What started as a grassroots movement decades ago has blossomed into one of the largest disability-rights advocacy organizations in Tennessee. In early 1950, a group of parents and other civic leaders organized to promote the general welfare of citizens with disabilities, with a primary focus on intellectual disability. The Arc was officially chartered by the Tennessee Secretary of State on November 2, 1950. Since then, The Arc Mid-South has pioneered and promoted services and programs that have great impact on individuals with disabilities.  We started the first special education classes in both Memphis City and Shelby County Schools as well as group homes and the Adult Activity Center now known as Shelby Residential and Vocational Services (SRVS).