Mission & History

Who Are We?

Your classmates. Your co-workers. Your neighbors. Your friends. Your family.

The Arc of Winnebago, Boone and Ogle Counties has been serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1966, when local parents with children with Down Syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy and other intellectual and developmental disabilities banded together to start a local chapter of the national advocacy organization, The Arc.

Did You Know?

The Arc of Winnebago, Boone and Ogle Counties serves approximately 400 families annually through Home Based Support Services and other programs designed to assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live as independently as possible and be integrated into the community.

What is an Intellectual Disability?

Intellectual disability is a below-average cognitive ability with three (3) characteristics:

• Intelligent quotient (or I.Q.) is between 70-75 or below
• Significant limitations in adaptive behaviors (the ability to adapt and carry on everyday life activities such as self-care, socializing, communicating, etc.)
• The onset of the disability occurs before age 18.

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What is a Developmental Disability?

Developmental disability includes ASD (autism spectrum disorders), epilepsy, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, fetal alcohol syndrome (or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) and other disorders that occur during the developmental period, which is from birth to age 18.