The Arc Mercer’s 2026 Constellation Gala: Celebrating a Year of Stellar Outcomes

The Arc Mercer’s annual Constellation Gala once again brought together residential staff, leadership, and supporters for an evening dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary work taking place across the agency’s homes.

The event recognizes the teams whose commitment to quality support, safety, and community engagement produced exceptional outcomes for the individuals served throughout the year.

Behind every number celebrated at the gala is the daily dedication of mission-critical residential staff. From carefully administering medications to documenting services and creating meaningful experiences in the community, these teams ensure that consumers live full, healthy, and engaged lives.

A Year Defined by Excellence

The data presented during the evening highlighted the incredible scope of work completed by residential teams in 2025.

Across the agency, staff administered 519,360 medication doses with only nine medication errors, resulting in an extraordinary 0.001% error rate. In total, 22 homes recorded zero medication errors, and Horan Group Home extended an incredible streak of four consecutive years without a medication error.

Therap documentation also continued to demonstrate exceptional accuracy and consistency. Residential staff completed 112,320 Therap notes, with only 0.07% requiring updates, showcasing the professionalism and precision of staff responsible for maintaining critical records.

Recreation That Builds Community

Recreation remains a cornerstone of residential life at the Arc Mercer, helping residents build friendships, explore new experiences, and stay connected to the community.

In 2025, residential homes participated in 3,815 recreation events, representing a 5% increase from the previous year.

Highlights included:

• Six Trenton Thunder baseball games

• Three Rutgers Scarlet Knights games

• A beach day celebration

• Fifteen residential and neighborhood picnics

• Trips to Medieval Times, Disney on Ice, and Six Flags with the Coaster Club

Each event represented another opportunity for residents to experience the joy of community participation and shared experiences.

Recognizing the Best of the Best

The Constellation Gala’s signature awards recognize homes that achieve outstanding outcomes in the most critical areas of residential care.

Andromeda Award – Excellence in Medication Administration

This year’s Andromeda Award was presented to Horan Group Home for achieving zero medication errors throughout the year, continuing a remarkable record of excellence in medication management.

Pegasus Award – Excellence in Recreation Participation

The Murray Group Home earned the Pegasus Award after organizing 229 recreation outings, demonstrating an exceptional commitment to ensuring residents stay active, social, and connected to their community.

Hercules Award – Excellence in Therap Documentation

The Hilltop Group Home received the Hercules Award for maintaining outstanding accuracy in their Therap documentation, finishing the year with only three Therap errors.

Homes Reaching Platinum Status

The evening also recognized homes that consistently maintained the highest standards of performance throughout the year.

Homes receiving Platinum Stars for all four quarters included:

• Alice

• Colonial

• Forest

• Horan

• Murray

• Van Deusen

• Village

Homes receiving Platinum Stars in three of four quarters included:

• Phaeton

• Pope

• Plum

• Project Freedom

• Vanderveer

These homes demonstrated consistent excellence across medication administration, Therap documentation, and recreational engagement.

A Celebration of the People Behind the Work

While the numbers tell a powerful story, the Constellation Gala ultimately celebrates the people who make these outcomes possible. Every recreation outing participated in, every medication administered safely, and every Therap note completed accurately reflects the dedication of residential staff working around the clock to support the individuals served by the Arc Mercer.

The evening served as a reminder that the agency’s greatest strength is its people, staff members whose commitment, compassion, and professionalism ensure that every resident has the opportunity to live a safe, meaningful, and connected life.

As the stars of the evening shone brightly across the room, the message was clear: the work happening inside the Arc Mercer’s homes continues to set a remarkable standard for excellence in residential support.