Advocacy group regains a home

EVERETT – A little more than a year ago, Arc of Snohomish County, the area’s oldest and largest advocacy group for the developmentally disabled, was nearly forced to close its doors.

Faced with a $15,000 debt and close to bankruptcy, it had to lay off employees, including its executive director.

At the time, it would be hard to imagine the turnaround that would occur over the next 14 months. That work culminates with today’s open house at its new quarters in downtown Everett with 2,000 square feet of office space.

“This is kind of a new beginning for this organization,” said Shayne Nagel, executive director. “We want to be known as the hub of services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.”

Just about everybody knows someone who could use the organization’s services, said Mike Hatch, who has served on the organization’s board since 1997. “We’re meeting a need that nobody else seems to be meeting.”

The organization has about 1,000 people on its mailing list, but there may be as many as 10,000 people in Snohomish County with developmental disabilities, Nagel said.

Many people who could use the organization’s services don’t know it exists, Hatch said.

One of its most important services is providing supportto parents with developmentally disabled children, he said.

“When you’re a parent and you’ve got a child with a disability, it can be really lonesome if there isn’t a peer group you can talk with,” Hatch said. “It’s an isolated life.”

Nagel, whose own daughter has autism, said that some of the best advice parents can get about helping their children is from other parents.

Families with developmentally disabled children can often point other parents to the best specialists and therapists, she said. “It’s that kind of life experience that I think is really important that we share with each other.”

The local chapter’s Web site is still being developed. When it launches next month, Nagel said she wants it to provide information and links on a variety of topics.

For parents raising a child with a developmental disability, “it becomes important to know what’s out there, not only statewide, but nationally, too,” she said.

“What my daughter needs having autism is not the same thing a family might need if their child has cerebral palsy. The information is very different.”

The organization has regained enough financial stability that it’s begun repaying groups that stepped up last year to help ensure its future, Hatch said.

This includes payments to Arc of Washington State, which loaned the organization $10,000.

Work Opportunities, a Snohomish County organization that provides vocational services to people with disabilities, volunteered to take over Arc’s bookkeeping operations and track expenses at no charge, he said. “That made a huge, huge difference.”

Although Arc was forced to operate for about six months during the past year without offices and keep in touch with families only by phone, it now has nine full- and part-time staffers to help individuals and families.

At a meeting last week, board members learned that for the second straight month, the organization has brought in more money than it has spent, Hatch said.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to say that,” he said. “It’s a super-good feeling to be paying back the people that helped us out.”

The local organization was founded in 1943, formerly known as Advocates for the Rights of Citizens with Disabilities. It is now one of 11 Arc chapters in the state.

The Arc of Snohomish County, which helps people with developmental disabilities, plans an open house from 1 to 7 p.m. today at its new offices at 2500 Hewitt Ave., Suite 300, Everett.

The organizations office hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 425-258-2459 for information.

Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.