SANFORD, Fla. – When we took WKMG Hits the Road to the 32771 zip code in Sanford earlier this month, we met a gentleman who suggested we check out Kairos Adventures.
Mike Demaree told us he’s a father of two kids with special needs and Kairos Adventures had changed their lives. So we headed back to Sanford this week to check out this program that serves adults with varying abilities.
Heather Subbert is the founder and director of Kairos Adventures.
“About a year and three months ago, we launched a nonprofit right here in Sanford, for adults with varying abilities. We wanted them to have a place to go where they could develop their creativity, build friendships, invest in the community, find and develop the gifts that God had given them to really be their best and to reach their full potential,” Subbert said. “So, we launched like I said, a little over a year ago, in Sanford, we’ve grown since then we’re so excited. We actually now have three locations and an online program. And I just really believe that absolutely everybody deserves to have a community where they fit in where they belong, and where they can use their gifts and talents and reach their full potential.”
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All of the participants are referred to as artists. Subbert explained that the arts are a tool for unlocking an individual’s full potential.
“For us arts are really important because they develop that creative expression and help us build that voice that’s within us. Not all of us use a vocal voice. But we all have things to say, and we all have a message to put out into the world. So, we do drama, dance, martial arts, and culinary arts,” Subbert said. “We’re getting ready to do a production of Tarzan. Anything that we can do to help our artists find their creative voice and put it out into the world.”
Subbert said that in Florida, adults who’ve aged out of school, can apply for a Medicaid waiver to help pay for programming and services. However, she said more than 25,000 Floridians are on a waitlist because the need is so great.
“I have friends here who have waited 18 years or more to get services. So, they applied 18 years ago. And because they’re not, they haven’t been pulled off the list for need. They’re still waiting. And we knew they still needed something to do, somewhere to go, and a place to have that sense of belonging, friendships, and community. And so that’s why we created Kairos adventures,” Subbert said. “It is it’s so hard. There’s just such a need. You know, autism rates are increasing every time they do a census. And the need just, I mean, obviously, you know, the amount of people living in Florida is growing. And so, there’s just a big demand, a huge demand for those services and the state. Even when they add resources and spots on the waitlist, it hasn’t been enough yet. "
In addition to arts programming, Kairos Adventures offers a leadership and service class.
“They go out in the community, and they do things like deliver food to food pantries, and they visit people who are homebound, and they volunteer at the Central Florida Zoo and for other nonprofits in our area. And so to find that gifting within themselves just gives them a competence and an identity of of belonging in our community.”
Since Kairos Adventures started, they’ve grown from 16 artists to 91 artists, and now have three locations: Sanford, Altamonte Springs, and Orlando.
They also offer online programming. There is a day rate to attend, which is a sliding scale based on what you can afford.
Kairos Adventures is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. If you’d like to donate or learn more about the group, click here.
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