The Arc of Monroe, a not-for-profit organization supporting people with disabilities in Monroe County, is celebrating the Grand Opening of a new residential house in Greece. The new residence addresses the current housing dilemma and the shortage of homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
A generous, anonymous community member donated a portion of funds to purchase and renovate an existing house.The Arc Foundation of Monroe raised the remaining funds needed. The intention of the donation was to create a better residential experience for five people with disabilities. The new house provides five gentlemen with 2,400 square feet of space all on one level with complete accessibility so they can age in place. The home includes five bedrooms and three separate living areas.
The world’s population, including people with developmental disabilities, is living longer than ever and with an increased life expectancy comes increased challenges in addressing age-related issues, including housing. The Arc of Monroe currently makes 204 beds available within residential services of which 69 percent of the residents are over the age of 50, and 33 percent of the residents are between the ages of 60 to 69.
The number of adults in New York State with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged 60 and older is projected to nearly double from 641,860 in 2000 to 1.2 million by 2030. An increase in aging people with disabilities presents the need for more housing that can be staffed appropriately.
The Arc of Monroe is actively in search of more affordable and accessible housing options in Rochester and surrounding areas for people with disabilities. This new house is one more victory for this segment of our community, and The Arc of Monroe is pleased to be able to provide this opportunity to these five men.
The Arc of Monroe is affiliated with the Collaborative of the Arc of New York, a regional association of 16 non-for-profit Arc US, Inc. human services agencies across upstate New York serving more than 9,000 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. They support people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, as well as a wide variety of other disabilities, and have been providing a variety of programs and services for over 1,700 people with I/DD and their families in the Rochester community for over 60 years.
