Lynne Halpern
Disabilities Nonprofit
Being the mother of a son with special needs is a demanding but fulfilling role. That’s why Lynne Halpern is thankful she found JARC in Boca Raton for her son, Douglas. She knew it was a special place for Douglas and their family the moment she set foot on the JARC campus.
Halpern was born and raised in Brooklyn. She moved to Atlanta with her husband, Howard. Together, they raised their family and built two successful meat and seafood companies, where she served as the Accounts Receivable Comptroller. Philanthropy has always been a driving force in Halpern’s life.
She served on the Board of the Atlanta Jewish Federation and The Atlanta Head & Neck Injury Association, chaired the Beastly Feast for the Atlanta Zoo and started an Endowment Fund for her Atlanta synagogue, The Temple. She currently serves on the Palm Beach County Birthright Council in addition to serving on multiple committees at St. Andrews Country Club, where she is now setting up St. Andrews Gives Back, a 501(c)3 to serve the underserved in their community.
In 2008, the Halperns relocated to Boca Raton and their son moved into JARC housing. JARC is a nonprofit, nonsectarian organization that provides programs and services to educate and empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Douglas now lives in JARC’s Adolph & Rose Levis Supported Living Apartment Program. “We’ve never seen him happier; he’s like the mayor of the apartments. He has many friends who he socializes with,” says Halpern. Douglas loves working at Home Depot. “The clients at JARC have a sense of pride in working, showing their skills and they are extremely proud to earn their paycheck.”
On March 3rd, Halpern along with Naomi and Richard Steinberg, will be cochairing JARC’s 38th Annual Gala. Supporting programs for special needs adults is a top priority for Halpern.
“Whether you are committing your time or financial resources to JARC, there is a tangible, immediate payback. You can see the difference it makes in the lives of these extraordinary adults.”
JARC Florida, 21160 95th Ave. South, Boca Raton, 561-558-2550, jarcfl.org
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