As we step into a new year, all of us at the CIL want to take a moment to thank you — our consumers, partners, supporters, and community — for walking alongside us.

The year behind us was one of growth, resilience, and connection. Together, we continued advancing independence, access, and opportunity for people with disabilities across the communities we serve. Your trust, collaboration, and belief in this work make everything we do possible.

As we look ahead, we do so with renewed hope and commitment. In the year to come, CIL remains dedicated to building stronger, more accessible communities where people with disabilities have the resources, support, and freedom to live with dignity and self-determination.

Thank you for being part of our community and for helping shape a more accessible and equitable future.

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, healthy, and hopeful New Year!

We are proud to recognize three incredible team members whose dedication and service have made a lasting impact on the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida and the consumers we serve.

👏 Ammal — 5 Years of Service (Employment Consultant)

👏 Lauren — 10 Years of Service (Employment Service Manager)

👏 Debbie — 20 Years of Service (Sign Language Interpreter)

Each of you brings compassion, expertise, and heart to your work every day. Your commitment helps advance independence, access, and opportunity for people with disabilities across our community.

Thank you for the meaningful ways you show up for our consumers, our mission, and one another. We are grateful to celebrate you and your contributions.

As we head into the Christmas and New Year holidays, we’d like to share our office schedule and a few important community notices to help you plan ahead.

📅 CIL Office Closures & Hours
Closed: December 23, 24, 25
Open (Regular Hours, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM): December 29 & 30
Closed: December 31, January 1 & 2

🚍 City of Gainesville Holiday Closures & Service Impacts.
City offices will be closed on:
Thursday, December 25
Friday, December 26
Thursday, January 1

These closures will affect city services:
🗑️ Trash & Recycling:
No residential curbside collection on Dec. 25 or Jan. 1
Pickups will be delayed by one day for the remainder of each holiday week

🚌 RTS Bus Service:
Reduced service: Dec. 13–23, Dec. 26–31, and Jan. 2–11 (marked with an “R” on schedules)
No service: Dec. 24, Dec. 25, or Jan. 1

Please plan accordingly, especially if you rely on transportation or city services.

We wish you and your loved ones a safe, warm, and restful holiday season. Thank you for being part of our community. 🤍

Our Wellness Team recently created a welcome pause in the middle of a busy workday, bringing staff together for a shared lunch and a chance to get creative.

Team members enjoyed time connecting with one another while crafting festive ornaments that will soon decorate holiday trees throughout our CIL offices. It was a simple reminder of the importance of slowing down, fostering connection, and making space for creativity and joy in the workplace.

Thank you to our Wellness Team for prioritizing moments that support well-being, community, and a little holiday cheer! 🎄

At the recent State High School High Tech (HSHT) Conference held at the Brownwood Hotel in The Villages, all four of our HSHT programs: Marion, Alachua, Putnam, and Levy counties, were honored with the Quality High School High Tech Program Award. This excellence award recognizes programs that go above and beyond in creating meaningful, impactful opportunities for students, and we are incredibly proud to see our collective efforts recognized at the state level.

Congratulations to Mika Vuto, Pepper Anderson, Mark Yazigi, and Miranda Dodd for their leadership, dedication, and unwavering commitment to student success. This achievement reflects the care, intention, and passion each of you brings to your work every day.

We are also proud to celebrate Pepper Anderson, HSHT Coordinator for Putnam County, who received the 2025 Connecting Activities Guidepost Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service. With 19 years of dedicated service, Pepper’s work has had a lasting impact on students and families throughout Putnam County, and this recognition is a well-deserved testament to her advocacy, leadership, and continued commitment to creating meaningful pathways for student success.

We are grateful for our HSHT team and proud of the work being done across all four counties to empower students, expand possibilities, and open doors to brighter futures.

As we close out the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, the first in nearly a decade with no major U.S. landfalls and no direct threats to Florida, now is the perfect time to look ahead and strengthen our preparedness for 2026.

At the CIL, we believe that being informed today means being safer tomorrow. That’s why we’re excited to announce our dates for the 2026 Emergency Preparedness Expos, offering FREE resources to help people with disabilities in our community prepare for any type of emergency.

Each expo will feature vital resources, local partners, and guidance to help you feel confident and prepared for any type of emergency. ASL interpreters will be provided.

📅 Please save the date for your county’s expo below, and let’s stay ready for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

These events are FREE and open to the disability community and their families.
For additional information, please contact:
📧 Kevin Towles — ktowles@cilncf.org
📞 (352) 368-3788

Let’s stay prepared, stay informed, and stay connected.

📍 2026 EXPO LOCATIONS & DATES

Columbia County
Columbia County Senior Service
628 SE Allison Ct, Lake City, FL 32025
🗓 February 21st | 10am–1pm

Alachua County
Senior Recreation Center
5701 NW 34th Blvd, Gainesville, FL 32653
🗓 March 12th | 9am–1pm

Marion County
CFCC / Ewers Century Center
3001 SW College Rd, Ocala, FL 34474
🗓 March 24th | 9am–1pm

Putnam County
Putnam County Fairgrounds
118 Fairgrounds Rd, East Palatka, FL 32131
🗓 April 11th | 10am–1pm

Bradford County
Carley E. Johns Conference Center
1610 N Temple Ave, Starke, FL 32091
🗓 April 25th | 10am–1pm

The Center for Independent Living’s Youth Program is excited to share that we are participating in The Able Trust’s High School High Tech Domino’s Fundraiser — and we’re officially underway!

From now until December 15, 2025, our youth participants will be selling the Slice the Price Card, a special Domino’s offer that gives you:

🍕 Buy a large pizza, get a large pizza FREE
Valid every time you order, now through June 30, 2026.

This fundraiser directly supports our Youth Program initiatives and helps us continue empowering young people with disabilities through career exploration, skill-building opportunities, and community engagement.

How to Participate

Buy A Card: https://store.dominos.cards/51745

Register & Learn More: https://account.dominos.cards/pfng/public/register.php/51745

Every card sold helps our students grow, learn, and build confidence for their future — and you get great pizza deals in return!

Thank you for supporting CIL youth as they work toward independence and bright futures. We appreciate your partnership!

The CIL had the pleasure of joining the historic McIntosh 1890s Festival on Nov, 8th and what an incredible day it was! With thousands of visitors walking the streets to shop handmade crafts, enjoy live entertainment, reconnect with friends, and kick off the holiday season, the festival was full of energy and community spirit.

Our team members Kevin and Mika represented the CIL at this year’s event, sharing information about our services and connecting with countless festival-goers. They had wonderful conversations, met many new faces, and helped spread awareness about the resources and support CILNCF provides to people with disabilities throughout North Central Florida.

We’re grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a beloved local tradition and to continue building relationships within our community. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn more about the CIL—your support keeps our mission moving forward!

💚 For more information about the festival, visit the McIntosh 1890s Festival website: https://mcintosh1890sfestival.com/

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Today, we pause to honor the brave men and women who have served our country with courage, dedication, and sacrifice. Your service and commitment to protecting our freedoms inspire us every day.

At the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida, we are especially proud to serve veterans in our community—helping to ensure that independence, accessibility, and inclusion are part of the life you fought to protect.

❤️ Thank you for your service, your strength, and your continued impact in our communities.

In observance of Veteran’s Day, our offices are closed today and will reopen tomorrow for normal business hours.

The University of Florida is conducting a survey about experiences trying to access local services (what worked and what barriers you faced).

– Confidential
– Voluntary
– (~5–20 minutes)
– No compensation

Who can participate?
Adults 18–80, including those with autism/other NDD or caregivers/guardians who have received or attempted to receive services from Gainesville-area organizations listed on the flyer.

How to participate or learn more:
See the contact details on the attached flyer to reach researchers

IRB#202500706
UF Dept. of Psychiatry
Evaluating Accessible Services for Individuals with Autism & Other Neurodevelopmental Conditions