I realize that many of you are hurting out there. We are holding our own at The Arc and will continue to serve our constituency to the best of our abilities and resources. We all adapted to the cold.  We shopped for bargains during the Holiday Season, and on New Year’s Eve, no matter what was happening with the financial markets, gas prices, or the automobile industry, we needed to find some ray of hope and celebrate. Throughout the past year we laughed and smiled, shed a few tears, perhaps added a few too many pounds, and worried about things way beyond our control. The thoughts and actions of our youth together with what happened yesterday color what we will do in the future. I, for one, cannot help but be optimistic. It is my nature.

Another membership campaign begins! The final 2009 count of 914 members preserves this chapter’s status as one of the country’s largest. Your annual membership renewal takes the form of a personalized dues reminder notice. It is vital to renew your membership with The Arc in a timely fashion to save precious postage dollars and staff processing time that might otherwise be used for advocacy.

We must keep increasing our membership numbers to help maintain the availability, quality and viability of our expert advocacy services. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP in The Arc of Oakland County remains at $55 per year ($45 for a SENIOR MEMBERSHIP). To those members who have consistently included an “extra” donation with their annual dues payment, THANK YOU! I sincerely hope and pray that such an unselfish act and sacrifice continues for the overall good of this agency.

After all is said and done, it still comes down to one, simple premise: when you stop to write a check to The Arc, you are positively demonstrating a strong belief in the organization and that it is a most valuable and worthy service within the community.

The Arc at all levels has struggled for many years with its “brand” identity.  The question always seems to be: “How do we market “advocacy?”  You can’t “see” it.  You can’t “touch” it.  Many people cannot even tell you what it means!  An age-old problem with our brand is the negative connotation and perception with the term “mental retardation.”  Yes, The Arc of the United States is working on federal legislation to replace those words with “intellectual impairment” throughout federal education and labor laws.  Even if this is successful, it will be a long process to achieve such change in the eyes of the general public.  Unfortunately, it will further continue the confusion about The Arc’s brand.

 At your Oakland County chapter, we know what “systems legal advocacy” means.  I always describe our advocacy efforts as having four pillars: (1) governmental financial benefits, (2) special education law, (3) estate plan counseling and guardianship, and finally, (4) community services system navigation (i.e., information and referral).  Yes, The Arc of Oakland is heavily into serving as fiscal intermediary through the concept of Self-Determination, but that is really a provider service contract through MORC.  Pure advocacy?  Probably not, but it is a vital service and related to what it is that we state as our organizational mission.

 The Arc of Oakland County is many things.  We are an abundant resource of advocacy for children and adults with intellectual impairment and related developmental disabilities.  We have a stellar reputation for intellectual honesty and professional integrity.  We also have a large membership and a governance model of a sound business and fiscal approach to operating a charitable agency that indicates organizational strength.  So there you have it:

 The Arc of Oakland County: “Your Resource for Advocacy, Integrity and Strength.”

In the coming months, our Strategic Development Committee of The Arc’s board of directors will meet to identify, discuss and eventually present to the entire board and membership a methodology for implementing and insuring the future fiscal and philosophical of this local chapter of The Arc.  For now, we will use this particular branding phrase to instantly describe what The Arc of Oakland is all about.  Additional work remains.  This is a long pull on the oars of organizational change.  We will need your collective support.  I will report to you on this subject throughout the coming year.

 On that note, HAPPY NEW YEAR!  We work together for those whom we serve.  The future is indeed bright. ……………………………TFK.