The Arc of Pennsylvania: 75 Years of Impact
One of the best parts of working at Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy is that I get to work with several nonprofit organizations that work tirelessly to improve the lives of others. Among those is The Arc of Pennsylvania, who celebrated their 75th anniversary last month with a dinner and reception at the West Shore Country Club in Camp Hill.
The Arc of Pennsylvania promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). CMIA has worked with The Arc since 2022 on several initiatives:
- A report with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to identify and provide solutions for barriers that people with disabilities experienced during the COVID pandemic, and recommendations to reduce these barriers to reduce these barriers
- Rallies at the Capitol to draw awareness to and support for key policies that would help individuals with disabilities
- Various media relations efforts and more
When Sherri Landis, executive director for The Arc of Pennsylvania, reached out to us to develop videos for the 75th anniversary event, it gave our team a chance to do deep dives into the history of The Arc and how the treatment of individuals with an I/DD has changed over the years. The research was both empowering and disheartening; it reminded me of the power communities can have when they come together but also the cruelty that this population has endured. Over the course of 75 years, the Arc of Pennsylvania— and its predecessors:
- Fought for the right to educate for children with an I/DD
- Ended human experimentation in state institutions
- Helped close the dangerous, inhumane Pennhurst State School and Hospital
Now, The Arc of Pennsylvania is a force in public policy that is working to end the state waiting list for services, making Pennsylvanians with disabilities a budget priority and advocating for educational and employment rights.
I look forward to seeing what the next 75 years are like for The Arc of Pennsylvania, and Ceisler Media will be there beside them, helping to advocate on behalf of our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians.
Thom Casey is a Senior Account Executive for Ceisler Media & Issue Advocacy
