LARC to open life skills ‘LAB’ for individuals with disabilities

Those with intellectual and developmental disabilities are learning how to be an independent person.

It’s all thanks to a new LAB or Learn, Achieve, Become at the Lee Association for Remarkable Citizens organization.

The LAB is just like an apartment complete with a bedroom, kitchen and laundry room with a goal of teaching daily living skills.

Working hard is nothing new to student Mattie Faust, “I like to work— you make money.”

Mattie has learned how to work on her own, and that’s just one of the things they teach.

LARC Executive Director Kevin Lewis said before students can master working on their own they must learn to live on their own. “The higher they’ve mastered the skills the better equipped they’ll be able to live as independently as possible,” he said.

That’s why the organization has started a new program called LAB.

Using an apartment-style classroom LARC will teach students daily living skills and home management.

Lewis says the ability to take care of one’s self, to be clean, and to keep a house organized are all essential elements that will help people be successful in a workforce, “these are the skills that were teaching.”

Thanks to companies like Lowe’s, United Way and Aztec Plumbing the classroom is fully equipped with a full kitchen, bed and even a washer and dryer.

“They’ll be looking at the life skills which can range from anywhere from bed making, laundry, house making,” Lewis said.

LARC will host the grand opening of the program Thursday at their Fort Myers campus.

This is the first of three phases of the program.

LARC will also teach students other necessities like healthy eating and technology usage.

Lewis’ goal for the students is independence, “The higher they’ve mastered the skills the better equipped they’ll be able to live as independently as possible.”