Our Beginning

Early in 2008, prior to her retirement from the Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Department of the Santa Rosa School District, Jane Simmons, our Founder and President of the Vision of Hope Board of Directors, began thinking about the possibility of continuing to provide school to workforce transitional assistance to young adults with developmental disabilities.

Having worked with these young adults in the school district for many years, Jane knew that the Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and other agencies did not have the resources to continue to provide services to most of the graduating ESE students. In short, our community was facing, and continues to face a critical deficiency of transitional services for young adults with developmental disabilities.

In October of 2009, Vision of Hope, Inc. was formed as a Florida nonprofit corporation to address the need for transitional services for disabled individuals, including vocational training, job coaching, job placement, and supervised housing.

Vision of Hope is committed to providing these services to individuals who would otherwise remain on endless waiting lists.

Our Mission

To glorify God as we offer hope for a future to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, creating an atmosphere where each one reaches their full potential.

Our Vision

A world where every person with an intellectual and developmental disability is given a sense of satisfaction and independence to reach their full potential.