STARability Foundation awarded $15,000 grant from League Club to expand Trailblazer Academy
STARability Foundation is honored to announce it has received a $15,000 grant from the League Club to expand its Trailblazer Academy program for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“We appreciate the League Club for believing in our mission,” said Karen Govern, CEO of STARability Foundation. “As first-time recipients of a League Club grant, we are very grateful for this generous investment in our organization and the people we serve. These funds will help us expand the only program of its kind in Collier County by investing in the resources needed to ensure that more participants can continue learning, find jobs, build lifelong social connections and engage with our community.”
STARability launched the Trailblazer Academy in 2016 to fill a gap in services families were experiencing when, at 22, young adults aged out of the Collier County school system and the supportive services they received ended. The pioneering day program began with 10 participants, a program director, one instructor and a 12-passenger van. Today, it is their centerpiece program, with more than 50 participants and 14 instructors and staff who support and encourage them through an evidence-based and peer-reviewed curriculum. The need for this unique program is even greater now as more than 60 individuals are waiting to join it.
“The heart and soul of the League Club is our Community Involvement Committee,” said President Denise Hadley. “For over 3 decades, the League Club has addressed critical needs of at-risk adults and children in the areas of food scarcity, shelter, education, and the arts through grants to nonprofit agencies in Collier and Lee Counties.”
The League Club has supported 182 agencies over the 36 years they have been giving out grants totaling over $6.5 million dollars. These monies are raised from the League Club’s Annual Fundraiser, Naples Tables, held every spring in Naples.
STARability offers a variety of innovative, results-driven programs designed to accommodate the needs of each unique participant through teaching life skills, providing vocational training and connecting participants to the community through meaningful and fulfilling social experiences.
To learn more about STARability’s life-transforming programs, visit STARability.org.
About STARability Foundation
For nearly four decades, STARability Foundation has been shining a light on abilities, not disabilities. Formed by a small community of caring parents, STARability has become one of Southwest Florida’s leading nonprofits. Today, the organization is opening a world of possibilities for hundreds of individuals ages 14 and older by offering a variety of inclusive programs focused on vocational training, continuing education, teamwork, social engagement and community involvement. Their compassionate team supports people with disabilities by providing life-transforming opportunities that emphasize teamwork and a connection to the community while strengthening awareness and respect for individual abilities. To learn more about the services and program offerings available, please visit STARability.org.
About the League Club
The League Club, Inc. is a 501c(3) organization of women in Southwest Florida strengthening communities through fellowship, education, volunteerism and philanthropy. The League Club is open to women who have been or are active members of a Junior League that is a member of the Association of Junior Leagues International. Learn more at LeagueClub.org.
