Proclamation for the month of March

This past Friday, The Arc of the Mid-South held a program at Church Health Center Wellness to kick off March Madness, a series of events that bring awareness to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Interim Shelby County Mayor Joe Ford was there to present the proclamation to Executive Director, Carlene Leaper:

Whereas, Developmental disabilities affect more than 40 million Americans and their families and result in substantial functional limitations in self care, receptive and expressive language, learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living, and economic self-sufficiency; and

Whereas, Public awareness and education enhance a community's understanding of the issues affecting people with developmental disabilities; and

Whereas, People with developmental disabilities can be vital and vibrant members of our community and can contribute to improving quality of life for all citizens; and

Whereas, The month of March has been designated National Developmental Disability Awareness Month, with more than 140,000 members and 780 state and local chapters of The Arc undertaking public awareness, educational, and fundraising initiatives; and

Whereas, The Arc of the United States is the nation's leading volunteer-based organization advocating for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families and we all should follow the mission of The Arc of the Mid-South, as they "Empower People with Developmental Disabilities to Achieve Their Full Potential."

Now, therefore, we, A C Wharton, Jr., Mayor of the City of Memphis, and Joe S. Ford, Mayor of Shelby County, Tennessee, do hereby proclaim the month of March 2010 to be:

Developmental Disability Awareness Month

in Memphis and Shelby County and call upon all residents of our community to give full support of efforts to enable people with developmental disabilities to live full and productive lives of inclusion in our community.