The Arc of East Central Iowa

04/22/2026

The Arc’s Day Habilitation program is so grateful to receive a volunteer award from our partner, Horizons Meals on Wheels! Our Executive Director, Theresa Lewis, attended the Volunteer Appreciation Social last week to accept this award on Day Hab’s behalf. Everyday groups of our Day Hab adults deliver MOW across Linn County. Our adults love delivering meals and bringing joy to the people who receive them. They take pride in the opportunity to give back to a community that has given so much to them. Thank you Horizons East Central Iowa for this honor!

04/20/2026

Don't forget... we are currently accepting applications for the next Project SEARCH group which begins September 2026. Be sure to get your application in before the April 30th deadline!

Application:https://arceci.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Project-SEARCH-application-for-2026.2027.pdf

Project SEARCH is an employment training program for young adults ages 18-30 who have graduated high school (or the equivalent) with an intellectual or related disability. It is held at UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital.
Project SEARCH benefits:
• Internship training experiences within St. Luke’s Hospital
• Competitive, transferable, and marketable job skills
• Increased independence, confidence, and self-esteem
• Individualized coaching, direct instruction, and feedback daily
• Building relationships with other partners

Please click on the link for an application and if you have any questions please contact Stephanie Beary at sbeary@arceci.org. Application deadline is April 30th.
https://arceci.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Project-SEARCH-application-for-2026.2027.pdf

04/11/2026

If you're interested in joining The Arc's Aktion Club please reach out to Jenny at jbosking@arceci.org. We'd love to have you!

Our Kiwanis Aktion Club @ The Arc of East Central Iowa friends were up to it again on Thursday-caring about our community and sharing important information!
The team created several dozen bookmarks to honor Autism Awareness Month that were delivered to the Cedar Rapids Ladd Library. Kindness and understanding matters everyday to this group of doers!
Aktion Club is a Service Leadership Program that provides adults living with disabilities opportunities to give back to their communities. We meet the second Thursday of each month from 5-6pm at The Arc of East Central Iowa.

04/10/2026

The Arc is extremely honored to have been selected as the recipient of Skogman Realty’s 13th Annual Benefit Golf Outing!

We’re proud to share that The Arc of East Central Iowa has been selected as the recipient of our 13th Annual Benefit Skogmam Golf Outing! ⛳

Their work focuses on helping individuals with disabilities and their families access opportunities for growth, independence, and full participation in everyday life.

Mark your calendar for September 17 as we rally around an organization making a real impact in our community.

Thank you to our agents and employees who nominated 10+ deserving organizations—your passion for supporting local causes is what makes this decision so meaningful each year.

04/08/2026

The Arc's Administrative Office will be closed for the following summer holidays:

• Memorial Day: Friday, May 22nd - Monday, May 25th
• Independence Day: Friday, July 3rd
• Labor Day: Friday, September 4th - Monday, September 7th

Programming will remain open on Friday, May 22nd and Friday, September 4th.

We hope everyone has a great and safe summer!

04/07/2026

We are currently accepting applications for the next Project SEARCH group which begins September 2026. Be sure to get them in before the April 30th deadline!
Application:https://arceci.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Project-SEARCH-application-for-2026.2027.pdf

Project SEARCH is an employment training program for young adults ages 18-30 who have graduated high school (or the equivalent) with an intellectual or related disability. It is held at UnityPoint Health - St. Luke's Hospital.

Project SEARCH benefits:
• Internship training experiences within St. Luke’s Hospital
• Competitive, transferable, and marketable job skills
• Increased independence, confidence, and self-esteem
• Individualized coaching, direct instruction, and feedback daily
• Building relationships with other partners

Please click on the link for an application and if you have any questions please contact Stephanie Beary at sbeary@arceci.org. Application deadline is April 30th.
https://arceci.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Project-SEARCH-application-for-2026.2027.pdf

04/06/2026

The Arc is always so grateful to be visited by elected officials and candidates for elected office. It’s a great opportunity to share our story and the importance of prioritizing funding for Medicaid’s home and community-based services (HCBS). We were honored to welcome Josh Turek last week, candidate for United States Senator from Iowa. Josh met many Arc participants, parents and employees. He was able to see first-hand how important the work is that we do here that supports those in the disability community.

04/03/2026

The Arc of East Central Iowa is thrilled to have been selected by the staff of the downtown DoubleTree by Hilton Cedar Rapids Convention Complex as their charity of choice for all of 2026!

For the rest of 2026, their restaurant, 350 First (located on the 16th floor), will feature a special partnership “Salt Creek Beef Burger” and a Happy Hour Mini Slider. 🍔 Each time one is ordered, proceeds from these options will be donated to The Arc!

And it gets even better…

The “Salt Creek Burger” is made with locally sourced beef from Salt Creek Beef Farm. Our friends at Salt Creek are also donating a portion of their sales for every burger sold - meaning your order makes an even bigger impact!

Head up to 350 First, enjoy Happy Hour features or order the “Salt Creek Burger,” and turn your meal into meaningful support for The Arc! 🧡

04/02/2026

THANK YOU for a GREAT Arc March! 🧡

Our 29th Annual Arc March was so much fun! It was great to gather and celebrate with each other. The dancing, the mascots, the photo booth, the games…and of course the marching. Arc March is a fun tradition with an important mission. We want to give a special thanks to all participants, donors, community partners, mascots, and volunteers! So many people worked so hard to make this year’s Arc March such a success.

We are thrilled to share that we raised $38,000 and donations are still coming in. If you’ve intended to donate and haven’t done so yet, there is still time! Click on the link https://secure.qgiv.com/event/2026arcmarch/ to help us reach our enthusiastic fundraising goal. All funds raised will support the programs and services that are so important to our mission. Congratulations to our top 3 fundraising teams:
• 1st Place: Team Larin
• 2nd Place: Team Aaliyah
• 3rd Place: Team Emma Wilkinson

We do have a limited number of shirts still available. Contact Jenny Bosking at jbosking@arceci.org or 319-893-6935 if you're interested.

Visit our Facebook Album: 2026 Arc March https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=arceci&set=a.1519524810173901 for some great photos of the event! If you have any photos you'd like to share please share them in the comments!

04/02/2026

04/01/2026

Staff and board members from The Arc of East Central Iowa were at capitol today for Disability Advocacy Day!

Today at the Capitol, we recognized Disability Partner Days — a powerful reminder that our communities are strongest when everyone has a seat at the table.

I had the opportunity to stand alongside advocates, families, providers, and Iowans with disabilities who show up every day to fight for dignity, access, and opportunity. Their voices matter. Their experiences matter. And their leadership is essential in shaping policies that truly work for everyone.

Disability Partner Days isn’t just about awareness — it’s about action. It’s about ensuring access to quality care, expanding workforce support, strengthening community-based services, and making sure every Iowan can live, work, and thrive with independence.

We still have work to do. But together, we are building a more inclusive Iowa — one where everyone is valued, supported, and empowered.

Thank you to all who came to share your stories and advocate for change. I’m proud to stand with you.

I was lucky enough to get to talk to Theresa Lewis, Whitney Alber, Jenny Bosking, and the man of the hour—Ben Mullholland.

03/30/2026

This Thursday evening is our Project SEARCH Information Night from 5:30 - 7:00 PM at the UnityPoint - St. Luke's Medical Office Plaza. Be sure to get registered to attend this informative event.

Project SEARCH is a nationally recognized program that prepares young adults with disabilities for success in community employment. The Arc of East Central Iowa is the only agency in this area that offers this program.

Learn More: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BEuYM4pHz/