Brandy first came to the Center for Independent Living in 2020 while still in high school, referred for a vocational evaluation. That first connection opened the door to years of growth, learning, and self-discovery.

Through CIL’s money management workshops and Soft Skills to Pay the Bills program, Brandy gained confidence, improved her teamwork and communication, and became a standout participant—always ready to engage, volunteer, and lead. In 2024, she was even invited to speak on a student panel for Project 10’s Winter Institute, where she shared how CIL and her school transition team helped her become more independent and self-assured.

Brandy will be exiting the school system in January 2025 and continues to work with Vocational Rehabilitation on job placement services. She’s motivated, capable, and ready to thrive—thanks in large part to the support she received through CIL programs.

💙 This is what your donations make possible.

When you donate to The Amazing Give, you help us provide free critical services to consumers in our community:

✅ Employment Services
✅ Youth Transition & Life Skills Training
✅ Financial Literacy Workshops
✅ Assistive Technology
✅ Sign Language Interpreting
✅ Emergency Preparedness & More

You’re not just funding services—you’re investing in futures like Brandy’s.

📅 Mark your calendar for April 24th and join us in creating more stories like hers.

Donate today: https://bit.ly/3Rn6Gsg

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in and attended the CIL Talent Show! 🌟 We are beyond proud of all the performers who bravely took the stage and shared their incredible talents. From singing and dancing to showcasing creations, athletic feats, and even solving a Rubik’s Cube — every performance was a reminder of the amazing diversity and strength within our disability community. 💫 Your support made this event unforgettable, and we are truly inspired by the courage and creativity on display. Here’s to celebrating YOU! 🎉

ID: A colorful collage showcases highlights from a “Talent Show Recap.” The background features a crumpled paper texture with the title “Talent Show Recap” written in a bold, red font at the center. Surrounding the title are a variety of Polaroid-style snapshots featuring individuals performing different talents. These include someone playing with a puzzle cube, a hula dancer, a musician with a xylophone, a person painting, a traditional dancer, a group singing or performing together, and others showcasing talents such as magic tricks, spinning batons, singing, or speaking. Each photo is uniquely framed with different colored backgrounds, paper clips, or tape, giving the collage a fun, scrapbook-like feel. The overall vibe is creative, vibrant, and celebratory.

With 140+ attendees, 17 vendors, and a great turnout of volunteers, this year’s event was a huge success! We kicked things off with a warm welcome from Mayor Ben Marciano, enjoyed food from Smalls Sliders, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Sam’s Club, and heard from some incredible speakers who shared valuable safety info.

We wrapped it all up with 15 exciting door prizes—and tons of positive feedback from both vendors and attendees!

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible. Together, we’re building a stronger, safer community. 💙

We’re incredibly grateful to our generous donors and sponsors, our amazing speakers who shared such valuable knowledge, and our dedicated vendors who provided resources and support to everyone who attended. This event wouldn’t have been possible without each of you—thank you!

SPONSOR:
Coalition for Health and Medical Preparedness (CHAMP)

DONORS:
Dunkin Donuts
Culligan of Ocala
Smalls Burgers
Herr’s Chips
Sam’s Club
United Health Care
Development Service Trainers (DST)

SPEAKERS:
Mr. Ben Marciano, Mayor of Ocala
Preston Bowlin, Emergency Management Director
Beth Meyer with Florida SILC
James F. Coleman with Community Legal Services

VENDORS:
Center for Independent Living
Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST)
Comfort Keepers
Ocala 200 Lions Club
Encompass Health
Florida Visually Impaired and Blind Service
Marion County Fire Rescue Community Paramedicine
Ocala Police Department
Langley Health Services
Ocala Electric Utility
Ocala Fire Department
Heart of Florida Health Center
College of Central Florida
Community Legal Services
City of Ocala Water Resources
Advent Health Ocala
Suntran

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Your support empowers people with disabilities to live independently and thrive.

Meet Tequista, who was born blind and came to CILNCF for Supported Employment Services. With the help of our team and a welcoming Culver’s crew, she landed a job as a Lobby Attendant. From learning her workspace to delivering top-notch customer service, Tequista has become a standout employee—earning tips, glowing reviews, and newfound independence.

Last year, you helped us raise $10,035—directly fueling programs like employment services, sign language interpreting, wheelchair ramps, emergency preparedness, and assistive technology. This year, we’re aiming even higher.

✨ Your donation = real impact. It creates opportunities, builds confidence, and supports meaningful change.

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On St. Patty’s Day, the CIL family came together at Cuscowilla Nature and Retreat Center for our Annual Staff Retreat—a day filled with connection, creativity, and celebration!

We kicked off with a surprise welcome for Amy, our new Executive Director 🎉—complete with a Mickey Mouse plant, a team-signed card, and sweet words from Amy herself. She even surprised us with vacation time as a thank you!

The day was packed with fun: 🎯 CIL Bingo to learn more about each other

🎨 Rock painting for our Gainesville office’s new garden
🥪 A chill lunch + game room laughs
📚 Tough St. Patty’s Day trivia
🎁 And prizes galore—from guessing games to leprechaun hat drawings!

We wrapped up with full hearts and lots of laughs. Grateful for a team that shows up with joy, creativity, and care—every single day. 💚

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We want to send a huge “THANK YOU” to everyone who joined us for our 4th Annual Alachua County Emergency Preparedness Expo at the Senior Recreation Center! This FREE event brought together a fantastic group of 13 vendors and over 40 attendees, all focused on helping people with disabilities stay prepared before, during, and after emergencies. We heard from insightful guest speakers on how to get ready for storms and where to seek help once they’ve passed. ASL interpreters were on hand to ensure full accessibility, and we wrapped up the day with raffles for weather-related preparedness prizes. We’re so grateful for the community’s support and can’t wait to keep empowering everyone to stay safe and prepared!

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A special THANK YOU goes out to our donors and sponsors for their generous support, our speakers who shared invaluable insights, and our vendors who offered services and information to our attendees. We couldn’t have done it without all of you!

DONORS:
Publix
Sam’s Club
Dunkin’ Donuts

SPONSORS:
Healthcare Coalition Alliance
Disability Rights Florida
Alachua County Emergency Management
Elder Care

SPEAKERS:
Daniel J. Hartley representing Congresswoman Kat Cammack
David Peaton, Assistant Director of Emergency Management
Bryan Russell with Disabiliy Rights Florida
Rachel Rall with Three Rivers Legal Services

VENDORS:
Center for Independent Living
Florida Alliance for Assistive Services and Technology (FAAST)
Disability Rights Florida
Gainesville Fire Rescue Community Resource Paramedicine
Alachua County Library District
Elder Options
Alachua County Emergency Management
Sugar Dogs International, Inc.
Community Hospice and Palliative Care
Regiional Transis System (RTS)
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Three Rivers Legal Services, Inc.
United Way of North Central Florida
Meridian Healthcare
Elder Care

Calling all parents of preschoolers! ✨

Do you have a child ages 3 to 5? Curious about how Assistive Technology (AT) can support their development? Join us for a fun and informative virtual training hosted by FAAST and Step Up AT!

🧠 Learn simple trials, tools, and tricks to support your child’s: language, literacy, attention, and motor skills!

🗓 Wednesday, April 16th
⏰ 12:00–1:00 PM
📍 Virtual – join from anywhere!

👉 Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/BuRvZplqQ_uiGCyTnUTokw#/registration

Don’t miss this opportunity to empower your child’s growth and development!

The CIL is teaming up with Spurrier’s Gridiron Grill for a special Amazing Give event — and we’d love for you to join us!

📅 Thursday, April 24th
🕓 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
📍 Spurrier’s Gridiron Grill

Enjoy a delicious meal while supporting a powerful mission – empowering people with disabilities to achieve their goals for independence.

✨ A portion of the evening’s proceeds will directly support CILNCF’s programs, services, and operations — making a real difference in our community.

Recently, our staff member Andrea visited Project Looking Ahead at Hernando HS for a fun and engaging Soft Skills workshop on teamwork. Students competed to build the tallest free-standing structure using only marshmallows and dry spaghetti. Congrats to the winning team—Jicelia, Skipper, Chen, and Max—for reaching an impressive height of 28 inches! 🙌

This activity highlighted the importance of communication, collaboration, and creativity. We’re so proud of everyone’s effort and teamwork!

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Last year, thanks to YOUR generosity, we raised over $10,035 to support individuals with disabilities in our community. Every dollar went to work—funding services that promote independence, dignity, and opportunity. 💙

Your donation does provides hope. It offers freedom. Here’s why your support matters:

✅ You empower independence through ramps, job training, assistive tech, & more
✅ You make a real, immediate impact in someone’s daily life
✅ You support local lives—right here in your community
✅ You help bridge accessibility gaps
✅ You’re part of something bigger—a movement for a more accessible future

🗓️ Mark your calendar for April 24th.

📢 Spread the word. Share this post. 💛 Be part of something amazing.