We also want to extend a huge thanks to all our supporters who helped us meet our 2025 fundraising goal! Your donations helped us start 2026 running—already working together again with Texans with
intellectual and developmental disabilities to ensure a better quality of life. See what your support makes possible.
A memorial service will take place January 31 to celebrate Kafka’s extraordinary life, commitment to justice, and advocacy with the disability community. Attend online or in-person at ADAPT of Texas in Austin.
“Bob Kafka was a world class disability right advocate--a champion for disability rights in every way. No one ever doubted where he stood on an issue. The Arc of Texas and our state
benefited tremendously from his passion, persistence, and expertise, and we are honored to have worked with him on critical voting rights issues over the years. To his family, friends at ADAPT of Texas, and the countless lives he touched, we promise to carry his life’s work forward to create a more accessible, equitable world for people with disabilities.” -- Jennifer Martinez, CEO, The Arc of Texas
Attention DFW-area friends! Do you want to make things better for and with Texans with disabilities but don't know how to make it happen? Join ACE Workshops offered by The Arc of DFW Area to learn advocacy basics, how to tell your story to lawmakers, and how to build change in your community. Offered in-person and virtually in January, February and March, RSVP
for an upcoming session!
The Disability Policy Seminar is the premier annual federal advocacy event that brings together self-advocates, family members, policy experts, and disability supporters to learn about key issues and build momentum for systemic change on Capitol Hill. Register to attend to deepen your understanding of the federal policy landscape and gain skills to effectively
communicate priorities to members of Congress to positively impact people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Funded by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs with nonprofit organizations and local governments administering the program to Texans in their local areas, one-time grants of up to $22,500 are available for qualified households with individuals with disabilities who need home modifications to increase accessibility and eliminate hazardous
conditions (i.e. ramp installation, widening doorways). Previously known as the HomeFree Barrier Removal and Rehabilitation Program, it is now named for one of Texas’ most persuasive disability advocates, Amy Young, who shaped the program before her death in 2008.
Two staffers of The Arc of Texas—Sabrina Gonzalez Saucedo, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, and Michael Clarke, Deputy Director of Public Policy and Advocacy—recently joined our board member and self-advocate, Shelbi Davenport, for an episode of her long-running podcast to talk about their passion for disability rights, how to advocate and make your
voice heard, and why it matters. In this 87th episode, Shelbi compared a recent experience in an escape room, and the desire to “press the quit button and get rescued” with the work of disability rights advocacy, and went on to say, “but we didn’t—we persevered and conquered all the obstacles by working as a team.” What a great analogy—this work is hard, but progress is possible when we persist, together!
From The Arc of the U.S.: “Students with disabilities have the right to a free, appropriate public education. That right is protected by federal law and enforced by the U.S. Department of Education. Right now, those protections are being threatened. This means families could lose a place to turn when schools do not follow the law. Educators could lose access
to clear guidance and experts who help them meet their students’ needs. And students with disabilities could lose the critical supports they need to succeed. That is why we have joined a federal lawsuit to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education and defend students’ rights. Add your name to our petition to demand that the federal government protect the educational rights of students with disabilities.”
Thanks to those of you who attended our listening sessions and/or completed our questionnaire about the challenges you face in accessing vital services through the Health and Human Services Commission and/or the Texas Workforce Commission. Our Public Policy and Advocacy team recently met with representatives of the commission to convey your feedback and ideas.
If you missed these opportunities, there’s still time to provide input through the official input form on state agencies and services that impact disability supports. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to monitor this process.
