LAFAYETTE, La. — Arc of Acadiana is giving Mardi Gras beads new meaning by turning donated parade throws into purposeful employment for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“It gives our participants that we serve a real meaningful opportunity for employment,” said Kayla Poullard, program manager for Arc of Acadiana Lafayette Day Program.
The initiative involves adults in cleaning, sorting, and packaging donated beads. “It's allowing them to be able to give back in their own way, but in a way that's prosperous for them,” Poullard added.
This carnival season alone, Arc of Acadiana participants have assembled more than 500 packages, each containing 500 beads. The impact extends beyond the center’s walls, with organizations like Parish Proud participating in sustainability efforts.
“People want to keep our spaces clean, and so this is just providing the avenues to do that,” said Sarah Swinney, director of community engagement for Parish Proud.
Post-parade cleanup includes picking up litter and beads left behind, ensuring festivities do not leave lasting waste. “Look, you can have your king cake and eat it too, right? We can have fun, but it's like any party you throw, you want to clean up,” said Chuck LaGrange, chief strategic officer for Parish Proud.
Poullard says collecting and repurposing beads boosts both confidence and purpose for Arc of Acadiana’s adults. “It means the world to them, as well as all of us who are with them on a daily basis,” she said.
Poullard says what may seem like a simple string of beads becomes a pathway to purpose. “They're able to give back. I know how we all feel personally when we're doing our daily day-to-day activities, but it's giving them the opportunity to do that as well,” she said.
Arc of Acadiana continues its bead collection all year, turning festive leftovers into ongoing opportunities for empowerment and community pride.
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