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Our History

We have been serving people with I/DD and their families since 1954.

Timeline of Events

2023

  1. ArcMorris celebrates its 70th anniversary at its Annual Awards Gala

    ArcMorris: Spanning the Years (1953-2023 and a glimpse into the future)

2021

  1. The traffic circle and garden in front of the F.M. Kirby Administrative Center is dedicated in former Executive Director William R. Testa's name.

    The front of the F.M. Kirby Administrative Center building including the William Testa Circle

2020

  1. Executive Director William R. Testa retired after 38 years of dedicated service

2019

  1. In memory of his Uncle James Krauklis, Matt Dinday rode his bicycle cross county from San Francisco to Portland, ME to raise awareness and funds for the agency

2017

  1. Agency-wide Family Picnic held at the Loretta & Julius Krauklis Center in Flanders with over 250 in attendance

    A crowd of Arc Morris individuals in a field with many holding their arms up.

2016

  1. Re-opening of former Chatham Respite Home as Chatham Group Home

    Exterior view of Chatham Group Home with a car parked in the driveway

2013

  1. Opened the Rubenstein Respite Home

  2. 25th Annual ArcMorris Foundation Golf Outing Held

2011

  1. Completed Expansion of the Hanover and Dover Adult Training Centers

2010

  1. The newly renovated and re-named central office, The ArcMorris Chapter’s F.M. Kirby Administrative Center, is dedicated.

    A side exterior view of the F.M. Kirby Administrative Building which shows a patio area

2008

  1. The opening and dedication of the new Loretta & Julius Krauklis Center takes place.

2007

  1. Purchase of Flanders School

  2. Secured long-term, 25 year lease for Central Administrative Headquarters

  3. Initiated first Capital Campaign to raise $3,000,000

2004

  1. Parsippany Access I Group Home opened (#18)

  2. 50th Anniversary celebrated

  3. Walkathon held for the first time

2001

  1. Dover Adult Training Center opened, serving Medical and Senior Special Needs

2000

  1. Saturday Respite Program established

  2. Hanover Township Mountain Avenue Group Home opened (#16), our first donated home

1994

  1. Aftercare Respite Program established

1993

  1. Morris Township Ketch Road Supervised Apartment Program opened, dedicated as The Harry F. Wilkinson Arc House for Independent Living

1992

  1. Agency name changed to The ArcMorris County Chapter, New Jersey, Inc.

  2. First Annual Radiocast held

1991

  1. Supportive Living Program established

1989

  1. Special Needs Adaptive Preschool (SNAP) opened

  2. Randolph Township Group Home dedicated (#12), our first newly constructed home funded by HUD

1988

  1. In-Home Respite Program established

  2. Morristown Behavioral Special Needs Group Home opened (#11)

1987

  1. Hanover Adult Training Center opened

1986

  1. St. Elizabeth's Adult Training Center opened

1985

  1. Developmental Day Care program established at the St. Elizabeth location

1984

  1. Supported Employment Program started

1983

  1. First Group Home opened in Lake Hiawatha within Parsippany-Troy Hills Township

1982

  1. Flanders Adult Training Center opened

1981

  1. Administrative Office moved to Central Avenue on the Greystone Psychiatric Hospital Campus

1978

  1. Morris County Adaptive Recreational Program (McARP) established

1977

  1. Purchased the Garland School, relocated offices to this Chester site and renamed it Deerhaven

1972

  1. Early Intervention Program established

1970

  1. Two new school buses were purchased to transport Day Training pupils

1964

  1. Day Time Care Training Center started

1963

  1. "Happy Day" Camp begins with 14 campers

1959

  1. Boy Scout Group & Girl Scout Troop started

  2. First office opened in Morristown

1958

  1. Nursery class established

1957

  1. Sheltered Workshop Program established

1953

  1. Formally incorporated as the New Jersey Association for Retarded Children, Morris Unit and joined the National Association for Retarded Children

1952

  1. The Morris Unit of the New Jersey Parent's Group for Retarded* Children was formed and held its first meeting in September of 1952.

    *Read more about the "R Word"
    A newspaper clipping from the September 12, 1952 edition of The Chatham Press which reads: "Parents of retarded children meeting. Parents of mentally retarded children are cordially invited to attend the organizational meeting of the Morris Unity of the N.J. Parent's Group for Retarded Children at the Alfred Vail School in Morris Plains, at 8:15 P. M."