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T

he Emerald Coast is a truly special 
place. It is home to some of the 
world’s most beautiful pure white 
sandy beaches and crystal clear 

waters. You can see dolphins playing as you 
walk along the shores in the mornings and 
can view breathtaking sunsets every night. 
However, our home has so much more to 
offer than natural beauty, the people that 
make up our community are exceptional. 
These people are giving, they are selfless 
and they make up incredible organizations 
like The Arc of the Emerald Coast; a non-
profit organization serving men, women and 

children with intellectual and developmental 
disabilities in Okaloosa, Walton and Santa 
Rosa Counties. They offer programs to over 
450 people including Adult Day Training, five 
group homes with 24/7 care, assisted living, 
job training, placement and transportation, 
a Children’s Center and more. Their 
supportive, caring staff and amazing Board 
of Directors make the seemingly impossible 
become a reality. Their Children’s Center 
serves over 120 local children, both with and 
without disabilities, providing day care, after 
school care and Pre-K. They provide their 
adult clients with Supported Employment, 

making it possible for them to work 
in the community on a daily basis. 
Additionally, their community 
involvement is extensive with production 
of and involvement in many events 
each year, including Burning Up The 
Beaches, the Murder Mystery Dinner, 
the Blueberry Bash, The Emerald 
Coast Foundation Poker Run each 
August, Destin Charity Wine Auction 
Foundation and United Way. Their 
community development department 
is out and about all the time, actively 
participating in all three area chambers 
and making sure the public knows about 
The Arc and the amazing work they do. 

The Arc of the Emerald Coast is constantly 

growing and evolving and recently broke 
ground on the Impact 100 Aquatic Center 
and Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation 
Early Intervention and Education Center. 
“This is the realization of a vision we have long 
had. It will be the only pool built exclusively 
for the use of people with disabilities. The 
Early Intervention/Education Center will 
be a unique, safe and comfortable facility to 
provide year round therapeutic exercise and 
socialization, along with educating families 
on the best methods of dealing early on with 
their disabled child. Truly exciting stuff for 
the entire community!” described John Roper, 
CEO. The Arc of the Emerald Coast touches 
countless individuals each and every day and 
is near and dear to Roper’s heart. As a parent 
of a child with disabilities, Roper describes, 
“I not only want to ensure she gets all the 
opportunities available, but all individuals 
with disabilities. There is no greater feeling at 
the end of the day than knowing you made a 
difference to someone along the way.” From 
being a law enforcement officer to having 
served as ED of a counseling agency, to being a 
parent-advocate to a daughter with disabilities, 
it has always been a life long passion of his to 
serve others and he is living out this dream at 
The Arc of the Emerald Coast. 

story by

Courtney Murray

 | 

photos provided by

The Arc of the Emerald Coast

The Arc of the Emerald Coast

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