Our Advocacy program was developed over thirty years ago and was the first of its kind in the state. It matches an adult in the community with a person with developmental disabilities in a one-to-one relationship, providing emotional support and practical support, guidance and socialization. The matches are set up and overseen by the Advocacy Coordinator at the Bristol Adult Resource Center. It is recommended that the advocate and the protégé get together once a month but it is left entirely up to the people involved and what their schedules allow.

The Bristol Adult Resource Center Volunteer Program recruits people in the community to assist in our retail businesses and also in our day and recreational programs. Some of our volunteers are young people needing to do community service for their school or church. Others are people in the community willing to volunteer their time as well as retired people from RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program). We have approximately forty people who volunteer on a regular basis and throughout the year, groups of volunteers assist the agency doing large projects, particularly during the United Way Day of Caring and other major fund raisers.

The Bristol Adult Resource Center Recreational/Respite Program provides afternoon and evening activities for adults in the community with developmental disabilities. The program offers bingo three times a month and an ongoing arts and crafts program. Some of our recreation programs are in collaboration with the Family Center and the Imagination Museum and are funded by the United Way and private donations. Volunteers assist Bristol Adult Resource Center staff at these events.