The Arc of Grays Harbor is a nonprofit charity who advocate a better quality of life for people with disabilities. We offer many useful services. With the support of Grays Harbor County Public Health Department we:

  • Provide you with up to date information and resource materials such as diagnostic services for Autism or related disorders and enriching community activities such as Special Olympics through our e-bulletins and Social Networking sites. You can also call or stop by the office.
  • Outreach to individual with disabilities, families, stakeholders including the Quinault and Chehalis Nations assisting with how to navigating the developmental disabilities, local social services and school systems.
  • Inform and educate individuals with disabilities, family members, interested parties and elected officials about legislative issues and how they may affect people with disabilities and their family through our Disability Movement Coalition and Legislative Forum.
  • Inform individuals with disabilities, families, school staff, and interested parties of the resources available at IEP or 504 planning meetings. We assist people in taking the necessary steps to prepare for life after school through our Informational Workshops, Community information and Liaisons Services, Presentations; “Life after High School” and other Informational presentations.
  • Expand the community’s understanding of people with developmental disabilities through our Awareness Events (October- Disability Employment Awareness & March-Disability Awareness)
  • Help you apply for Social Security Disability, Department of Vocational Rehabilitation or SSI.
  • Help you apply for Developmental Disability Administration services.

With the support of the Arc of Washington, we can:

  • Help you connect with other parents by offering Parent to Parent support meetings in both Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties
  • Help you connect with friends and learn useful life skills with the We Can club

For clients of the Developmental Disabilities Administration we:

To students with IEP or 504 plans, The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation helps us:

  • Provide a spring Job Readiness program
  • Offer supported summer employment at a variety of locations in the area

For help with these and other questions, contact us at 360.537.7000

Staff Photo

 

The Arc of Grays Harbor offers many programs. One of the more popular ones is the “We Can” club. The club was started in response to research that shows how damaging social isolation is, so the club was created in a way to increase social engagement for people, especially people with disabilities, in Grays Harbor.
We Can Club events are hosted at the Arc of Grays Harbor every second Thursday of the month. Events are inclusive, and although the activities are useful to adults with a wide variety of abilities, everyone in the community is welcome to attend. The activities are various, but always include a useful life skills component (often involving cooking) and lots of fun social engagement things like music, arts, and crafts, or sometimes food and dances.

Events are from 5:30-7:00 pm, check out the calendar on our website to confirm the dates. If this is something that you might be interested please contact The Arc of Grays Harbor at 360-537-7000.

What's the biggest problem that most people with disabilities and their families report? Housing? Medical Care? Nutrition?

No, the biggest self reported problem is social isolation.

The Arc of Grays Harbor now provides Community Guide and Community Engagement services for clients receiving DDA services. These services allow people with disabilities the ability to access their community with the supports they need. Participants engage in a variety of community-based opportunities to grow their social network and knowledge.