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The Florida Grantor, Fall 2002

President's Message

Sharon Griffith, President & CEO

This year The Able Trust has been celebrating its tenth year of grant making, which amounts to nearly $12 million as of November 2002. Over the years, the Trust has implemented and funded employment-related grants and special projects such as High School/High Tech (HS/HT), Youth Leadership Forum and the Business Leadership Network (BLN).

The tenth year is a milestone for most organizations and individuals and, as we end this calendar year in an uncertain economy, we are proud to say that the basic tenets of our mission and funding are intact. This in part, is due to the leadership of our Board of Directors, as well as the support of our sponsors across the state, including the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council, Walt Disney World Co., JFK Medical Center, Florida Department of Education, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program, SunTrust Bank and other organizations.

The grants program also flourished in 2002 with the implementation of 15 statewide HS/HT sites and a record year of funding nearly $2 million in grants. Together with other programs these grants have enabled over 1,000 citizens with disabilities to achieve employment.

The end of this year has brought change to our BLN. Ms. Vinece Pastor, our current BLN Chair, will be moving to Atlanta to take on a new role at SunTrust Bank. She has been an avid supporter of The Able Trust and a true champion of disability employment issues. Her leadership of the BLN helped it grow to over 400 members. We thank her for all of her support and enthusiasm over the past two years. She will surely be missed.

As we approach the new year, The Able Trust looks forward to meeting new challenges under the leadership of our new chair, Florence Bonsuk. We wish all of our friends and supporters happy holidays and look forward to working with you in 2003.