The Arc Minnesota promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), actively supporting them and their families in a lifetime of full inclusion and participation in their communities.
Intellectual disability is a disability that occurs before age 18. People with this disability experience significant limitations in two main areas: intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior. Intellectual and developmental disabilities can include:
- Autism
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
- Fragile X
- and other lifelong disabilities
The Arc Minnesota and Arc’s Value Village believe that you belong in a world that welcomes you. We are committed to progress, inclusion, and justice for disabled people in Minnesota and beyond. We are creating this world alongside people with disabilities.
Our Programs
While our Arc’s Value Village stores are located in Bloomington, New Hope, and Richfield, The Arc Minnesota serves people statewide through a variety of programs and services, as well as legislative advocacy. By shopping, volunteering, and donating at Arc’s Value Village, you support our work.
The Arc Minnesota provides services like:
- Housing Stabilization, Housing Access Services, and Crisis Housing Assistance
- These incredible programs help people find, access, and keep housing. Eligibility by program varies, but they open to many people with disabilities, not just people with IDD.
- Individual Advocacy
- Through our Ask and Advocate form, our Help Desk, and our individual advocacy team, The Arc Minnesota helps people, families, and trusted supporters find support, navigate the disability services system, and find community.
- Self-Advocacy
- Self-advocates are people with disabilities who advocate for themselves and others. With self-advocates, The Arc Minnesota co-creates resources, events, and more for self-advocates and people who would like to be self-advocates.
- Legislative Advocacy
- Through nonpartisan legislative advocacy, we support public policies founded in the principles of human and civil rights, self-advocacy and self direction, and equity and true belonging. You can learn about our current legislative priorities, join our Capitol Connectors Teams, and sign up for our policy newsletter, The Capitol Connector.
Our Values
These values guide all of our work in Minnesota statewide. The Arc Minnesota and Arc’s Value Village values are:
Human and Civil Rights
We believe all people:
- Are equal, valued, respected, and whole
- Have the right to be free
- Must have their rights protected
Our commitment—we will:
- Protect the human and civil rights of all people
- Fight for everyone’s equal rights
- Respect individuals’ lived experience and honor each person’s wholeness
- Work to end barriers in systems and society, no matter how long it takes to create change
Goals:
- Our organization is welcoming, accessible, and inclusive
- The human and civil rights of all people are respected and protected
Self-Advocacy and Self-Direction
We believe all people have the right to:
- Make decisions
- Have control in their lives
- Advocate for themselves
- Get support from trusted allies as they advocate
and make decisions
Our commitment—we will:
- Promote power and capacity of people who have IDD of all ages
- Support leadership of disabled people of all ages
- Learn from disabled people, especially who are Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color
- Help people with disabilities and their allies get information, experiences, and support to make decisions
Goals:
- Our work supports informed choice and leadership of people who have IDD of all ages
- People who have IDD are supported and respected in making their own decisions, having control over their lives, and advocating on their own behalf
Equity and Belonging
We believe all people have the right to:
- Meaningful relationships with people of their choice
- Belonging in their communities
- Information, systems, and resources that are accessible
Our commitment—we will:
- Advocate for equal opportunity in where everyone can live, learn, work, worship, and play
- Fight for universal design in all parts of society
- Share timely, accessible information in different formats and languages
- Build meaningful connections in communities statewide
- Help trusted supporters of people with IDD as they work to honor each person’s power, value their capacity, and respect them exactly as they are
Goals:
- Community and natural supports are promoted over state systems and solutions
- Stakeholders understand the ways that society and systems must change to build equity
Disability and Racial Justice
We believe systems and social change must be:
- Led by disabled people—especially those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color
- Focused on freedom of people who have disabilities and ending discrimination
- Connected to all other movements for freedom and justice
Our commitment—we will:
- Learn from people who have diverse lived experience
- Challenge ourselves and others to confront racism and ableism
- Be allies in disability and racial justice movements
- Led by people who have disabilities fight for justice in society and systems
- Fight injustice within and across communities
Goals:
- Our work aligns with principles of disability justice
- Community partners will learn with The Arc about how to support justice movements
Our Commitment to Progress
- We will keep ourselves on track by including these values in all team and individual work plans.
- We will start to measure progress with goals that have inclusion and equity built in. We will work to find other ways to measure and track progress that are culturally respectful.
- We will share our progress through updates about our values and goals at least once every year.
- We are still working to understand how The Arc has been part of ableism and racism. We will share the ways we need to change.
- As we work to learn and understand ourselves, we will invite others to join us in support of movements that advance disability and racial justice.