Mission and History
Incorporated in 1953 as the Morris County Unit of the New Jersey Parents Group for Retarded Children, The Arc/Morris County Chapter is the largest provider of services for people affected by intellectual and related developmental disabilities and their families in Morris County. The Arc/Morris envisions a world in which people with intellectual disabilities and their families are valued and have the opportunity to achieve their highest level of self-sufficiency, independence and inclusion possible. As such, we are dedicated to the care, support and advancement of people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
Historic Timeline
50+ Years of service
- 1954
- Formally incorporated as the New Jersey Association for Retarded Children, Morris Unit and joined the National Association for Retarded Children
- 1957
- Sheltered Workshop Program established
- 1958
- Nursery Class established
- 1959
- Boy Scout Troop and Girl Scout Troop started
First office opened in Morristown - 1963
- "Happy Day" camp began with 14 campers
- 1964
- Day Time Care Training Center started
- 1970
- First Morris County Special Olympics held
- 1972
- Two new school busses were purchased to transport Day Training pupils
- 1977
- Early Intervention Program established
- 1978
- Purchased the Garland School, relocated offices to this Chester site and renamed it Deerhaven
- 1979
- Morris County Adaptive Recreational Program (McARP) established
- 1981
- Administrative Office moved to Central Avenue on the Greystone Psychiatric Hospital Campus
- 1982
- Flanders Adult Training Center opened
- 1983
- First Group Home opened in Lake Hiawatha, Parsippany Troy-Hills Township
- 1984
- St. Elizabeth's Adult Training Center opened
- 1985
- Supported Employment Program started
- 1986
- Hanover Adult Training Center opened
- 1987
- Formally incorporated as the New Jersey Association for Retarded Children, Morris Unit and joined the National Association for Retarded Children
- 1988
- In-Home Respite Program established
Morristown Behavioral Special Needs Group Home opened (#11) - 1989
- Special Needs Adaptive Preschool (SNAP) opened
- 1990
- Randolph Township Group Home dedicated (#12), our first newly constructed home funded by HUD
- 1991
- Supportive Living Program established
- 1992
- Agency name changed to The Arc/Morris County Chapter, New Jersey, Inc.
First Annual Radiocast held - 1993
- Morris Township Ketch Road Supervised Apartment Program opened, dedicated as The Harry F. Wilkinson Arc House for Independent Living
- 1994
- Aftercare Respite Program established
- 2000
- Saturday Respite Program established
Hanover Township Mountain Avenue Group Home opened (#16), our first donated home - 2001
- Dover Adult Training Center opened, serving Medical and Senior Special Needs
- 2003
- Parsippany Access I Group Home opened (#18)
- 2004
- 50th Anniversary celebrated
Walkathon held for the first time - 2007
- Purchase of Flanders School
Secured long-term, 25 year lease for Central Administrative Headquarters
Initiated first Capital Campaign to raise $3,000,000 - 2008
- The opening and dedication of the new Loretta & Julius Krauklis Center takes place
- 2010
- The newly renovated and re-named central office, The Arc/Morris Chapter’s F.M. Kirby Administrative Center, is dedicated
- 2011
- Completed expansion of the Hanover and Dover Adult Training Centers