Orlando, Fla. – AdventHealth is investing $350,000 in The Able Trust youth programs, High School High Tech and Futures in Focus. This gift will be used to expand these programs in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.
High School High Tech is a statewide program that improves the high school graduation rate and postsecondary enrollment rate of high school students with disabilities.
For 30 years, High School High Tech has provided students with the opportunity to:
- explore their interests,
- learn how their interests connect to career options,
- understand postsecondary education and training needs, and
- participate in college and university visits and industry tours.
“The gift from AdventHealth comes at a pivotal time,” said The Able Trust President and CEO Allison Chase. “We are expanding our programs to help more students with disabilities learn about education and career opportunities that can change their lives. Having AdventHeath support us in Central Florida will significantly move us toward this goal.”
For more than 115 years, AdventHealth has called Central Florida home, and as a not-for-profit organization, has the privileged duty to invest financial resources into the community. In 2023 alone, AdventHealth contributed nearly $1.3 billion in community investments in Orange, Osceola, Seminole and South Lake counties, including support for local nonprofit organizations. This partnership with The Able Trust will help support education and career preparation for high school students with disabilities, providing them with a stronger path toward employment success that will lead to stronger Central Florida communities.
“Access to well-paying jobs and housing goes hand in hand with good health, and creating employment opportunities and job training opportunities for those with special needs is especially important,” said Doug Hilliard, chief financial officer of AdventHealth’s Central Florida Division and a board member for The Able Trust. “Providing compassionate, whole-person care extends far beyond the walls of our hospitals, and we are proud to unite with this incredible organization to tackle projects that will not only help our most vulnerable neighbors but help our entire community feel whole.”
The Able Trust will use AdventHealth’s funding to support the expansion of High School High Tech and Futures in Focus programs in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. The funds will help establish four new High School High Tech sites and nine new Futures in Focus sites by providing grants to community partners for program administration.
The funding will also support community outreach, program materials and training, research and data analysis, and technical assistance to ensure program effectiveness. In addition, a portion of the funds will contribute to student leadership development and outreach events through the High School High Tech Student Ambassador program.
Additional information on The Able Trust youth programs is available at www.abletrust.org or https://www.abletrust.org/high-school-high-tech/.
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