 
Assembly Resolution No. 843
 
BY: M. of A. Santabarbara
 
        COMMEMORATING  the 60th Anniversary of the Liberty
        ARC
 
  WHEREAS, It is the custom of the Legislative Body to recognize those
established organizations within our communities that, year after  year,
diligently work to improve the quality of life for its citizenry; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to
commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Liberty ARC; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Liberty  ARC  is  a  Chapter of NYSARC, Inc., which is the
largest not-for-profit organization  in  New  York  State  dedicated  to
serving  individuals with developmental and other disabilities and their
families; and
 
  WHEREAS, The 48 operating Chapters comprising NYSARC, Inc., such  as
the Liberty ARC, support and serve people of all ages with developmental
disabilities,  including  those  with  Down  Syndrome,  cerebral  palsy,
autism,   and   neurological   impairments;   NYSARC,   Inc.    supports
approximately  60,000  individuals  and  employs  close to 30,000 people
statewide; and
 
  WHEREAS, NYSARC, Inc. was founded in 1951, when a group  of  parents
with children with intellectual or other developmental disabilities were
determined  to  change  society's traditional disregard for the needs of
their children, so they banded together to fight for the recognition  of
their children's special needs; and
 
  WHEREAS,  For  more  than  six decades, NYSARC and its Chapters have
been  working  to  support   people   with   developmental   and   other
disabilities; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  Montgomery  County  Chapter  was  founded in 1957, by
parents of  children  with  developmental  disabilities  who  wished  to
establish  special  education programs in the local community; since its
inception, Liberty ARC has grown  to  include  vocational,  residential,
day, family support and health-related services; and
 
  WHEREAS,  This  vital organization truly believes in the concepts of
person-centered supports, choice and self-determination, which  offer  a
well-defined and recognized path to providing quality supports which are
truly driven by consumer choice; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  2005, the Liberty ARC was accredited by the Council on
Quality and Leadership in Supports for People with  Disabilities  (CQL);
in  2009,  the  agency  was  reaccredited  for  four  years, the longest
accreditation period granted by CQL; and
 
  WHEREAS, Under the luminous leadership of  CEO,  Jennifer  Saunders,
the  Liberty  ARC  offers  traditional  day,  vocational and residential
programs and has made a concerted effort to incorporate  best  practices
into their daily operations; family services support programs, funded in
 
part  by the Liberty Foundation, offer individuals and families an array
of no cost supports; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  Liberty  ARC  Residential  Program  is  committed  to
offering services which promote individualized programming and  supports
based  on  each  person's  needs;  each  of Liberty's homes has a unique
character  and  ambiance  which  reflects  the  personalities   of   the
individuals that live there; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Individuals  choose the type of home, the area, the people
with whom he or she wishes to  live  and  the  staff  members  who  will
provide in-home support; the Liberty ARC offers a variety of residential
options  including  well-staffed  24-hour  supervised  homes, supportive
living apartments with staff providing assistance from 15  to  20  hours
each  week  and  family  care  situations  where  individuals  live with
families in the community; and
 
  WHEREAS, In addition, the Liberty ARC also offers a  wide  range  of
services  to  individuals  with  developmental  disabilities  and  their
families in Montgomery County; these services are a vital  resource  for
families  caring  for  an individual with a disability at home; services
are offered in the community, in family homes, and at  certified  sites;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  The Liberty ARC offers day habilitation programs in towns,
villages and the City of Amsterdam in Montgomery  County;  each  program
has  its  own  distinct  character,  yet  all  are  focused  on  helping
individuals gain independence, achieve  personal  goals  and  become  an
accepted, contributing member of the community; and
 
  WHEREAS,  At  each  program  site a variety of activities take place
throughout  the  day  such  as  personal  hygiene  skills,  training  in
activities  of daily living such as cooking, money skills, shopping, and
creative activities such as drawing, painting and photography; and
 
  WHEREAS, Individuals in the program are encouraged to be very active
in their community  through  volunteerism  and  participation  in  local
events and fund raising; and
 
  WHEREAS, In 2014, the Liberty ARC opened the Liberty Fresh Market to
teach  vital  job  skills, open doors, and provide new opportunities for
people with disabilities, while providing local, fresh products  to  the
community; and
 
  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  sense  of  this  Legislative  Body  that when
organizations of such noble aims and accomplishments are brought to  our
attention,  they should be celebrated and recognized by all the citizens
of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Liberty ARC; and be it further
 
  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Jennifer Saunders, CEO, Liberty ARC.
Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Liberty ARC

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