STARability Foundation’s FAMILY FORUM on Employment will be held on OCT 20
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month and STARability Foundation will be celebrating by offering their next Family Forum on the topic of employment. The forum will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Naples Therapeutic Riding Center Community Room, 206 Ridge Dr., Naples, FL 34108.
The topic Charting the Path for Employment will be addressed by a panel of speakers who will provide an overview of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, including their services, the referral process, and the stages each customer goes through; Social Security benefits, including SSI vs. SSDI, work credits, and work incentives; vocational services at STARability and their relationships in the community and how they work with those entities. This portion of the forum will also be offered virtually via Zoom.
Speakers for the Family Forum will include:
⢠Robert Richards, MA – Unit Manager at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
⢠Lisa Oleary, MS, CRC – Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
⢠Idela T. Hernandez, MS, CRC, CPWIC – Disability Benefits Specialist at IAS, LLC
⢠Halley Kretschmer – Vocational Services Manager at STARability
Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from STAR participants and families. Liv DeAngelis and Mark and Matt Martel will share their vocational journeys.
The second portion of the forum will feature a mini employment and volunteer fair. Guests will meet STARability vocational partners and learn about current and upcoming paid and volunteer opportunities. This portion of the forum will be in-person only.
Semiannual Family Forums are presented by STARability and feature engaging presentations, open discussions, and valuable takeaways. Each forum features a topic of interest involving different areas of community resources and opportunities for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their families.
âWe want to continually explore resources, issues and pathways to enhance the quality of life for these families and their loved ones,â says Karen Govern, CEO of the STARability Foundation. âOur organization was started by local families more than 30 years ago to support one another and create opportunities for their loved ones, and we want to continue that forum for the community.â
STARabilityâs Family Forums are free of charge and open to the public. To register, please visit https://givebutter.com/starability-family-forum-oct-2021.
For questions, please contact Laurie Sullivan, Director of Operations, at laurie@STARability.org.
ABOUT STARability
STARability Foundation is a Collier County-based nonprofit with a mission of serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. STARability Foundation exists to Support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing life-transforming opportunities that emphasize Teamwork and connection to the community to build Awareness and Respect for their individual abilities. With a professional staff and 200 volunteers, STARability delivers a full calendar of engaging, innovative and creative programs to ensure that participants can live their best lives.
To help support the work of STARability or learn more information about the nonprofit and its programs, please visit STARability.org or facebook.com/STARabilityFdn.
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