Ridge Area Arc, Inc.

aka Ridge Area Arc   |   AVON PARK, FL   |  www.ridgeareaarc.org/

Mission

The mission of the Ridge Area Arc is to promote for all persons in its service area with mental retardation and other disabilities, the opportunity to choose and realize their goals of where and how they learn, live, work, and access leisure activities. The Arc will develop and operate programs to implement this mission.

Ruling year info

1959

Principal Officer

Kathleen Border

Main address

4352 Independence St.

AVON PARK, FL 33825 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

59-0829984

NTEE code info

Developmentally Disabled Services/Centers (P82)

Sheltered Remunerative Employment, Work Activity Center N.E.C. (J33)

Group Home (Long Term (P73)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

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Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Ridge Area Arc provides guidance and solutions for families and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities so that they may choose and realize their goals for living, independence, work, and play. We serve as guidance inside the school system and help on the road toward graduation and work, vocation and independence. It is our goal that no family will be placed on a waiting list for services and have no solutions or directions for care.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Ridge Area Arc's Residential Services

Residential: Ridge Area Arc manages five group homes in Highlands County. Group Homes are not institutional or medical. They are small residential houses in well-kept neighborhoods in the community where our individuals are free to walk or garden, sit on the back porch, decorate their rooms as desired in a safe home like environment.
Long Term Residential Care: Care in the home consists of specially trained staff that is in the home 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. The staff cooks, cleans, assist individuals with toileting, bathing and personal hygiene as well as shopping for clothing, food and specialty items. Staff also is specially certified to pass medications, take individuals to doctors’ appointments, and look for trends in healthcare symptoms and declines in order to reduce diagnosis exacerbation and emergency room visits.
Transportation: Special handicap accessible vans take consumers to and from Arc’s Adult Day Training facility, to social outings in the community, shopping, volunteer efforts, as well as medical and dental appoints.

Population(s) Served
Adults
Adolescents
Ethnic and racial groups
Family relationships

Where we work

Affiliations & memberships

United Way of Central Florida 2020

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

It is our goal that every family and/or individual touched by intellectual and developmental disabilities will have the resources and advocacy to live the life of their choosing with as much or as little outside help as they require.

Ridge Area Arc utilizes education and advocacy to partner with the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, United Way, and the local school systems to present the best person-centered solutions for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We support the community through Residential Services, Independent Living Coaching, Adult Basic Education, Supported Employment, Vocational Training, and Adult financial literacy programs.

Ridge Area Arc is the largest, most comprehensive provider of services for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in Highlands and its surrounding counties. The non-profit agency has been serving and advocating for the individuals we serve since 1957. Ridge Area Arc also serves as the community’s trusted advocate, lobbying and leading the way for positive legislation, as well as policies and procedures that prompt larger discussions about how we can allow individuals to choose their goals. We empower greatness by working with individuals toward whatever life victory they have in their hearts.

The organization has solidified community, regional and national partnerships and has been recognized by funders as being efficient, effective and transparent in our use of funds. We have placed a razor focus on unmet needs especially around care for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder as well as other developmental disabilities. Our staff is highly trained and specialized in their approach and continues to participate in continuing education in order to ensure that we are the experts in care for the individuals we serve.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    SMS text surveys, Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Case management notes, Community meetings/Town halls, Constituent (client or resident, etc.) advisory committees, Suggestion box/email,

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve,

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    Feedback from customers at our resale store is used to update pricing and customer experience. We review feedback from the individuals we serve as well as their families annually and use this information to pivot and add services as needed.

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to identify actionable feedback,

Financials

Ridge Area Arc, Inc.
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

Ridge Area Arc, Inc.

Board of directors
as of 2/10/2021
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Mr. Victor Divietro

Waypoints Financial

Term: 2019 - 2021

Victor Divietro

William Albritton

Jeff Roth

Mary Brown

Dee Harstine

Tom Nunnallee

Ralph Myers

Melissa Blackman

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 02/10/2021

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

No data

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 12/28/2020

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.