The Arc is the nation’s largest and leading organization for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families with a 60 year history of promoting and protecting the rights of people with I/DD and providing them the opportunity to live full, satisfying and self-determined lives as valued and contributing members of their communities.

Si tiene un niño o miembro de la familia con una incapacidad intelectual o de desarrollo, puede contactuar Pathfinder a: 615-875-5083 para recibir más información sobre recursos y servicios.

For more information about autism and related resources, visit The Arc’s “Autism Now” website: http://autismnow.org/

The 2013 Tennessee Disability MegaConference was awesome! For all information, handouts, transcriptions and highlights visit the website: http://www.tndisabilitymegaconference.org

The Hearts Take Flight Pull-a-Plane Challenge fundraiser benefiting The Arc Tennessee and Sports 4 All held March 23rd was a success! To see the highlights in pictures click HERE. And please save the date of Saturday, April 12, 2014 for the next challenge!

Vanderbilt School of Medicine is conducting a Brain Imaging Study of Adults with Down Syndrome. The goal of the study is to investigate new ways to detect brain changes associated with Down syndrome and Alzheimer disease. For more information read the brochure HERE.

Please help! Donna Lankford is a longtime member of The Arc Washington County where she currently serves as their Board President and The Arc Tennessee where she currently serves as Regional Representative. She works for Goodwill Industries and has been an active advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities for many years. Donna uses a wheelchair for mobility and has relied upon a wheelchair accessible family van for transportation. Unfortunately, the van has outlived its useful life and is beyond repair. Donna and her family do not have the funds to purchase another one. To help, a van fund has been set up at Regions Bank for people wishing to make donations. If you would like to help, please mail your check to the address below. If a check is mailed, please put “attention Beverly or Betsy” on the outside of the envelope.

Donna Lankford Van Fund
Regions Bank
1717 East Stone Drive
Kingsport, TN 37660

Tennessee Students With Intellectual Disabilities Talk About Life at College - In the new video I'm Thinking College, Even With My Disability, students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in a postsecondary education program in Tennessee talk about their experiences at college and highlight the need for more such programs. The video was developed by the Tennessee Alliance for Postsecondary Opportunities for Students With Intellectual Disabilities and produced by the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center.

Next Steps at Vanderbilt is accepting applications for their Summer Institute. Click HERE for details.

Dr. Jon Webb, clinical psychologist at East TN State University and parent of a child with Down syndrome, is conducting a Coping in Parents of Children with Disabilities survey HERE.

Delta Air Lines is interested in learning about the travel experiences of passengers with disabilities with the goal of improving and adapting services. If you are interested in completing this 5-10 minute survey, please click HERE.

Are you the mother of a child with an autism spectrum disorder or Down syndrome who has finished school within the past two years? We want to know how this transition was for you as a parent. We have an anonymous, online survey where you can describe your personal experiences. We’d love to hear from you. If you want to talk to me, Deborah Wimer, my phone number is (317) 446-7931, and my email address is docustan@indy.rr.com. If you are ready to start right now, click HERE.

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This project is funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee.