What The Arc of Oklahoma can do, and what it takes to get there

The Arc of Oklahoma has been doing this work since 1952: Advocacy, family support, special education navigation, residential monitoring, and self-advocacy training across all 77 Oklahoma counties, every year.

That commitment is not new. But the proof of what it produces is worth seeing clearly.

What we are capable of

Last year, 66,259 individuals were impacted through The Arc's advocacy and public policy work. That number reflects what happens when an organization with over 70 years of relationships and credibility shows up at the state and federal level and fights for the people it serves. Policy work is slow and unglamorous. The results are real.

Arc advocates attended 331 IEP and 504 meetings alongside Oklahoma families. In 86 percent of those cases, families walked out having secured services that had previously been delayed or denied. These are children getting what they were already legally entitled to, because someone in the room knew what to ask for.

400 home visits were completed statewide through Oklahoma's residential monitoring program. People with disabilities living in residential settings across Oklahoma received a visit from someone whose job it was to make sure they were safe, supported, and living with dignity.

859 advocates contacted Congress about federal changes affecting people with disabilities. That is 859 Oklahoma voices reaching decision makers at the federal level, because The Arc mobilized them and gave them the tools to be heard.

3,700 individuals were served across all 77 Oklahoma counties. Every county. Not the easy ones, not just the cities. Every corner of this state.

What it takes to sustain this

None of that happens without resources. The Arc does not receive a guaranteed budget from the state or federal government. This work is funded by Oklahomans who believe that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities deserve a full life, real rights, and someone fighting for both.

When funding falls short, the gap shows up in real ways. Fewer meetings attended. Fewer families served. Fewer visits made. Fewer voices reaching the people making decisions that affect them.

The Arc has never stopped showing up. But showing up at this level across all 77 counties for thousands of Oklahoma families requires sustained support from people who understand what is at stake.

Help us get to the finish line

We are halfway through 2026. The work is continuing. The need is not slowing down. If anything, with Medicaid home and community-based services under pressure and special education rights requiring more active defense than ever, this is one of the most critical years The Arc has faced in a long time.

The families showing up at IEP meetings this fall are counting on The Arc being there. The self-advocates learning their rights this summer are counting on these programs continuing. The residents receiving home visits are counting on someone still making them.

Every dollar raised in Oklahoma stays in Oklahoma. It goes directly into the work those numbers represent. If you believe in what The Arc of Oklahoma is doing, this is how you help keep it going.

Give today to support The Arc of Oklahoma