The Arc of Palm Beach County unveiled its reimagined north campus in Riviera Beach at a ribbon-cutting ceremony 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 the 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,” President & CEO Kimberly McCarten said.
Community members attended the event to celebrate the improved campus and services, including Riviera Beach Mayor 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.
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 nonprofit has bold, cutting-edge plans to advance the rights of all individuals through inclusion, diversity and equality. Renovations to the south campus in Palm Springs 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.
“Through the Achievement Center, the Arc is showcasing a continuum of care model for helping all adults with disabilities succeed,” Felder said. “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 Arc is changing the conversation around disabilities by defying definitions, inspiring possibilities, and improving the lives of the people it serves. Learn more at www.arcpbc.org.
