HATTIESBURG — At small repairs — flickering lights, broken toilets and a growing list of maintenance needs — are a daily challenge.

Amid the wear and tear, the nonprofit organization remains focused on what matters most: supporting individuals with disabilities.

The Arc is a community-based facility that provides services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Whether they’re helping a child navigate the school system or supporting an adult in gaining independence, staff members are committed to inclusion and care.

The Arc currently serves around 43 people, with roughly 35 attending daily, according to Community Outreach Coordinator Jeanette Springs.

A facility built for access, strained by upkeep

In addition to its programming, the facility itself is a point of pride.

“I haven’t seen a facility this accessible in a minute,” said Jaiveon Malone, a junior University of Southern Mississippi student interning at The Arc. “Like every door is big enough for a wheelchair … anybody can get around no matter what your disability is, no matter what your ability to walk or to move is.”

While the building was designed with accessibility in mind, keeping it running is another story. Executive Director Cindy Pennington said they face ongoing plumbing and electrical repairs — the kind of problems you’d expect in any busy household but with added pressure from a high-traffic environment.

“When you’ve got 45-plus and then staff and students and volunteers, there’s a lot of people. So, there’s just a lot of maintenance that we need,” she said. “I think it’s just the same kind of — you hate to even say ‘a problem’ when you’re so blessed — but you know there’s constantly things that break. We need this toilet repaired, or we need these lights replaced.”

The Arc doesn’t have a dedicated maintenance person. Instead, staff members try to fix what they can, or they wait for a volunteer with the right skills to step in.

“That would be a blessing,” Pennington said. “That would be a blessing if we had someone who was just a handyman or woman to come and help with that.”

The facility’s physical limitations don’t just affect comfort — they impact programming. Broken lights can delay sensory-friendly activities. Plumbing issues can disrupt daily routines. Equipment needs often pile up while staff juggle paperwork, caregiving and events.

Volunteers keep the mission moving

Despite these challenges, The Arc continues to grow thanks in large part to community support. Fundraisers, grants and donations help sustain programs. In 2018, the organization became a certified provider through the state Department of Mental Health, which allowed them to begin billing Medicaid and significantly increase funding for its Rise and Shine program.

But Pennington said hands-on help is just as valuable.

Springs added more volunteers are always welcome and needed, especially because social interaction is such an important part of daily life for program participants.

“Our adults love interacting with other people … being able to sit and talk with them, engage in activities with them,” she said. “It’s another friend for them.”

Volunteers, she explained, don’t just ensure The Arc stays operational; they help shape a more inclusive community.

According to United Disabilities Services, volunteering helps reduce barriers between people with and without disabilities. That includes:

— Communication barriers by promoting accessible language and methods.

— Social barriers since people with disabilities are more likely to experience isolation.

— Attitudinal barriers by helping shift stereotypes and improve community inclusion.

Advocacy beyond the walls

The Arc’s work doesn’t stop with daily services. Its staff also focuses on long-term change through education, advocacy and training.

In its education department, The Arc partners with K-12 school systems to support families of students with disabilities, offering Individualized Education Program and other management plan training. The organization also played a role in the passage of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which ensures students with disabilities can learn alongside their peers.

The Arc provides training on topics such as employment, legal rights, social relationships and community inclusion for parents, providers and professionals.

As part of its public policy work, The Arc holds seats on statewide councils and task forces, bringing real-world disability issues directly to lawmakers.

“We’re serving people with disabilities and, of course, their families as well. And our mission is to promote and support their full inclusion in our community throughout their lifetimes,” Pennington said. “So, we’re doing all kinds of programming here to hopefully get them embedded into more activities in the community.”

For decades, The Arc has operated with one core belief: that individuals with disabilities deserve the same opportunities and independence as anyone else.

Despite ongoing repair needs and the lack of a maintenance staff, those working at The Arc remain hopeful that with time, resources and community commitment, they’ll continue building a more inclusive southeast Mississippi.