The Association of Retarded Citizens of Buncombe County

Client Advocate Linda McDaniel with Volunteer Rene Allison and Treasurer Don Hendricks. photo by Jonathan Welch

The Association of Retarded Citizens of Buncombe County was founded in 1957 and has been a United Way agency since 1962. Many of the organization’s clients, ranging in age from young children to adults, are challenged daily by autism, Down syndrome and other moderate to severe developmental disabilities. The agency’s goal is to assist special-needs individuals reach their highest level of functioning and achieve the best quality of life by providing advocacy, medical and dental needs, social events, school support and augmented case management.

“For 50 years, The Arc has been a voice for our special-needs citizens [who] can’t typically speak for themselves,” states Executive Director Gayle Littlejohn. “Working with our wonderful volunteers, we are able to provide these individuals with activities and programs that enable them to actively engage in the community.”

The Arc supports several special-needs programs throughout Asheville, including Buncombe County’s Progressive Education Program and the Asheville Special Olympics. To celebrate 50 years of service to the Asheville community, The Arc is holding a special event on Aug. 23 at The Orchard at Broadmoor. The event, “Celebrating Our Past, Building Our Future,” will feature presentations, community awards and the organization’s history in serving special-needs individuals throughout Buncombe County. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Lin Moore, Director of Buncombe County Schools Progressive Education Program. Info: 253-1255.

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

About Webmaster
Mountain Xpress Webmaster Follow me @MXWebTeam

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.