What is Pine Castle doing?

Pine Castle will host Direct Support Professional (DSP) for a Day on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 from 10 a.m. to noon.  This event is an opportunity for federal, state, and local legislators to learn firsthand about the work the agency does to serve adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

The goal of this day is to raise awareness of the individuals they support and of the dedicated workforce who help them maintain their independence.  This is an opportunity for DSPs to share their experiences with legislators, who may not otherwise have knowledge of the work they do and the impact it has.  It is also a unique opportunity for legislators to connect with their constituents.

Each participating legislator will be paired with a DSP to volunteer their service for one hour.  This volunteer work may include shadowing a member of the team through their daily tasks or one-on-one interactions with Pine Castle Participants.  This will be followed by a tour of the facility and a brief lunch.

About Pine Castle: Today, Pine Castle is a leader in serving adults with intellectual and developmental differences (I/DD) and providing support to their families across Northeast Florida. More than 300 clients come through our programs daily to learn valuable skills. From basic academic training and hands-on job experience to leisure activities and life skills coaching, Pine Castle provides a wide range of opportunities to adults with I/DD.

As one of the first organizations in Florida to serve children with special needs, Pine Castle helped pioneer the philosophy that individuals with intellectual and developmental differences have the right to live full and productive lives.  Pine Castle was founded in 1952 by a group of 33 families of children with I/DD. No local programs or schools existed at that time to provide support services.  The only resources were distant residential institutions run by the state.  Parents were forced to choose between institutionalization or keeping their children at home.  In 1965, the public-school system initiated a program for students with special needs.  At that time, Pine Castle transitioned to a work and life skills training and activity center for adults with differences.  Get to know them by visiting their FB Page.
PINECASTLE
4911 Spring Park Road
Jacksonville, FL 32207
(904) 733-2650