Support, Networking, and Meet Up Groups
Whether a sibling, a parent, a family member, or a friend, you can gather with others who understand the unique challenges of having a loved one with a disability.
Families and Caregivers of All Ages
Dads Group
Date and Time: Varies
Ages: Fathers of children of all ages
Location: Varies
For dads who understand the unique challenges of having a family member with a disability. For more information, please contact Mark Keeley, President and CEO, at 314-817-2280.
Parent Café ©
Date and Time: Bi-monthly starting November 2024, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Ages: Parents/Caregivers of children of all ages
Location: St. Louis Arc Family Center, 1177 N. Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132
Parent Café© are parent-led, guided conversations about topics that are relevant to your family and your life. Learn from other’s experiences while they learn from yours. Join us to relax, de-stress, connect, share, and learn. On-site childcare will be available. For more information please contact Anjeanette (AJ) Johnson at [email protected] or 314-964-1619.
Families and Caregivers
of Children, Teens, and Young Adults
Families of Kids 7 and Under
Date and Time: Second Monday of every month, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Ages: Parents/Caregivers of children who are 7 years old or younger
Caregivers of children with a disability or delay ages 0 to 7 years old have an opportunity to connect with other parents/caregivers to share resource ideas and support. For upcoming dates and to register, contact Cait Carr at 314-941-1433.
Joyzen Parent Powerhouse Workshops
Date and Time: Varies
Ages: Parents/Caregivers of children ages 13 to 30
Parenting strategies and mindsets need to adapt if you want your child to be able to maximize their capacity for independence. Joyzen uses experiential learning, easily adaptable skills, and emotional intelligence to create community and a collaborative environment between parents, young adults, and support staff. This workshop is designed for families with children with I/DD ages 13 to 30 but is open to anyone caring for a person with IDD. For more information or to RSVP, contact Sharon Spurlock at 314-817-2222.
Joyzen Tune Up Group
Date and Time: Varies
Ages: Parents/Caregivers of individuals of any age who have previously attended a Joyzen Parent Powerhouse Workshop
This group is reserved for any family member who has completed a Joyzen Intensive class. Joyzen graduates will work with each other and members of the St. Louis Arc Family Support team to share parenting successes and struggles, and apply Joyzen techniques as we problem solve together. To join us and for upcoming dates and to register, join our MeetUp group.
The UPLIFT Group – Transition Age to Adult (Caregivers and Individuals)
Date and Time: Third Tuesday of every month, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Ages: Parents/Caregivers of young adults 16 to 30
The St. Louis Arc Family Support and Next teams would like to introduce you to The Uplift Group. This is a combination of two different groups: Transition to Adulthood: Caregiver Support Group and Bounce Forward. The transition from the teen years to adulthood can be challenging for both young adults and their caregivers. During this time there will be many ups and downs and connecting with peers may be just what you need to get through this adventure. Parents/caregivers will have the option for virtual participation, if they are unable to attend in person. For more information or to RSVP, at [email protected]rg.
Families and Caregivers of Adults
Supporters of Older Adults with Disabilities
Date and Time: Third Friday of every month, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Ages: Parents/Caregivers of adult children ages 27 and older
Are you the primary parent or supporter for someone who is aging? Do you feel an urgency to plan for the future for your family member with IDD as you get older? If so, this is the group for you! Please join us for coffee and conversation around ensuring a good life for our family members after were gone. For more information or to RSVP, contact Mary Anne Tolliver at 314-817-2218.
Innovative Housing Solutions
Date and Time: Varies
Ages: Individuals ages 18 and older
If your family member with IDD is looking for an alternative to 24/7 housing support, join this group to meet other families who are considering how to leverage technology, community and personal resources to forge a new path. This group is about possibilities and not connected to any existing Arc residential supports or services. For upcoming dates and to register, join our MeetUp group.
Planning Forward Learning Series
Date and Time: VariesAges: Parents/Caregivers of adult children ages 27 and older
Planning Forward is an eight-week series that breaks down all of the issues families need to consider as they are aging – where will my family member live when I can no longer care for them, have I made the necessary legal and financial plans, are there conversations that I need to have with other people who care about them? Join other families to learn about a variety of topics across six life domains and to share the common experience of planning for an adult with an intellectual or developmental disability. For more information or to RSVP, contact Mary Anne Tolliver at 314-817-2218.
For Children or Adults with Disabilities
Counseling
Date and Time: Varies
Ages: All ages
Providing individual and group counseling to teenagers, adults, and their families. Practices a philosophy of empowerment and understanding emotions and impulse control. Uses strengths-based, Dialectical and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (DBT and CBT) methods. Sessions based on where the person is mentally and emotionally, making is accessible, short-term, and free.
For more information, contact Lee Anna Sanders at 314-941-1640.
St. Louis Self-Advocates
Date and Time: Every Thursday, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Ages: Individuals ages 18 and up
The St. Louis Self-Advocates are St. Louis area adults seeking to empower each other, to increase awareness about disability-related issues, and improve their community. Our members are St. Louis area residents ages 18 and up, who have a diagnosed disability. The groups committees reflect the goals and vision of the group:
- Advocacy: to improve the lives of people with disabilities through thoughtful political engagement
- Quality: to improve the services provided to people with disabilities through participation in agency leadership, staff training, and more
- Morale: to create a sense of community and friendship among membership
- Marketing: to increase awareness and bring attention to the group’s activities
For more information or to RSVP, contact Hannah Satterwhite at [email protected].
Women’s Group
Date and Time: Second Tuesday of the month, 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Ages: Women ages 18 and older; with or without disabilities
Location: 3117 Big Bend Blvd., Maplewood, MO 63143
This group is catered towards adult women with disabilities. Spend some time with women who empower other women. Our goal is to connect with one another and have conversation. Vulnerability is valued, welcomed, and practiced in the group. This group meets in person, but a virtual option is available upon request. To join our email list for updates, or to RSVP, please call or email Emma Burroughs at 314-566-1158.
Virtual Roommate Meetings
Date and Time: Varies, Held quarterlyAges: Individuals ages 18 and up
Do you want to live in your own apartment? Come to this virtual Roommate Meeting to discuss how to successfully find a roommate. You will create Roommate Profiles to assist everyone in their roommate search. You may even make a connection with someone else at the meeting.
To join our email list for updates or to RSVP, please call or email Emma Burroughs at 3145661158.
LGBTQIA+ Social Safari
Date and Time: Varies
Ages: Ages 18 and older
Location: Varies
This group is for adults who identify as LGBTQIA+ and have an intellectual or developmental disability. We’ll meet monthly to build social connections and explore queer St. Louis. Limited supports are provided – please bring an ally if you need personal care assistance or safety support in the community. Learn about monthly activities and sign up at https://www.meetup.com/connect-at-st-louis-arc/
Adults with Asperger Social Group
Date and Time: Varies
Ages: Ages 18 and older
Location: Varies
This is a welcoming group for people with Autism Level 1 (ASD1/Asperger Syndrome) and other disabilities who appreciate an open-minded, welcoming space to meet others. There is minimal support from the St. Louis Arc at this event so folks need to be able to be safe without supervision. Attendees are responsible for ordering and purchasing during the event and managing their transportation. Learn about monthly activities and sign up at https://www.meetup.com/connect-at-st-louis-arc/
For Siblings of Individuals with Disabilities
Adult Sibling Happy Hour
Date and Time: Dates vary, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Ages: Siblings ages 21+
Join us for a celebration of sibling relationships. We’ll enjoy some drinks and appetizers, share sibling experiences, and learn from you about what the St. Louis Arc can do to best support you. For upcoming dates and to register, join our MeetUp group.
Sibshops
Date and Time: Bi-monthly, 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Ages: Siblings ages 7 to 12
Sibshops offer an opportunity for brothers and sisters of children with disabilities to get peer support and education within a recreational context. This free series includes a fun mix of information, games, activities, and discussion. Children between the ages of 7 to 12 years old who have a sibling with a disability are encouraged to participate. For more information, contact April Nixon at [email protected] or 314-941-1659.
Unless otherwise noted, all groups are free to attend. Advance registration is required. If you have questions about our support groups, please click here.