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
The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens has
always been dedicated to making art accessible to all. From innovative programs to interactive
exhibits, the Museum allows visitors to explore art in different ways. December 3 is International Day of Persons
with Disabilities, and to commemorate this special day the Cummer Museum will
be showcasing its annual ‘Women of Vision Show’, produced by its class of low
vision or blind women. In addition, paintings from students at Florida School
for the Deaf and Blind will be on display on that day in Art Connections. Observe International Day of Persons with
Disabilities by exploring these displays that celebrate artistic abilities
rather than disabilities.
The Cummer Museum is proud of its role as a leader for
disability programming in the Jacksonville community. The Museum recently received the 2016 John F.
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Leadership
Exchange in Arts and Disability Community Asset Award and The Florida
Division of Cultural Affairs 2016 Diversity
and Inclusion Award, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Programs like Women of Vision, which brings the visual and literary arts to
adult women who are blind or low vision, and Arts for All, which creates
activities and projects for people with disabilities, demonstrate this
commitment. The Museum is designated as
the Jacksonville affiliate of Very Special Arts (VSA), and has held the VSA
Festival annually for 21 years. The
Museum also partners with the HEAL Foundation, a local nonprofit serving
individuals and families living with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
International
Day of Persons with Disabilities has been celebrated worldwide since 1992 to
promote a more inclusive and equitable world for persons with disabilities. It
involves collaboration between schools, businesses, and communities in an
effort to break down barriers and create positive relationships. This year coincides with the 10th anniversary
of the adoption of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
(CRPD), an international treaty recognizing the rights of people with
disabilities.
Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
829 Riverside Avenue
Jacksonville, Florida 32204
(904) 356-6857
Hours of Operation &
Admission
