Programs and results
What we aim to solve
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
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.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
United Way of Central Florida 2020
External reviews

Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
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.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
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.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
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.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
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
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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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
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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.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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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
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- 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 directorsas of 02/22/2022
Mr. Victor Divietro
Waypoints Financial
Term: 2019 - 2021
Victor Divietro
William Albritton
Jeff Roth
Mary Brown
Dee Dee Harstine
Tom Nunnallee
Ralph Myers
Melissa Blackman
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/28/2020GuideStar 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
- 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.
- 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.