Our Story
The Arc Ontario was founded in 1954 when opportunities for individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities were extremely limited. They had no rights, were not encouraged to attend school, find employment, or become contributing members of the community. Overall, very limited expectations were placed upon them. A pioneering group of parents from Geneva, NY recognized this growing issue and thanks to their perseverance and persistence, they founded our agency.
Today, we’ve successfully grown to offer over 40 wide-ranging services for hundreds of families and we continue to work with the community, making it a place where people with disabilities or other challenges are welcomed, involved, and respected.
“The organization has been in existence for so long because of how it aligns its values of integrity, respect, and teamwork with finding volunteers and staff who are passionate about the work they do.”