford |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Franklin |
| TN - Humphreys |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Lawrence |
| TN - Lincoln |
| TN - Maury |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Putnam |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Lewis |
| TN - Stewart |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Wayne |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Wilson |
