For too long, people with disabilities have felt left behind, ignored, and disregarded. Together, the Forward Foundation and Parc Center for Disabilities in St. Petersburg, Florida are ensuring all individuals are valued, accepted and celebrated.
Parc Center for Disabilities
Opportunity for All
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Parc Center for Disabilities is a nonprofit that has been a progressive leader in serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1953. Parc’s mission is to provide opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities to exercise their independence and experience life to the fullest. Parc envisions a world where all individuals live with dignity and are treated with respect.
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For more than 50 years, Parc has provided Pinellas County with robust, person-centered programs for all ages. Adult Programs such as Residential Living, Life Skills Development, Job Skills Training, Supported Employment and Transportation Programs offer a chance to develop skills and flourish.
Children’s Services include a Discovery Learning Center, a preschool for children 2 months to 5 years, early intervention services for children at risk, caregiver relief and support for families of children with disabilities, and onsite physical, occupational, and speech therapies.
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“Parc’s dedicated leaders and staff do so much to enrich the lives of children, teens and adults with disabilities in Tampa Bay,” said Robin Lally, President of the Forward Foundation.
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On February 5th, 2022, Parc held its 52nd Annual Gala, with the Forward Foundation donating $20,000 as the event’s presenting sponsor. The event, billed “An Evening of Purpose”, shined a spotlight on the incredible talents of the individuals Parc serves every day.
The evening’s featured performer fit Parc’s mission perfectly: Milosz Gasior, an extraordinary piano virtuoso with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
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Before he could verbally speak, Milosz spoke the language of music. His musical prowess has been undeniable since he first touched a piano at the age of 8, and his talent has only expanded since.
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Milosz has continued to let the notes on the staff act as words from his lips and every piece is played like a song from his own heart. Today, at the age of only 18, Milosz is a true virtuoso that the musical world has been waiting for.
The Forward Foundation stands by talented artists like Milosz Gasior and dynamic, forward-thinking nonprofits like Parc Center for Disabilities, who prove that inclusion is truly the way of the future.