People's Arc of Suffolk

What People's Arc of Suffolk does

People's Arc of Suffolk is a private nonprofit organization headquartered at 2900 Veterans Memorial Highway in Bohemia, New York, that provides person-centered programs and services to more than 2,500 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) across Suffolk County, Long Island. The organization, formerly known as AHRC Suffolk, operates an integrated service portfolio spanning the Educare Center (academic instruction, therapy, and life-skills education for students ages 5-22), Adult Day Services and Day Habilitation, Housing Programs, Employment and Vocational Services, Respite Services, and Community Habilitation. It also runs four specialized community centers — the Performing Arts Center in Northport, the Nature Community Center (Horticulture) in West Sayville, the Community Art Center in Westhampton Beach, and the Vocational Community in Bohemia — alongside specialized initiatives including Project SEARCH at Huntington Hospital, SANYS University self-advocacy training, Arc-TV All-Abilities Channel media programming, and Adaptive Golf Clinics developed with the Metropolitan Golf Association. The leadership team is headed by CEO John McGuigan, with Mary Fu as Chief Advancement Officer and Dana Schillinger as VP of Children's Services.

The organization's revenue model is built primarily on recurring government contracts and Medicaid waiver reimbursement administered through the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), supplemented by donations and event-based fundraising (notably the Annual Golf Classic, Candlelight Ball, Fashion Show, and Shark Tank Showdown). Services are not priced on a fee-for-service basis; rather, they are funded for eligible individuals through OPWDD-funded programs. Go-to-market is community-led: programs are embedded in Suffolk County neighborhoods through partnerships with churches (St. Ann's Episcopal), schools (Sayville High School, Farmingdale State College), hospitals (Huntington Hospital), civic organizations (Metropolitan Golf Association, Three Village Rotary, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island), and co-provider Rise Life Services. Distribution channels are direct service delivery at the organization's own facilities plus hosted programs at external partner sites.

Strategically, People's Arc of Suffolk is in an active transition from a single Bohemia-centric operating model to a decentralized community-embedded footprint, with new sites opening across Suffolk County in 2025-2026 and a new Nature Community Center launching in mid-2025. The organization has received recent industry recognition including the SANYS Long Island Region Agency of the Year (2026), HIA-LI 2025 Business Achievement Award in the Non-Profit Category, and a Self-Advocate of the Year honor for Veronica Contreras. Notable operational strengths include long-tenured staff (employees with 5-55 years of service) and a diversified community partnership ecosystem that supports referral pipelines and fundraising reach.

Name

People's Arc of Suffolk

Legal name

People's Arc of Suffolk

Website

https://peoplesarc.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

People's Arc of Suffolk is a nonprofit organization serving 2,500+ children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Suffolk County, Long Island, through education, housing, employment, day habilitation, respite, and community-based programs funded primarily by NYS OPWDD contracts and Medicaid waivers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bohemia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts and Medicaid Waivers: Funded through New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) contracts and Medicaid waiver programs for services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
2. Donations and Fundraising: Major annual fundraising events including Golf Classic ($160,000 raised in 2026), Candlelight Ball, Fashion Show, and Shark Tank Showdown. Individual donations and corporate sponsorships.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

People's Arc of Suffolk is a nonprofit organization providing person-centered programs and services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Suffolk County, Long Island. The core service portfolio includes the Educare Center (academic instruction, therapy, and life skills education for ages 5-22), Adult Day Services/Day Habilitation, Housing/Residential Programs, Employment/Vocational Services, Respite Services, and Community Habilitation, delivered through community centers spanning performing arts, art, horticulture, and vocational training.

Product overview

People's Arc of Suffolk is a non-profit organization providing person-centered services where children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities thrive to their fullest potential. The organization operates a multi-service portfolio including: the Educare Center (educational and therapeutic services for ages 5-22), Adult Day Services and Day Habilitation Programs, Housing Programs, Employment and Vocational Services, Respite Services, and Community Habilitation. Community-based facilities include the Performing Arts Center in Northport, Nature Community Center in West Sayville, Community Art Center in Westhampton Beach, and Vocational Community in Bohemia. The organization also runs specialized programs such as Project SEARCH at Huntington Hospital, SANYS University self-advocacy training, Adaptive Golf Clinics, Arc-TV media programming, and various community events including Annual Golf Classic, Candlelight Ball, and Fashion Show fundraisers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Day Services

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 2,500 children and adults with disabilities served across Long Island
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long IslandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Partnership to raise funds through clothing donation bins. Gentle used clothing donated at People's Arc locations generates financial support for programs. Students participated in launch event forming human chain to move donated items. Bin located at 45 Crossways East Road in Bohemia.
• St. Ann's Episcopal ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2025St. Ann's Episcopal Church in Sayville hosts People's Arc Program Without Walls and pre-vocational program participants. Participants work at church food pantry and thrift shop, gaining community integration and work-readiness experience. The partnership allows participants to engage with the surrounding community while developing skills and relationships. The church welcomed the program and has become an integral part of participants' daily life.
• Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMGA has been hosting adaptive golf clinics for people supported by People's Arc, introducing them to golf, building confidence, and honing skills. MGA staff played alongside participants in first-ever program foursome at 2026 Golf Classic. Saturday clinics were also run throughout the year with Respite program.
• Farmingdale State College (FSC) Men's Lacrosse TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner20-year partnership with FSC Lacrosse team delivering holiday gifts to Educare Center students annually. Players personally donate 3-4 gifts each, shop, wrap presents, and visit campus for holiday celebration with Santa. Coach Sean Chamberlain leads the initiative.
• Huntington HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHuntington Hospital hosts Project SEARCH internship program where People's Arc interns receive workplace immersion experience. Interns spend entire day at hospital learning career skills in various departments with individualized support from People's Arc educators.
• Three Village RotaryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThree Village Rotary sponsored Valentine's Dance and donated $5,493 from Octoberfest 5K Run/Walk to purchase sensory software and tools for Educare Center including interactive sensory wall and light-up sensory mirror set.
• Rise Life ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosted second annual Shark Tank Showdown fundraiser at Atlantis Aquarium in Riverhead. Six fundraisers dove into shark tank to raise awareness and support for programs benefiting children and adults with I/DD. Event raised more than $70,000 combined.
• Sayville High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through greenhouse collaboration at Nature Community Center in Sayville. High school students volunteer alongside People's Arc participants, cultivating inclusion and career inspiration.
• New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)coreOthersOPWDD is the state agency that regulates and funds services for people with developmental disabilities. Commissioner Willow Baer visited People's Arc in January 2026 to see programs in action and meet with self-advocates.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ADAPT Community Network: NYC-based I/DD services provider offering residential, day, employment, and clinical programs funded by OPWDD — comparable service portfolio with broader geographic reach and similar person-centered approach.
• YAI (Young Adult Institute): Larger NYC-area I/DD services organization offering residential, day, employment, clinical, and children's services across multiple counties — broader geographic reach and scale but overlapping service portfolio, funding structure, and target population.
• HeartShare Human Services of New York: NYC-based nonprofit providing residential, day, educational, and vocational services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities — overlapping service categories and OPWDD/Medicaid funding model with greater scale and geographic breadth.

Direct peers

• The Arc New York: Statewide chapter network of which People's Arc is an affiliate; collectively represents OPWDD-funded I/DD service providers across New York with overlapping residential, day, and employment service models and shared advocacy function.
• AHRC Nassau: Sister AHRC chapter serving Nassau County with similar I/DD programs including day habilitation, employment, residential, and children's services — directly comparable operational model, funding sources (OPWDD/Medicaid), and service portfolio across the Long Island region.
• ACLD (Adults and Children with Learning and Developmental Disabilities): Long Island-based nonprofit providing day habilitation, residential, employment, and clinical services to individuals with developmental disabilities — overlapping service geography in Suffolk/Nassau and similar OPWDD-funded service model.
• Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI): Long Island-based nonprofit serving children and adults with autism and developmental disabilities through educational, residential, day, and employment programs — directly comparable mission, geography, and OPWDD-funded service mix.
• UCP (United Cerebral Palsy) of Long Island: Long Island affiliate of UCP serving children and adults with cerebral palsy and other disabilities through educational, residential, and day programs — similar service mix, regional footprint, and OPWDD funding base.
• Eden Autism: New Jersey and New York-based nonprofit providing educational, residential, and employment services for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities — comparable person-centered model, vocational emphasis, and state-funded service structure.
• Life's WORC: Long Island-based nonprofit providing residential, day habilitation, employment, and family support services for people with developmental disabilities — closely comparable operational model, geography, and OPWDD/Medicaid funding structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/peoplesarc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PeoplesArcTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/peoplesarc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/peoplesarc
• Instagraminstagram.com/peoplesarc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about People's Arc of Suffolk