Awarded Grant by the Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund

EASTON, MD (November 4, 2019) – The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc CCR), a nonprofit committed to providing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) the opportunity to gain independence, today announced that it has been awarded a $40,000 grant by the Maryland Agriculture Education and Rural Assistance Fund (MAERDAF).

“We’re honored to receive such a notable MAERDAF grant, which will help The Arc CCR research and understand the network and complexities of employment trends in rural communities and form partnerships with other businesses in the 5 surrounding counties we serve,” said Jonathon Rondeau, CEO, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region. “Ultimately, it is our goal that the partnerships created within the scope of this grant work will not only help raise awareness of the employability of people with I/DD in the community but create a synergy that will lead to an increase of successful employment outcomes.”

The Arc CCR will utilize funding towards hiring a Workforce Strategy Consultant to research and analyze employment trends in the 5 counties of the Upper Eastern Shore (Talbot, Queen Anne, Kent, Caroline and Dorchester counties). This would include a comprehensive approach towards increasing employment to meet the critical need for Direct Support Professionals and increase meaningful and equitable employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Workforce Strategist would focus on understanding the network and complexities of employment in rural communities and create awareness of the employability of people with I/DD.

The Workforce Strategist would also form partnerships with businesses in the 5 counties, developing a network aimed at helping people connect, share resources and build capacity in the region. They will establish a coalition of thought leaders to participate in a needs assessment and collaborate in a partnership capacity.

MAERDAF provides grants to rural-serving nonprofit organizations that promote statewide and regional planning, economic and community development, and agricultural and forestry education. The Fund’s goal is to increase the overall capacity of rural-serving nonprofit organizations and community colleges to meet a multitude of rural development challenges and to help them establish new public/private partnerships for leveraging non-state sources of funding. The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) serves as the administrative agency in receiving the applications and disbursing the grants to the successful applicants.

For more information about The Arc CCR, please visit: http://www.thearcccr.org/.

About The Arc Central Chesapeake Region
The Arc Central Chesapeake Region provides services and supports to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through living options, workforce development and fiscal management services. Serving Anne Arundel County and the Eastern Shore of Maryland, The Arc provides an innovative, person-directed approach across the arc of a person’s life with a focus on equity and self-determination.

 

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities help create an inclusive workforce

Over the 20 years that I’ve been working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), I’ve seen an uptick in employers hiring people with I/DD as a way to create a diverse and inclusive workforce. It’s satisfying to see employers recognizing the benefits of including people with I/DD as part of their workforce.

In fact, recent research points to diversity and inclusion in the workforce having a profound positive affect on businesses. According to TalentLyft, a diverse workforce creates higher employee engagement, provides a variety of different perspectives and problem solving, and improves hiring results—benefits that many employers are beginning to value as they look to recruit. A study, Diversity Matters, found that having a diverse workforce impacts increased financial earnings.

As we honor National Disability Employment Awareness Month this October, we want to encourage businesses to continue to foster their interest in looking beyond the traditional workforce to build a more diverse and inclusive one. With more than 19 percent of adults in Maryland having a developmental disability, many are eager to find meaningful work and become financially independent. In fact, Maryland state population statistics show that the number of people with disabilities who are employed has increased between 2009 and 2016, with 34 percent of people with a disability and 25 percent of people with a cognitive disability employed out of the working population ages16 to 64.

As employers become increasingly interested in recruiting people with I/DD, some may be unsure of how to navigate the hiring process or unfamiliar with the types of accommodations that will be needed to create job success. Companies that want to hire people with I/DD should look to organizations that can help them reach this talented pool of employees.

For example, The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) has a workforce program and partners with more than 40 employers in Anne Arundel County who have recruited and employed nearly 60 people with I/DD. Live! Hotel and Casino is one local company that has recruited 11 of its employees through its long-time partnership with The Arc.

All of the Live! employees supported by The Arc have built their skill-sets and work experience through their tenure. Wegmen’s in Gambrills is another partner that has employed a handful of people supported by The Arc to fill opportunities in prepared foods, produce or as a helping hand.

The process for hiring people with I/DD by working with organizations like The Arc is simple and not much different than working with other types of employment agencies. Companies meet with The Arc’s workforce program team to inform them of job openings. The Arc looks to its pool of candidates and talks with those  who would have an interest in the position. An Employment Specialist helps the candidate apply for the job. Candidates then go through the interview process and provide their work experience and references.

One thing to consider when designing the interview process is providing alternative opportunities for candidates to demonstrate their qualifications beyond the traditional face-to-face interview. For instance, a walk through at the job site and demonstration of the job requirements allows the candidate and employer to converse about skills, work experience and expectations. The employer might find that a more visual presentation of the job opportunity could attract a candidate with genuine enthusiasm for the position.

Once an employee is hired, the job coach supports the new employee transition into the new position, helps the employer make any accommodations for a disability, and provides guidance on how to help the employee succeed in the new role. One tip program directors remind employers is that employees of all abilities should be held up to the same level of job accountability. This ensures employer’s needs are being met and also sets employees up for goal setting and success.

While October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, we encourage employers to think about recruiting diverse workforces throughout the year. Lean on organizations such as The Arc to help fill job opportunities with people with I/DD. Continue to create a work culture that’s dynamic, diverse and inclusive. For more information about The Arc’s workforce program, please visit www.thearcccr.org/workforce-development/

Jonathon Rondeau is CEO of The Arc Central Chesapeake Region.


Visit the link: https://www.capitalgazette.com/opinion/columns/ac-cecolumn-rondeau-20191028-lqfrxxflxng77dmoibbwrxrbvu-story.html?fbclid=IwAR32HkyPjVcpIT_C0u9VhJ1mJUjSZSrEsW9AxtNyYpNWicaW7jR-DUVhR64

Ledo Pizza Family Fundraiser

Join us for PIZZA AND MORE PIZZA! Dine-In or Carry-Out all day & night! 20% of the proceeds will be donated back to The Arc Central Chesapeake Region. Pick up lunch, dine in with friends and family, and enjoy the amazing food at Ledo Pizza!

Ledo Pizza has been around since 1955, making its famous rectangular shape. Rolled to order with fresh handmade dough topped with the same high-quality cheese and the same style tomatoes.

Comcast Newsmakers

Elena Russo sat down with CEO for The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, Jonathon Rondeau to talk about the organization and their mission to the community. 

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Update on the Financial Management and Counseling Services Contract

The Arc Headquarters

Dear Stakeholders,

It is with disappointment that we announce that The Arc Central Chesapeake Region (The Arc) has submitted our official notice to withdraw from consideration as a vendor for the Financial Management and Counseling Services Contract (Solicitation MDH/OPASS 20-17751).

The Arc has supported people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as a provider of Fiscal Management Services (FMS) for over 15 years. As the largest FMS provider in Maryland, The Arc has had the privilege to serve many people across the State in self-direction. Over the past several months, our team has worked diligently to comply with the procurement process and put forth a quality proposal for the State that reflects our experience and vision.

Unfortunately, the latest amendment decreasing the overall anticipated Participant pool, and removing the need for Counseling Services for DDA Participants, which impacted the Participant pool expected to receive Counseling Services significantly, has put us in a very difficult position. The RFP has outlined very demanding organizational infrastructure requirements that would not be sustainable without the appropriate scaling of services and associated revenue. Although we are passionate about serving our community in this capacity, we must consider the risks and strain to The Arc organization at-large if we were to receive an award under the revised conditions.

As we look towards this transition, it is important to remember that The Arc has a long history of incubating services and successfully transitioning services to a longterm provider. We are committed to working with DDA and all stakeholders to transition with excellence and to minimize the impact to Participants. The Arc will be meeting with the DDA in the next month to coordinate the transition to a new FMS vendor, once announced. Our decision to withdraw from the FMS RFP process does not affect any other aspects of The Arc’s programs & services.

Thank you for your support and patronage of The Arc’s Fiscal Management Services. If you have any questions regarding the transition, please reach out to Tracy Davis, Director of Fiscal Management Services, at tdavis@thearcccr.org.

Click here to download a PDF of this news release

Celebration IMPACT

Celebration IMPACT Group Photo

We had a wonderful celebration with over 100 people in attendance, at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville, MD on June 6, 2019.  Guests enjoyed a picturesque setting overlooking the Bay Bridge, enjoying each other’s company, live music, and amazing food!

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Pull! for The Arc

Photo from Clayshoot Fundraiser

Come Pull! for The Arc on September 20th on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Enjoy local foods, craft beverages, and friendly competition for a great cause. All proceeds benefit The Arc Central Chesapeake Region.

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