Prominent women launch advocacy club
CALEXICO — A group of prominent Valley women with strong ties to Calexico gathered here on Wednesday to pledge their commitment to a newly-formed organization that would advocate for their and the community’s collective interests and concerns.
The yet-unnamed group appears to be off to an auspicious start, having attracted a diverse cross-section of Valley professionals who bring decades of experience and advocacy to the table and who are united in wanting to improve the quality of life locally.
While Wednesday’s meeting served as a preliminary introduction for many of those present, it also allowed them to discuss potential areas of focus, with economic development and empowering and inspiring other local women ranking high on its initial list.
“We are certain that we will leave behind our mark in the community,” said Miriam Serra, Planet Business Center office manager and co-founder of the group.
After more than four decades, the agency has been able to steadily gain a bigger presence in the community. According to chief executive officer Arturo Santos, ARC Imperial Valley currently provides services to more than 227 consumers through a variety of different programs. Some of the individuals that need constant supervision are part of the Adult Development Center, and depending on the range of abilities and skills, are placed among the rest which includes the Work Activity Program, a Behavior Management Program, Transportation Department, Recycling Center, Independent Living Services and an activity center. When he first joined the organization in 1991, Santos said that at that time it still felt as a small parent-driven agency which soon began to flourish and expand.
“I have seen the company grow not only in the number of services provided, and buildings owned, the financial assets, the technology used, but also in the type of individual who is applying to work with us,” Santos said. “Few people would make the ARC a career when I started. It was considered a stepping stone. Now, many people have chosen to work long term.”
But for him, the biggest achievement has been the number of opportunities that have emerged for individuals with developmental disabilities to earn a paycheck and learn to live independent lives just as any other individual in the community.
“One of the most important things to give people independence is earning a paycheck. Once you have money, you have the power of choice. We often take that for granted,” Santos said.
“We provide them access to that feeling of getting a paycheck, which is something that gives you a sense of worth and independence.”
The very first business venture ARC explored was a partnership with the federal government through the Javits–Wagner–O’Day Act, which allowed nonprofit organizations that employ people with disabilities to get governmental contracts. At first, ARC provided services for Naval Air Facility El Centro and later moved on to work with agencies such as Border Patrol, Homeland Security and the General Services Administration, providing janitorial services.
With the opening of the bowling alley and a second Mozzarelli Pizza restaurant set to open in Imperial in the near future, the organization can now provide additional varied opportunities for its clients. Even though it owns those businesses, the goal for ARC is to provide a positive experience to the public that will entice them to become regulars rather than for the fact that they’re a nonprofit organization.
Santos said the agency is stronger than ever, and although they have a strategic plan in place to continue to extend their commercial enterprises, he believes the organization will take a prudent approach to future goals and do an assessment of where they’re at and what direction they hope to go in next.
“The Arc Imperial Valley is committed to the residents of this Valley. We are part of the community,” Santos said. “We’ve provided jobs and services that benefit our local communities. We hope that people do visit the StrikeZone and our restaurants and note that the money spent with us is reinvested in the Imperial Valley.”