The Arc Lane County

04/08/2026

Tonight!

04/08/2026

🛑UPDATE: PLEASE NOTE WE ARE AT FULL CAPACITY FOR CHILDCARE FOR THIS EVENT AS OF 4/8/2026 🛑

🌟 It’s Not Too Late to Register for Our Neurodiversity Family Support Night! 🌟

📅 Date: April 16, 2026
⏰ Time: 6:00–8:00 p.m.
📍 Location: Kelly Middle School Cafeteria, 850 Howard Ave., Eugene

Please click here to register: https://thearclanecounty.app.neoncrm.com/forms/48

🧩 Topic: Pathological Demand Avoidance / Persistent Drive for Autonomy (PDA)

Curious about PDA and how it affects your child? 🤔 Join Wendy Nims, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist, for an engaging and practical session designed for parents and caregivers. Wendy will explain how PDA relates to the nervous system 🧠 and anxiety 😰, how it differs from OCD, and what it really means for your child’s behavior.

You’ll leave with practical strategies 🛠️ you can use at home—ways to communicate that reduce stress, support collaboration 🤝, and strengthen your connection with your child ❤️. Wendy’s presentation is warm, supportive, and full of helpful tips to empower parents and caregivers. Come ready to learn, ask questions ❓, and leave feeling confident and encouraged! 🌈

The Neurodiversity Family Support Night is proudly hosted by parents and co-hosted by The Arc Lane County. This welcoming space is open to all parents/caregivers, educators, coaches, direct support professionals, and anyone who supports children and youth in Lane County. Our goal is to connect, supp...

04/07/2026

⚠️ Content Warning: This video discusses an interaction between a person with a disability and law enforcement that may be difficult to hear.
We share this story with care and respect.
Eric Parsa was a 16-year-old autistic young man who communicated using few words. In 2020, a misunderstood moment during a meltdown turned into a heartbreaking tragedy.
The Parsa family’s experience is a powerful reminder of how critical understanding, patience, and proper training are in interactions between law enforcement and individuals with disabilities. Differences in communication, behavior, and responses can be easily misinterpreted without the right awareness.
Training helps officers recognize when a disability may be present and respond in ways that prioritize safety, dignity, and compassion for everyone involved.
💙 Learn more about how The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice and Disability is working to train law enforcement and justice professionals in the comments below.

Thank you The Arc of the United States for sharing this content!

04/07/2026

💚 Community Care Starts Here 💚

We want to take a moment to remind our community that The Arc Lane County has an on-site Food Pantry, created through a powerful partnership with Community Alliance of Lane County and FOOD for Lane County. Together, we’ve built the CARES Center — a local food distribution network focused on making sure no one goes without.

Through the CARES Center, we:
🥕 Connect individuals and families with local food pantries
📦 Provide emergency food boxes
🚗 Offer weekly food deliveries to those in need (must meet eligibility requirements)

🕒 Food Pantry Hours:
Tuesdays & Thursdays | 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
(Closed on holidays)

We encourage you to visit the CARES Center website to learn more or find support near you.

✨ The impact we made together in Fiscal Year 2024–2025:
• 458,029 pounds of food distributed (valued at $653,755.45)
• 2,063 households supported across 15,247 visits
• 35,604 adults and 18,848 children served
• 1,405 volunteer hours dedicated to fighting hunger

This work is only possible because of our incredible community — thank you for being part of it. 💛

If you or someone you know could use support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You are not alone.

Give Time > Give Money > Give Food > Give Time > Give Money > Give Food > Where to Find Food in Lane County? Arc Lane County, Communi ...

04/06/2026

April 8 — Self-Advocates, Parents, and Caregivers Needed!
Register Today for ODDS Budget In-Person Meetings — Your Voice Matters!

Join OCDD today to share your input and help shape important decisions.

Date: April 8
Time: 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Location:
Oregon Department of Human Services – Tandem Office
Clyde Saiki Room 159
1430 Tandem Ave. NE
Salem, OR 97301

**More Information & Registration:**
[https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/engagement/Pages/odds-engagement.aspx](https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/engagement/Pages/odds-engagement.aspx)

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**8 de abril — ¡Se Necesitan Autogestores, Padres y Cuidadores!**
**Regístrese Hoy para las Reuniones Presenciales del Presupuesto de ODDS — ¡Su Voz Importa!**

Únase para compartir su opinión y ayudar a tomar decisiones importantes.

**Fecha:** 8 de abril
**Hora:** 5:30–7:30 p.m.
**Lugar:**
Oregon Department of Human Services – Tandem Office
Sala Clyde Saiki 159
1430 Tandem Ave. NE
Salem, OR 97301

**Más información y registro:**
[https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/engagement/Pages/odds-engagement.aspx](https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/engagement/Pages/odds-engagement.aspx)

Email from Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities April 8 — Self‑Advocates, Parents, and Caregivers Needed / 8 de abril — Se Necesita a Autogestores, Padres y Cuidadores View as Webpage Register

04/05/2026

04/02/2026

04/01/2026

03/31/2026

‼️Join Us Today‼️MARCH 31, 12:00-1:00 PM on zoom: https://bit.ly/Oregon-DD-Awareness —For our virtual DD Awareness recap & first gift card give away!

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Bring your lunch and plan join for the following:

Hear summaries of all our events including our two self-advocate panels and the Spanish language session. 

See all the different ways you all showed up with your "Nothing About Us Without Us" stories.

Learn how you can keep the momentum going throughout the rest of the year.

Spanish language interpretation will be available. Please contact us as soon as possible with any other interpretation requests.

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Gift Card Drawing Schedule

First live virtual drawing: Tuesday March 31st 12:00 PM

Second drawing: End of June (Date to be announced)

Third drawing: End of September (Date to be announced)

Fourth drawing: January 2027 (Date to be announced)

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Thank you, Oregon Health Authority!

The DD Awareness 2026 gift cards are funded through the OHA Partnership for Community Health Program Grant, awarded to support the 2026 DD Awareness events and campaign engagement.

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Keep showing up and keep sharing!

DD awareness is something we do all year, so we are continuing our campaign throughout the rest of the year. Keep sharing why this year's theme is important to you and why you advocate, using the hashtags:

Share how you show up for yourself or others and have a chance to win a $50 gift card! Visit our DD Awareness page to learn more.
Get our toolkit here: https://www.ocdd.org/dd-awareness-toolkit/