Optimism & Positivity, the Overall Theme at the 2025 Arc Westchester's Annual Breakfast in Tarrytown

On a chilly and windy Halloween morning at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, many of the county's prominent business leaders, hired commended employees, and staff attended and spoke at this year's The Arc Westchester annual breakfast meeting and emotional award ceremony. Each year since 1991, The Arc Westchester, one of the leading organizations in Westchester that advocates for progress and job placement for individuals with developmental disabilities, has celebrated the accomplishments of those who face various developmental disabilities, prosper, and succeed in today's job market. In addition to the attendance of Westchester's finest, included were also Westchester County Executive Kenneth Jenkins, who spoke from the podium, and New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, who received cheers upon her arrival.

Following an excellent welcome opening by The Arc Westchester's President-elect, Mark Glucksman, and heartfelt greetings from the company's CEO, Tibisay (Tibi) Guzmán, County Executive Jenkins gave his optimistic remarks, praising both the hard work by The Arc Westchester, as well as Westchester companies that employ individuals with developmental disabilities. Following Mr. Jenkins was Barry Clark, the Executive Director of The Arc Westchester, who did the introductions and moderated the event.

This year’s keynote speaker was Mr. Sean Meade, President of the Westchester Hotel Association and General Manager of Meyer Jabara Hotels/Cambria Hotels, located in downtown White Plains. Under Mr. Meade's leadership, the hotel has partnered with The Arc Westchester since 2018, employing two people supported through the organization’s employment program. Mr. Meade showed two very moving and heartfelt videos of two employees who have made fantastic progress at his White Plains hotel, as he praised Reservation Coordinator Alexandra Birenbaum and Facilities and Maintenance employee William Safran, who has been with the hotel for three years.

"The Arc Westchester is an opportunity to partner with our community," said Meade. "It's important to understand that we're all here working together, trying to create a great environment for not just our guests, but for the people that work at our hotels, and that it all comes down to culture. "Every company and every business has a culture, and ours at the hotel is a great one, and this is all due to the people of The Arc Westchester because of what they do."

Shari Lewitt, The Arc Westchester's Director of Career Development & Supports, has had more than two decades with the organization, so this annual breakfast event brings it all home to her.

"The employer breakfast is such an amazing event that we host, and it celebrates our employers, welcoming new employers to come and see what the Arc Westchester's Supported Employment Division is all about," said Lewitt. "We encourage them to hire the individuals that we work with and that we support, making this a real honor. There are so many different milestones in a lifetime of work, and we get the opportunity to help people achieve their potential, gain their confidence, and to really be part of the workforce."

Following the speeches, Barry Clark led the award ceremony, honoring each company for receiving their award. The 2025 award recipients included:

• Visionary Award – Applegreen, Hastings-on-Hudson
• Promoting Independence Award – ShopRite, Croton
• New Partnership Award – Hawthorne Foundation, Inc.
• Continuing Partner Award – Wegmans, Harrison
• Long Standing Award – Starbucks, Yorktown
• Advocate Award – Mr. Anthony Reda, Uncle Giuseppe’s, Yorktown
• Community Partner Award – Craig Sevilla Donelly, Sister Mary T. Clark RSCJ Center for Religion and Community Service at Manhattanville University, Purchase
• Anthony Cannata Memorial Employee Award – Kellene McGregor, ShopRite, Croton

"This event represents the future, and the progression and progress from a past that was once dark and bleak for people with developmental disabilities, into a future that is bright and hopeful for these people," said Clark. "This event represents integration into community and society for people who, if not for the efforts and collaboration of the community in this room, wouldn't have those opportunities. So this is a celebration of all of that."

Last year, The Arc Westchester celebrated its 75th anniversary. With the organization's help over the past three quarters of a century, those with developmental disabilities now enjoy the benefits of life in the workforce in 2025. Mr. Clark gave his insight of how far we've become as a society with regards to those with developmental disabilities.

"When reflecting and going back 75 years, the progress now is evident, " said Clark. "Back then, people were pushed to the side, being relegated to institutions. Then, they may have never been able to leave their parents' homes because there was no place for them in the community. The community didn't want to know they were there, and now we are constantly weaving them into the fabric of the culture. It's hard to know the specifics about what kind of impact policy changes are going to have, but one thing we know for sure is that (policy changes due to impending Federal cuts), it reflects a threat to all of that progress. That's a move in the wrong direction, and we're going to do everything we can to move forward. We can't go back to Willowbrook*, where it was an institutional setting, cruel, and antithetical to modern and good perspectives on inclusion and an adaptive world.

Every year, this Employer Recognition Breakfast brings together business leaders, community members, and advocates to celebrate the partnerships between employers and The Arc Westchester. These partnerships have helped create meaningful employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities, empowering them to lead fulfilling lives and make valuable contributions to their communities. In fact, The Arc Westchester has over 250 business partners and more than 300 individuals working in the community.

"The Arc Westchester is dedicated to integrating people with developmental disabilities into the vibrant business community of Westchester County," said Ms. Guzman. "We strongly believe in the power of diversity, of talents, voices, skills, and personalities, to enhance workplaces. This belief is shared by over 100 companies that actively employ people we support.”

The Arc Westchester is dedicated to ensuring that individuals with developmental disabilities have access to inclusive employment opportunities and the chance to be active members of the workforce. With a wide range of programs and services, The Arc Westchester supports over 2,000 individuals and their families throughout the county, fostering independence, self-determination, and community participation.