People with disabilities fight for inclusion via Collier County community group

People with developmental disabilities have a place to feel accepted and empowered in Collier County’s STARability Foundation, and now a brand-new community group is joining the fight for greater inclusion.

Molly Kirk is a proud STARability participant.

“It feels so comfortable because I get to be with my friends now,” Kirk said. “I get to do fun activities.”

The STARability Foundation, located at 720 Goodlette-Frank Road N. in Naples, is more than a hangout spot or a place to volunteer; it’s a home. Its programs help boost Kirk’s confidence and her sense of acceptance.

“The instructors, they’re like a blessing to me, because they work so hard for me, and they do a lot for us,” Kirk said. “Like, they would help out with their families, kids and students, they bring them home when they need to be home, and they would hang out with their kids. They would do stuff for us, and they hang out with us.”

Now, Molly Kirk and all of her friends at STARability have an entire community fighting for inclusion. The STARability Foundation Community Advisory Council is made up of leaders in their fields.

“STARability is an amazing program for the community,” said Collier County Sheriff’s Office Col. Jim Bloom.

Bloom said the foundation is badly needed.

“They wouldn’t be at work; their families would, you know, be helping take care of them, transport them, do various things throughout the day, where with STARability that is taken care of,” Bloom said, “and hypothetically, we as a community, not just law enforcement, but as a community would have to be a lot more involved in where now we don’t, because STARability fills that void.”

This is why CEO Karen Govern said she works so hard to step in and fill that void and provide STARability participants with real-life experience to set them up for the future.

“These participants in this community go out to various businesses, to activity centers… they could be working, learning job skills, or just working or having an enrichment experience, whether it’s in the arts, or it’s with the environment or learning about their community,” Govern said.

The STARability Foundation Community Advisory Council will be led by Vicki Tracy, Chief Operating Officer at Gulf Coast International Properties and Carrie Cooney, Founder of STARability’s Trailblazer Academy and Advocate for individuals with special needs. The council will have 16 one-year participants, everyone from realtors and bankers to attorneys and wealth managers.