![JARC_rDF8_6606_web.jpg JARC_rDF8_6606_web.jpg](https://bocaratonobserver.com/downloads/13582/download/JARC_rDF8_6606_web.jpg?cb=078448b21c791ea4b924758ac3b601d0&w={width}&h={height})
Ronni Sommer
Disabilities Nonprofit
Many of the people who volunteer and donate to JARC Florida have a personal stake in the organization that provides programs and services to educate and empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Ronni Sommer counts herself among them.
The parent of a son who was diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome and Autism, Sommer first learned about JARC while working on the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County’s campus where the organization is located. Her son Matthew was nine years old at the time.
“I watched JARC grow while JARC watched Matthew grow. I always hoped that he would one day be able to live in a group home and attend the day training program,” says Sommer.
In 2018, at the age of 28, Matthew moved into one of JARC’s group homes and now has a second family. “The guys are like his brothers. He loves everything about it,” says Sommer.
The Boca Raton nonprofit serves nearly 200 adults in its group homes and independent living arrangements. It operates 10 group homes in Boca Raton and Delray Beach for adults with developmental disabilities. JARC also offers apartment living for those who do not require 24-hour supervision. JARC also offers a variety of programs that train clients for jobs and helps to get them jobs within the community, giving them a sense of independence and purpose.
Sommer serves on several committees including the development, program and gala committees. She and her husband David also are co-chairs of the newly launched Capital Campaign. JARC is building the Caryn J. Clayman Life Skills Center, a four-story building that will expand the programming JARC offers.
“When you donate or volunteer, there is no greater return on investment. You get to see where your donation goes, what it does, and how it matters,” Sommer says.
Without JARC, Sommer says she would worry about her son’s future. “JARC can’t be the end all for everyone, but it is to those who can live there, and I am so thankful it exists,” she says.
JARC Florida, 21160 95th Ave. South, Boca Raton, 561- 558-2550, jarcfl.org
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