The Arc Training Institute and Teaching Hotel

On October 28 at the Muncie Horizon Convention Center, the country’s first training institute and teaching hotel for people with disabilities broke ground. The Arc welcomed almost 300 people to bear witness to this achievement. The project is expected to open in October 2015.

Source: arcind.org/training-institute

The hotel project’s primary goal is to increase employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities by providing training specific to the hospitality industry. The project will create approximately 30 permanent jobs in various capacities within the hotel itself, and will provide a resource for Indiana businesses to hire qualified, trained hospitality employees.
 
"The economic development side of it is one important piece of the puzzle, but most important is what this project will do for the city of Muncie," Mayor Dennis Tyler told The Star Press after the ceremony. "It will show the state of Indiana and the rest of the country how the city of Muncie and our community feel about helping people with special needs and putting them in a special place in our community and our heart."
 
James M. Hammond III, Vice-President of the Arc Foundation’s Board of Directors, was also pleased with the partnership. He said, “This project illustrates the commitment and partnership of Mayor Dennis Tyler and The Arc of Indiana to the employment and training of individuals with disabilities. Muncie is a city on the move and this new Hotel project, the Courtyard by Marriott, will add a new and exciting hospitality experience and conference facility that will benefit thousands of visitors annually.” 

INARF is excited for the Arc’s accomplishment. It is an example of a win-win situation which benefits individuals with disabilities, Indiana businesses, and the community as a whole. By networking with Indiana’s robust provider community, it will create a qualified work force and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities across the state. News and information about the training institute and teaching hotel can be found at: www.arcind.org/teaching-hotel. Follow the Training Institute and Teaching Hotel @ArcTeachHotel.