People First of Kearney

03/25/2026

Reminder: People First of Kearney meets tomorrow, March 26th at 4pm at the Kearney Manor Pavillion on Ave K between 27th and 29th. Our presenter is Evan from the Tri-City Storm who will tell us about Storm hockey and the safety equipment he wears when playing.

01/22/2026

People First meeting TODAY at 4pm at the Kearney Manor Pavilion. We will be choosing the topics for our 2026 meeting, including a couple adventures to round out the year. Please join us for fun, friendship, and advocacy. 🙂

12/14/2025

12/07/2025

We are hosting our Holiday Celebration on Thursday, December 11th, 2025 from 5pm-7pm. Cost is $15 per person (cash or check only) at the door.
Meet at Kearney Manor Pavilion at 5 for crafts and at Valentino's at 6 for dinner. Attendees are responsible for their transportation needs.

07/09/2025

Disability Pride Celebration is THIS WEEK at Harmon Park!
Join Us on July 11 for Fun, Inclusion, and Community Recognition

Kearney, NE — The Arc of Buffalo County, in partnership with Molina Healthcare of Nebraska and ILC Central Nebraska , invites the entire community to join us this Friday, July 11, 2025, for our annual Disability Pride Celebration at Harmon Park in Kearney!

This free, family-friendly event takes place from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM and offers a day filled with joy, connection, and creativity.

Event Highlights Include:
A vibrant Resource Fair from 1:00–3:00 PM
Local craft vendors and activities for all ages

Our brand-new “Hats-Off to Disability Pride” Hat Fashion Show from 3:00–4:30 PM—where community members of all abilities will strut their stuff in creative hats!

NEW THIS YEAR: Access All-Stars Recognition
We are proud to honor the Access All-Stars. These are businesses, employers, and organizations in our region that go above and beyond to support inclusion and accessibility.

2025 Access All-Star Award Winners Include:

Favorite Disability-Friendly Businesses
Advanced Auto Parts
The Big Apple
Golden Ticket Cinema

Favorite Disability-Friendly Restaurant
The Lodge
Perkins
Pizza Ranch
The Cellar
Culver’s
Kyoto
Whiskey Creek

Favorite Disability-Friendly Coffee Shop
Baristas
Java Junction
7 Brew
Kitts Coffee Shop
Dunkin Donuts

Favorite Disability-Friendly Grocery Store
HyVee
Apple Market

Favorite Disability-Friendly Retail Store
Walmart
PetSmart
Hobby Lobby
Target

Favorite Disability-Friendly Health or Wellness Provider (gym, clinic, therapist)
Kearney Family YMCA
Family Practice
Elevate Counseling
CHI Wellness Center

Favorite accessible recreational space or entertainment venue (park, movie theatre, etc.)
The World Theatre
YMCA
Trails & Rails Museum
Cruise Nite Car Show
UNK Sports

Favorite Disability-Friendly local service provider (salon, mechanic, tech support, etc)
Jim Brown - Cozad Barbershop
Salon 11/27 - Lindsay Cody
Walmart
Kearney Police Department
Buffalo County Sheriff's Office

Favorite School, Daycare, or Educational program that supports kids/adults with disabilities
Kearney Public Library
Fabulous Fridays at Trails & Rails Museum
Buddy Bowling
Bright Futures Preschool
Hands of the Heartland
ILC

These champions are creating a more inclusive community for everyone, and we can’t wait to celebrate them with you.

Thank You to Our Sponsors
This celebration would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors:
Molina Healthcare
ILC of Central Nebraska
Caretech
Nebraska Total Care
Spectrum Center for Autism
Frontier Home Medical
Dismas Charities
MSSTS Megan Smith, Speech Therapy Services
Kearney Action Network

Your support helps cover facility rentals, vendor hospitality, accessibility accommodations, and more, all in the spirit of community and inclusion.

03/28/2025

We are so excited to drop some info about our very first Spring Fling Carnival! We have partnered with Roaming Greens Mini-Golf Co. and can’t wait for you to see the fun course they’ll set up! We will also have a FREE hot dog lunch available for everyone AND some amazing raffle prizes you can enter to win for just $1 per ticket…not to mention other fun games and prizes. We’ll see you on March 30th at Schrock Medical Clinic, PC.

03/26/2025

I am excited to announce that our speaker for the People First of Kearney meeting on Thursday, March 27th at 4 pm (Kearney Manor Pavilion) will be Penny from Nebraska Total Care.
Penny will be sharing information on the 2 Dental Vans that will be serving folks at no cost on Friday, April 25th, from 9 am to 3 pm at The Arc office parking lot (4511 6th Ave).
Participants will need to schedule their dental appointment in advance. Penny will tell us how to schedule as well as what dental services (including fluoride treatments) are available at the 'mobile clinic'.
Plan on joining us at our monthly meeting to learn more.