REOPENING PLANS UNDERWAY

I can’t help but say it: Closing is a whole lot simpler than reopening. We are taking this process step by careful step. We have counselled with our Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and we have had productive one-on-one discussions with our friends and the St. Johns County Health Department, all to prepare correctly, safely, and efficiently for our eventual return to daily on-site programs. We have very clear, qualifying guidelines, and we’re awfully busy tending to the many, many details to make The Arc a safe place to learn, work and serve.

Our super staff has done a wonderful job keeping our individuals happily engaged in their group homes, with great planning and fun things to do. We will all be delighted to have the men and women we serve back on campus. Look for that reopening date to be announced soon. In the meantime, STAY SAFE OUT THERE.

Kathy Jackson, Executive Director

April 17, 2020

The Arc of the St. Johns is continuing to provide safe and healthy environments in our group homes, and in our Adult Day Training facility when individuals come for some special activities.
Our main campus remains closed to the public. Essential administrative and managerial staff are working on site or remotely from their homes to ensure that the details of our operation are attended so that we can resume total operations with a minimum of disruption when conditions allow us to re-open.
More than 120 members of our residential staff and nursing team are working in shifts to provide quality, direct care to the individuals in our twelve group homes. Direct-care staff are provided with appropriate personal protection materials to further ensure their health and safety, and that of the individuals in their care. We continue to fortify our inventories of face masks, gloves, gowns, and other supplies, although that is an ongoing challenge. A good portion of those supplies are being assembled and donated to us by people in our community, and we will be forever grateful for their care and generosity.

Please stay safe out there.

KATHY JACKSON
Executive Director

UPDATE March 30, 2020

Greetings Everyone, from The Arc of the St. Johns.

We are responding to the Coronavirus directives from every level you can imagine, keeping our individuals and staff safe and productive.

The full operation of our Adult Day Program has been curtailed for now, but individuals in our residential program have an opportunity to come out two houses at the time so that they can have a safe place to just get out of the house. Our group homes receive an extra thorough cleaning and sanitizing to ensure a clean and safe environment. Our transportation fleet is cleaned and sanitized, as well.

We have been able to retain our caring and dedicated direct-care staff, and I want to extend extra special thanks to all of them for coming to work every day to work with the individuals we serve. We are blessed to have this wonderful team working together, safely, at The Arc of the St. Johns. On behalf of our board of directors, our staff, and the individuals we serve every day, I want the community to know that all of us appreciate your trust, interest, and support you have given us for 48 years.

Please stay safe out there.
Kathy Jackson, Executive Director

Wednesday, March 25, 2020
For Community Families/non-residential clients at The Arc of the St. Johns:
The Adult Day Program will remain closed until further notice. Please stay safe and we look forward to seeing you again soon.

An Important message from Kathy Jackson, Executive Director of The Arc of the St. Johns:
The St. Johns County School District has amended the school calendar to extend the scheduled spring break by one additional week. Students will now return on March 30. The Arc’s charter schools – the Therapeutic Learning Center for Children and the St. Johns Community Campus will follow that schedule.

The Arc of the St Johns Adult Day Training (ADT) programs will continue daily operations as usual.

Thank you.