To acknowledge and support the rights and responsibilities of individuals with disabilities and/or their families to determine their own needs.
A few words about us
First In Families of the Southern Piedmont provides support to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in Cabarrus, Davidson, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.
Started by parents of children with developmental disabilities, there are now 13 First In Families (FIF) chapters in North Carolina serving all 100 counties. The Southern Piedmont Chapter is housed within The Arc of Union/Cabarrus and we are a private, not-for-profit agency of last resort providing a safety net for many families requiring assistance with specific needs. This can mean anything from help with securing a communication device to help with funding for eyeglasses, therapeutic summer camps, wheelchairs or ramps.
What makes FIF unique is that we build partnerships with businesses, organizations and individuals to leverage and utilize community resources to meet the needs of the families we serve and to stretch the funding and donations we receive to assist as many families as possible. We then encourage those who have been assisted to “give back” by helping to meet the needs of other families.
Everyone has something to offer and not everything a family may need costs money. Sometimes help with babysitting, yard work, building a ramp or a fence or moving donated furniture can make all the difference for a family.
We are guided by the following objectives:
To empower these individuals and their families to develop flexible strategies which enable them to meet their needs.
To encourage awareness and innovative community responses to individuals with disabilities and their families.
To create a network of Family Support resources within the community.
To respect the dignity and individuality of persons with disabilities throughout the community.
To provide opportunities for people with disabilities to contribute and participate in their own resolutions.