Concord Journal,
December 15, 2020
Minute Man Arc is making the best of the holidays by participating in safe community activities. From exchanging weekly pen pal letters with elderly residents at Robbins Brook, playing holiday Bingo with friends over Zoom and embracing their creativity with donated art kits from the United Way in Acton, participants are keeping busy.
The Self-Advocates group is helping Open Table by collecting paper bags and egg cartons for food distribution. Additionally, they took up a collection of feminine hygiene products in October for those less fortunate. Zoom sing-a-longs with Minute Man Arc staff members have been particularly uplifting in a tough year and Christmas carols are a daily joy.
Minute Man Arc has been supporting local children and adults with disabilities for more than 60 years, yet the pandemic has brought new challenges to staff and clients alike. Most programs reopened to a limited number of individuals at the end of the summer and friends happily greeted each other from six feet away.
Currently, even short outings to view holiday lights or walk along the bike trail are uplifting so the outpouring of community support from local churches, foundations and organizations have been vital in keeping individuals moving forward.
Without sufficient funding from the state to cover the cost of running the programs, monetary gifts and grants from the community are even more critical than in past years. The agency is grateful to everyone who has contributed so far to help fill the significant gap in state funding that is a reality for nonprofits until life goes back to normal. Until then, the clients of Minute Man Arc will look for joy and dignity in all they do.
For information visit https://www.minutemanarc.org.