The Arc Is Stronger Together After Community Ribbon-Cutting
The Arc of Palm Beach County unveiled its reimagined north campus in Riviera Beach at a ribbon-cutting and open house event on Wednesday, May 25. The 15,000-square-foot Achievement Center, formerly the headquarters of Seagull Services, was transformed into a dynamic, specialized educational and career development hub for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“The Arc’s mergers with Seagull Services and Palm Beach Habilitation Center have created amazing opportunities for our agency to enhance and elevate our services through the combined effort of the most experienced disability professionals in the county,” said Kimberly McCarten, president & CEO of The Arc.
Community members attended the event to celebrate the improved campus and services, including the mayor of Riviera Beach, Ronnie L. Felder, County Commissioners, and Arc funders, clients, and friends. Designed with the intention of supporting the whole person and helping adults with disabilities focus on their tasks, the new campus features six distinct studios and classrooms, a fulfillment work center, and indoor and outdoor social areas.
Each specialized room adds a layer of support to help adults with disabilities achieve their educational and employment goals. The “About Me” room promotes mental health and wellness, the music and movement studio encourages mental and physical stimulation, the sensory room allows clients to take a break and relax if they feel overwhelmed or stressed, and the Artisan studio fosters engagement with the arts and culture.
“These changes have drastically improved workflow, productivity at the work center on campus is the highest it has ever been, and our clients are thriving thanks to the diversity of activities available to them,” McCarten explained.
“Through The Achievement Center, The Arc is showcasing a continuum of care model for helping all adults with disabilities succeed,” said Mayor Felder. “These innovative spaces allow participants to engage in structured learning, recreation, and employment options in an environment that fosters growth in every aspect of their lives, uplifting the whole community.”
The transformation was made possible by The Arc’s team and volunteers from The Breakers Palm Beach, with support from The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation and another private foundation. Looking to the future, The Arc has bold, cutting-edge plans to advance the rights of all individuals through inclusion, diversity, and equality. Renovations to The Arc’s south campus in Palm Springs, Fla., are on the horizon, and The Arc is leading the conversation around disability inclusion in the workforce by forging new business partnerships throughout the county.
