What does ARC in “ARC Gateway” stand for?
A. We say the letters, A-R-C, when we recite the name of the agency because ARC used to stand for the Association of Retarded Citizens. When it was founded in 1950, little was known about mental retardation and developmental disabilities. However, the phrase, “mentally retarded,” took on a negative connotation. The people we serve did not want to be labeled. Also, not all the clients receiving services from ARC had mental retardation, but often had autism and many other developmental disabilities. Today, we want every person that we serve to receive as much respect as possible, and to feel at home when they are at ARC Gateway with friends and staff. That is why we no longer spell out the words that gave us the original acronym of ARC.
