Baltimore Association For Retarded Citizens Inc history

In 1950, little was known about intellectual disability (then referred to as ‘mental retardation’) and developmental disability, or its causes.

1951 - The Arc of Baltimore's first newsletter is published.

1952 - The Searchlight Training Center, a developmental program for young children, opens in the basement of St Michael & All Angels Church on St Paul Street.

1953 - The Arc of Baltimore sponsors teen dances and other recreational programs.

1957 - The first six workers enter The Arc's sheltered workshop, a predecessor to the Subcontract Company.

1962 - The sheltered workshop moves from Greenmount Avenue to expand in new quarters at Old York Road.

The organization was established in 1965 as a charitable trust by parents at the (now called) Arc Maryland who wished to assure their sons and daughters with intellectual/developmental disabilies would continue to have an advocate even after their parents passed away.

1969 - The Arc's first Activity Center, the first of its kind in Maryland, opens in an abandoned movie theater in Dundalk.

1971 - The Arc opens a group home in Roland Park, the first such community living opportunity in the State.

1972 - The Arc secures a contract to maintain the grounds of Loyola College and launches its Landscape Employment Service.

1974 - Greenhouse program opens in Reisterstown and Essex.

1975 - The Arc creates a Program Department to oversee Individual Program Plan development and staff training.

1978 - Family Resources establishes a respite care program, homemaker services, transportation support, and a family training curriculum.

1990 - Foster Care program begins providing family placement for children with special needs.

In 1992, a restatement of the program required sponsors arranging additional advocacy services to establish funding for those services, for example through a trust fund, will provision, or insurance, to assure the organization's ability to provide the requested services for each individual.

1993 - The Arc undertakes its first capital campaign in 45 years.

1995 - The Arc opens Towson Child Care Center and Adult Medical Day Care Center at 7215 York Road.

1999 - The Arc of Baltimore celebrates its 50th anniversary as Baltimore's premier advocate.

2001 - The Arc offers inaugural Bay Buddies Camp for twenty children with disabilities in partnership with Baltimore County Recreation and Parks and the Living Classrooms Foundation.

In 2003, the organization requested and received approved by the IRS as a 501(c)3 charitable nonprofit corporation because it no longer operated as a charitable trust.

Concurrent with the national movement to support the dignity of individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and eliminate usage of the term mental retardation, in 2007 the Board of Directors adopted the new name, By Their Side, Inc. to represent it's mission and services.

2008 - The Arc closes the day center in Waverly, moving participants to a space at the York Road Community Resource Center that serves as both an activity area and launch site for crews doing indoor and outdoor janitorial work.

2011 - The organization adopts a new logo as part of a national branding initiative and adopts the name, The Arc Baltimore.

2012 - Established formal Assistive Technology program to better utilize various technologies and applications to support individuals at work and home.

2013 - Our Clinical Supports Department launched The Healing Center, an intensive individual and group trauma-informed therapy program for individuals with I/DD.

2014 - The Healing Center was established for people who have experienced trauma that may be preventing them from reaching certain goals.

2017 - After a 45-year career with The Arc Baltimore, Executive Director Steve Morgan retires.

2020 - On March 13th, due to COVID-19, The Arc announced the “temporary” closure of all day centers and supported employment in its Contracts.

Hedge fund Alden’s bid to buy Tribune Publishing, including The Baltimore Sun, approved by shareholders May 21, 2021