Membership matters! Join The Resource Center today

The Resource Center has a 60-year tradition of supporting people with disabilities to enjoy great lives.  We invite you to help us ensure the continued success of our organization, as well as the people and families we support, by becoming a Member of The Resource Center during our 2021 Membership Drive.

The Resource Center is the Chautauqua County chapter of The Arc New York, a family-led organization that advocates and provides support and services to people with disabilities.  Like all other chapters of The Arc New York, The Resource Center is a membership organization.  And membership is open to anyone who believes in our mission of supporting people with disabilities to have meaningful lives as valued members of their community.

Membership is important!  The more members The Resource Center has, the more powerful our collective voice becomes when we advocate alongside people with disabilities and their families, as well as other chapters of The Arc New York.  Those advocacy efforts were extremely critical this past winter and spring as New York State was drafting its 2021-22 budget.  Members of The Arc NY family state-wide made more than 18,000 connections with legislative leaders, and we persuaded them not to enact proposed funding cuts affecting services for people with disabilities.

For everyone who took part in those advocacy efforts, THANK YOU!

But while we’re grateful for the success of that advocacy campaign, other funding cuts have been proposed by New York State government officials.  Continued advocacy will be needed to make lawmakers aware of the devastating impacts the proposed cuts would have.  As a Member of The Resource Center, you’ll receive regular updates from The Arc New York regarding initiatives requiring advocacy.

That’s because when you become a Member of The Resource Center, you actually become a Member of three organizations – TRC, The Arc NY and The Arc, which advocates at the national level.

Membership in The Resource Center is just $10 per year.  As a thank-you for becoming a Member, you’ll receive a Membership Card that entitles you to discounts at dozens of local businesses.  Click here to see the list of current discounts.

Last year, The Resource Center had 1,762 members.  This year, we have set a goal of reaching 2,500 members.  Though that may seem like a big number, we could easily get there if the family members of every TRC service recipient with a disability decided to become a member.

Click here to pay your Membership Dues online.  (On that donation page, you also can sign up adult members of your household as Members of TRC.)  Or, you can send a check to The Resource Center, 200 Dunham Avenue, Jamestown, NY, 14701, and write “membership” on the memo line.

For more information (including learning how your business can become part of TRC’s discount program), or to have a membership form sent to you, phone Steve Waterson, Community Relations Director, at 716-661-4735.

Support.  Advocacy.  Education.  Membership Matters!