Evan Snow: And welcome back to another episode of the Choose954 podcast, episode 91, with Arc Broward CEO Julie Price here from their beautiful campus in front of the living wall in her honor. If you didn’t know about Choose954, myself, Evan Snow, and my business partner, Mr. Andrew Martino, as arts advocates, community builders, and placemakers, started a social movement to cultivate culture and community here in my native home county of Broward, in an effort to make this a better place to live and not just a better place to vacation because we live here. The goal is to keep people in the know with all the great things that are going on in the arts, culture, and community space. The point of the podcast is to connect you, the viewer, with important people like Julie who do amazing things in the community. We appreciate everything you do, and they’re about to find out. So without much further ado, why don’t you give us a little bit of a high-level overview of yourself, your role, and what you do here?
Julie Price: Sure. I'm Julie Price, the President and CEO with Arc Broward. I've been with the organization for 38 years, so I’ve spent quite a bit of time learning the ins and outs of the organization, including all the programs we operate, the business we operate in Arc Culinary and Arc Educates, and just being part of an incredible community.
Evan Snow: Amen. And for those that are not familiar with Arc Broward, could you give us an overview of the program and what you guys do here?
Julie Price: Absolutely. Arc Broward started in 1957 as a movement by parents who were looking for services and supports for their children with disabilities. This was before free and appropriate education, and school systems weren’t necessarily supporting kids in those situations. Adults, by and large, were being institutionalized. So, parents took the opportunity to band together locally, statewide, and around the nation to create programs and organizations, many under the banner of the Arcs, as we are all known. Today, what started as a small grassroots organization has grown into a very robust, diverse organization supporting 1,200 children, adults, and their families in 21 different programs scattered throughout our community. This includes educational programs, residential and workforce development programs, therapeutic services, and a whole host of wraparound supports. Really, if someone has a developmental disability, they can probably find support at Arc Broward.
Evan Snow: And who are the target population of the residents and community members that you serve?
Julie Price: The target population is primarily individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities or those who are neurodivergent. This includes individuals with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, or some type of generalized developmental delay. We also support individuals who may not have any of those diagnoses but have life challenges and want to participate in our culinary program. So, it's a really diverse group of folks we are interested in supporting, and of course, always their families.
Evan Snow: Amen. Did it initially start here in Broward County?
Julie Price: It did. Arc Broward has always been here. Our very first location was in a small storefront in the late 1950s, early 60s, on Las Olas Boulevard. From there, we moved to other locations in Fort Lauderdale and Hallandale, where our preschool operated, and residential programs that are scattered around. In the late 1980s, we bought this land out in Sunrise and built this facility for our purposes. We've been here since 1991, and we love being here every day.
Evan Snow: Amen. So, you’ve been with the organization for a few years now. How has that journey progressed from when you initially started to having a living wall in your honor behind you here?
Julie Price: My first opportunity to join Arc Broward was when I was in college. I had some friends who worked in one of our residential programs, our largest residential program in Davie, a 36-bed facility called Arc Housing. Since I was going to school nearby, my friends suggested I work there on weekends and evenings. I had no experience working with people with disabilities—I didn’t even know anyone with a disability—but I spent some time there, got to know and love the residents and everything we do, and fell in love with the place. I’ve never really left since. I’ve been fortunate because the organization is large and offers opportunities for team members to move around. I’ve worked in our children's programs, preschool, adult programs supporting individuals getting jobs, and starting careers. I found my way around, maybe I was a busybody, but I loved every opportunity I had. Eventually, I moved into management and leadership roles, starting new programs and responding to community needs. Last year, I moved into the CEO role.
Evan Snow: Congratulations, very admirable. It’s not always common to see people stick with organizations for a long period of time, especially in nonprofits where fundraising and changes in the marketplace can be challenging. But you guys have a very noteworthy and important mission. What is your "why" behind supporting this community and this organization for so long?
Julie Price: My "why" boils down to something pretty simple. I’ve been blessed to work with individuals, children, and adults with disabilities and their families—a group of individuals who are vulnerable, and families who need support and services. Sometimes they just need a helpful hand and reassurance that everything will be okay. My heart has always been most filled when I’m supporting individuals with disabilities and seeing them succeed and thrive in our community. Broward is a tight-knit community with lots of opportunities, and anything we can do to support those who need assistance and are the most vulnerable is worthy of all our love and attention.
Evan Snow: 100%. I have a dear friend who’s an autism educator, and I plan to bring her to the culinary experience. I’ve gained a new appreciation for the work that she does and that you guys do. It’s very important work. You mentioned some opportunities, including dinners. What are some upcoming events where people can get involved, see it for themselves, and have a memorable night?
Julie Price: We have two of our most important activities coming up very soon. The Miss Arc Broward pageant is on Sunday, May 19th, at the Parker. It’s a pageant for young girls ages 7 through 16 to showcase their talents, abilities, and platforms. It’s an empowerment pageant, more than just a traditional pageant. It’s an opportunity for the community to embrace these young women as they embark on their path to adulthood, learning about all the incredible things that young girls with disabilities can do. That’s our first important event coming up soon.
Arc Culinary, our social enterprise, has a catering business, and we host high-end, elevated dining experiences. We have several of those coming up in May, including a Tacos and Tequila night, a Memphis BBQ, and another fancy dinner at the end of the month called Gastronomic Adventure. These are more intimate dining experiences held in this space, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Innovation Kitchen, where we can host incredible dinners for up to 39 people in the community. You can sit at our chef's table or communal tables. Sitting at the chef's table is fantastic because you're right there with the chefs, learning about their menu, recipes, and plating advice. The communal tables are great because you walk away with new friends every time. It’s about great food for a great cause with a great community.
Evan Snow: Amen. May 3rd is the first one—Tacos and Tequila, May 17th—Memphis Style BBQ Bash, which I’ll be attending, and May 30th—Gastronomic Adventure. If people want to find out more information and purchase tickets, donate, or support, where can they go?
Julie Price: Anybody can visit us on our website at www.arcbroward.com. There’s all sorts of information on our website about the Miss Arc Broward pageant, our Arc Culinary dinners, and tickets can be purchased through a link on that site. You can also give us a call at 954-746-9400, and you can ask to speak with me or anyone on our fundraising and development team. We’re more than willing to spend time talking about our events, and we welcome anyone to come out to our campus and tour it. This is a nine-acre campus with 85,000 square feet and three large buildings. You’ll need your tennis shoes because there’s a lot to walk around, see, and do. There’s nothing better than meeting the folks we are blessed to support every day.
Evan Snow: It looks like you’ve got some great supporters—I see Moss Construction’s name, Emeril Lagasse Foundation. You’ve definitely changed a lot of lives, a lot of families, and a very important portion of our community. What are some of your favorite noteworthy success stories that you like to share and highlight for those that might not be familiar with the impact?
Julie Price: I think what’s really important is that we talk about what individuals with disabilities can achieve when they have the right supports, particularly when they start very young in our early intervention programs. Our in-home programs for birth to seven-year-olds and our preschool program for three to five-year-olds set folks on a path early, helping them achieve big successes when they’re older. We’ve had some incredible successes. A few years ago, someone who participated in our after-school employment training readiness program graduated and moved to Orlando, enrolling at the University of Central Florida. That’s fantastic for anyone who’s a Knights fan out there.
In our culinary program, we employ some of the graduates from our 16-week entry-level culinary arts program. We have a young man, Patrick, who is currently working in the kitchen. He was our Student of the Year last year, and he’s a rock star. Beyond that, we celebrate lots of everyday successes, like kids learning to walk in our preschool, saying their first words with our speech therapists, and earning their first paychecks in our after-school program. These are 40 young adults who are getting ready to leave the school system and move into adulthood, and they’ll be earning their first paychecks. These types of experiences are big deals for these kids and their families, who may have been told their child would never walk or talk. To see them walk across the stage at graduation, with tears flowing from everyone, it’s inspirational, moving, and life-changing. It’s a place filled with love, opportunities, and hope.
Evan Snow: It really is. The wins don’t have to be in the newspapers, and not every win will get a Netflix documentary, but you guys have changed so many lives. I didn’t share this with you, but in my early stages of transitioning to community building, social entrepreneurship, and placemaking, I was a food blogger. One of the first events I ever attended was Delish, your former culinary showcase, at the Gallery of Amazing Things back in 2015. I vividly remember that—it’s a very fond memory. I met all the students working side by side with guest chefs, really learning some great skills. Those were really fun events, not only fun but impactful when you see the impact in front of you, literally watching someone’s life change from an enriching experience. It’s a beautiful thing. I’m also a fan of this living wall behind us, something we encourage more developers and businesses to incorporate. Can you tell us how this came about?
Julie Price: This living wall is really special to me personally and to the organization. In 2013, I was awarded the Jim Moran Foundation Award. They select one person a year, one community member a year—it doesn’t have to be a community leader, just someone the foundation has spent time with, worked with, and feels has made an impact. I had worked with the Jim Moran Foundation for a number of years, and the team there, especially Melanie Burgess, was just a dream. One day, I got a call from Melanie saying, “Mrs. Moran, Jan Moran, and the foundation would like to honor you with the Jim Moran Foundation Award. We hope you accept it.” Of course, it was a thrill and an honor beyond what I could imagine. Along with the recognition, the award came with $50,000 for the organization of my choice. That was a no-brainer—$50,000 went to Arc Broward, and it was the first $50,000 that kicked off the campaign for this incredible space here. With that first $50,000, we were able to hire our first architect, our first engineers, and get the ball rolling to build this space out like we did in the years following. It was a thrill to receive that award, to get that money, use it as seed money to create the vision we have here today.
Evan Snow: Amazing. It’s super pretty and beautiful, with some of my mom’s favorite florals here. You mentioned culinary arts, which is an art form. Some people gravitate towards painting, others towards performance art, and some are passionate about food. They deserve a space and opportunity, neurodivergent or not. It’s a beautiful thing that you can support that. I have diabetes, so I’m very aware of my health and what I’m putting into my body. Recently, I’ve been pushing to go more organic and cut down on carbs even further. The fact that you’re raising awareness about culinary arts, having a living wall, more green space, and thinking more about what we’re putting into our bodies is commendable. You’re providing opportunities, raising awareness, providing good quality products, impact, and memorable experiences, changing lives. Is there anything else that comes to mind that you feel is noteworthy or worth mentioning?
Julie Price: I want to piggyback on that because a lot of people don’t consider culinary arts an art form. But if you come to one of our dinners and see the activity our chefs are doing daily and what they’re imparting on the students, it’s magic. We have two chef instructors, and the instruction they provide is incredible. They end the program with a student chef luncheon. You taste these entrées, appetizers, and desserts, which are just ridiculous. I hate to say that because you're diabetic—I’m diabetic too, so I can appreciate that. When I see these desserts, my glucose level shoots up. But it’s stunningly beautiful. Even the simpler dishes, like a comfort food dinner we recently had, were presented so beautifully that you’d want to take a picture and put it on your wall. We had a seven-course dessert dinner recently, and every course Chef Christian created was a magnificent piece of art. There was an oyster made out of white chocolate that looked like a real oyster shell—it was stunning. Culinary arts offer a magnificent opportunity for folks to have a creative outlet, do things they love, and love what they do. We appreciate the opportunity to showcase it to the community.
Evan Snow: Not only showcasing the space but also inspiring different organizations, community members, philanthropists, and people in the nonprofit space. If you’re considering doing another event or fundraiser, here’s a great organization to potentially partner with, support, collaborate with, and give people opportunities—job placement, whatever the case may be. I sincerely encourage anyone, if this struck a chord with you, to reach out. I know you guys are very inclusive, open-minded, welcoming, and accommodating. The space is beautiful. I cannot give you enough credit and kudos. You guys are doing very important work, very noteworthy, and deserving. I’m glad to provide my support to get the word out, hopefully bringing you more attendees, supporters, donors, community members, and press. Every little bit matters.
Julie Price: We definitely appreciate that.
Evan Snow: Just one more time, the website if they want to connect with you guys?
Julie Price: Absolutely. Our website is www.arcbroward.com, and I’ll throw in our phone number again—954-746-9400. We’re always interested in folks reaching out to us, learning more about what we do, and most importantly, coming to visit us. We love having people come here and see the great work we’re doing. We’re here at 10250 Northwest 53rd Street in Sunrise, Florida. It’s a beautiful campus. Kudos to you guys for, although you might have missed on the location in Las Olas back in the day, who would have known? This is a beautiful space.
Evan Snow: If you want to find out about more cool events like this, we certainly encourage you to follow Choose954 on social media, sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter—it’s not spammy. We’ve got great events coming up. One of your events is aligned with the scheduling. We participate annually in something called 10 Days of Connection, hosted by Radical Partners out of Miami, founded by Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, the CEO of the Miami Foundation. Now run by a Friend of mine, Jo, it works to bring people together over different passions and cross-sections. We host a potluck for artists—a free community event where you bring a dish for five or six people. That’ll be on May 5th at our Zero Empty Spaces Gulfstream Park location in Hallandale Beach.
Julie Price: That sounds fantastic.
Evan Snow: It is a great thing. We’ve been doing it quarterly for about five, six years now. This will be our 19th one, even throughout COVID. Not everyone has someone to share a meal with, and making connections among your peers, contemporaries, and colleagues in the creative space is important. We also host a monthly breakfast lecture series called Creative Zen, a mini TED Talk that I’ve been doing for about six years now. We bring in local people from the community to share their thought-provoking and inspiring stories, showing how we’re more relatable than we are different. That event will also be during 10 Days of Connection on May 10th, every second Friday morning of the month, at the Cotilla Gallery inside the Alvin Sherman Library on the NSU campus. My business partner is the president of the Circle of Friends board, so there are many ways to get involved with the community. We still host free tours of the ArtWalk in Hollywood every third Saturday. We have a goal-setting accountability mini mastermind group called Action Club, where we bring people together to support their goals. If any of this resonated with you, feel free to reach out. We’re all open books. I’m Evan Snow with Choose954—find us online, find us at the dinner on May 17th.
Last question we like to end with: Why do you choose the 954?
Julie Price: Well, I think there’s no better place to find what’s happening in our community, to feel a connection, and to thrive and do great things as a large group of people together.
Evan Snow: Amen. You’ve been here for a while; you’ve seen it change and evolve. You’re making an impact and doing great things. I really appreciate your time and the work you’re doing. We hope to see you at least on May 17th when I’ll be there, if not for any of the other dinners or opportunities. We appreciate you tuning in. We’d love to hear why you choose the 954, and we’ll see you at the next one. Cheers.
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