The Greater Richmond ARC will provide after school care for school age children with developmental disabilities (ages 5 to 21) in two locations: ARCenter at 3600 Saunders Avenue in Richmond and Camp Baker, 7600 Beach Road in Chesterfield beginning Sept. 2.
Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 2-6 p.m. The cost is $186.35 per week and $372.70 during holiday breaks and summer.
A wide range of activities are on tap, including arts and crafts, homework help, and gardening; during the fall, after school participants will plant seasonal vegetables to be harvested and used in weekly cooking classes.
Work Readiness, a program for high school juniors and seniors introduced over the summer, will also continue this fall, providing graduation-bound students in the after school program the chance to learn about industries such as food preparation, healthcare and automotive repair.
Offering a wide variety of choices in skill development, vocational outings, and instructional time that includes building computer skills, Work Readiness is “based on choices,” explained Quintin Mitchell, ARC’s vice president of developmental services.
” Not everyone is seeking the same work experience but most people desire a degree of independence,” he said.
“There are many benefits to both family members and their children by participating in ARC’s after school program,” said Emily Lehmann, ARC’s director of day support services. “Building on current life skills and achieving new goals are important parts of our program. So is having fun!”
About the Greater Richmond ARC
The Greater Richmond ARC provides a variety of innovative services and programs designed to meet the needs of clients and their families. Services span the lifecycle and assist people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities to live happy, successful and meaningful lives. Core areas of service include: Infant & Child Development Services; After School & Day Support Services; ARC Industrial Services; and Camp Baker Services, a full service respite and camp facility.
