Contact Information
106 East College Avenue
Suite 820
Tallahassee, FL 32301
888-838-ABLE
(toll-free in Florida)
850-224-4493 Voice or TDD
850-224-4496 Fax
Email:info@abletrust.org
Questions or Comments?
Email the webmaster.
The Able Trust awarded $360,000 in grant funding to eight nonprofit agencies to implement or expand its Florida High School/High Tech (HS/HT) program, a transition program designed to motivate and prepare high school students with disabilities for college, jobs and careers. Funding for these grant awards is made possible by the Florida Department of Education’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). DVR serves youth with disabilities transitioning from school to work and has partnered with the HS/HT initiative to meet the needs of these students.
Currently, more than 500 students are enrolled in 20 HS/HT projects statewide. Funding provided by DVR provides for an additional 200 students to be served this year. HS/HT projects will be implemented and expanded by the following agencies:
Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, $40,000 to implement a HS/HT program to serve students in Palm Beach County;
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, $40,000 to expand the existing HS/HT program to serve students in Hendry & Glades Counties;
The Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida, $120,000 to expand the existing HS/HT program to three sites which will serve students in Putnam, Levy and Bradford Counties;
Center for Independent Living of the Keys, $40,000 to implement a HS/HT program to serve students in Monroe County;
Children’s Haven & Adult Community Services, $40,000 to expand the existing HS/HT program to serve additional students in Sarasota & Manatee Counties;
Workforce Development Board of Okaloosa and Walton County, $40,000 to implement a HS/HT program to serve students in Okaloosa County;
Ability 1st, $40,000 to expand the existing HS/HT program to serve students in Gadsden County; and
WORC/United Celebral Palsy of East Central Florida, $40,000 to implement a HS/HT program to serve students in Lake County.
For more information about the Florida HS/HT program, visit www.floridahsht.org.
The Able Trust will host the first Florida Business Leadership Network (BLN) EmployAbility Symposium on Friday, August 18, 2006, at the Renaissance Hotel in Tampa, FL. The symposium will provide employers with information on successful accommodation strategies, tax incentives, marketing to consumers with disabilities and other topics. Service providers in attendance will learn more about funding opportunities, employer relations and job ready programs.
The symposium will also feature The Able Trust’s 10th Annual Ability Awards Luncheon. Keynote speaker Alex Valdez, one of the first comedians with a disability to gain national recognition, will be speaking at the luncheon. Valdez’s messages combine life experiences and years of diversity and disability training. Corporations, associations, government agencies and college campuses have all invited Alex to be part of their diversity, disabilities awareness and human resource programs. The Ability Awards recognizes employers, service providers, media professionals, entrepreneurs and young adults with disabilities who have promoted employment opportunities for Floridians with disabilities.
For more information about the Florida BLN EmployAbility Symposium, visit www.floridabln.org under the news and events section or call 888.838.2253.
The Seventh Annual Florida Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) will be held July 20-23, 2006 in Tallahassee. The YLF brings together rising high school juniors and seniors each summer to spend a long weekend in Tallahassee learning about community and academic resources, disability history, career options and personal leadership. They also take part in social activities which enable them to network, learn from each other and build friendships that will last a lifetime.
This year, 60 high school students with disabilities were selected to participate in the forum. Students were chosen from cities across the state from Miami to Pensacola and Jacksonville to Tampa. The complete list of selected student delegates can be found on the YLF website, www.floridaylf.org.
The Fifth Annual Secretary of Labor’s New Freedom Initiative Awards recognize businesses, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated exemplary and innovative efforts in furthering the employment of people with disabilities. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2006. For more information, visit www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/odep20060330.htm.
