- The Villages Newcomers Series
- Florida Identification
- Federal & State Special Needs Assistance Programs
- The Villages Special Needs Community
Welcome to The Villages Special Needs Community. Here you will find support groups, socialization groups, and activities for special needs residents, and their caregivers, of The Villages and surrounding area. If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Robert Hamblin.
AACID Group
Advocates for Adult Children with Intellectual Disabilities as a support group for parents and caregivers to provide information for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, group homes, ABLE Savings Accounts, vocational opportunities, and many other disability benefits available in the State of Florida. AACID meets the third Thursday every month at Lake Miona Recreation Center, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in the Defender Room. For more information, contact John Langan. Meeting attendees must bring their Villagers ID.
AFINS
Advancing Families & Individuals Needing Services is a grass roots movement in Central Florida bringing support, education, and advocacy to families and individuals who are navigating through social agencies and their services. It is a fellowship to empower people with legislative education and action, and to help connect Individuals with disabilities to the social programs available to them in The Villages area. We take action by 1) contacting elected officials to share our concerns and to help shape legislative budgets and actions, 2) providing individuals and families with important information about helpful resources, and 3) using our experience to walk consumers, and their caregivers, through the application processes that get them enrolled with key agencies. Our motto is “No one needs to do this alone!”. AFINS holds workshops the second Tuesday every month at the Sumter County Clerk of Court Villages Annex. For more information, visit the afins.group website or contact Debbie Beaucaire or Debbie Jenkins.
Aktion Club
Lady Lake Kiwanis Aktion Club is a club for adults that want to make a difference in The Villages community. We take turns managing projects and our club so we can learn how to lead as we serve others. We work together to decide what projects we want to do and how we want to do them. Helping others ends up helping us too. Best of all, we make friends who care as much as we do to create a better community. Everyone is welcome. We hope you will visit a club meeting to check out what we do. We meet on the first and third Thursday every month at 10:00am at the Lady Lake Community Building. For more information, visit the Lady Lake Kiwanis Aktion Club Facebook page or contact Ann Hensley.
Best Buddies The Villages
Best Buddies The Villages supports the development of friendships between adults with and without Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in communities. Many people with IDD have limited opportunities for social interactions after they leave the school environment. This program helps people with IDD become part of mainstream society and creates an inclusive and diverse community for all. Buddies, with IDD, are matched with Peer Buddies. Our local Chapter hosts monthly Best Buddies fun socials the third Thursday each month at the Churchill Street Recreation Center at 5:30 pm. Contact Best Buddies for more information. Or, to become a member visit our Facebook page. You must be a Best Buddies Citizens Chapter member to join. If you are interested, sign into your Facebook account, click on this link, and request to Join. Be sure to answer all the questions to join. You can also search for the group name “Best Buddies The Villages, FL”. Participants must bring their Villagers ID.
Community Bible Study
The Villages Community Bible Study is pleased to include as members adults with intellectual disabilities. This special arm of the ministry is called Agape. The Agape curriculum engages the hearts and minds of participants with real life application. The goal is to allow each individual to participate at his or her level of understanding to experience a transformed heart through God’s Word. This in-depth 30 week Bible Study for
adults with intellectual disabilities promotes transformation of hearts through God’s Word while participating in personal study, group discussion and fellowship. The group meets at New Covenant United Methodist Church on Mondays from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Please join us! For more information, visit our website, or contact Tammy Gierse or Bill Eggert.
Dancing Friends
Dancing Friends sponsors quarterly dances for Villages Special Needs residents at the Colony Recreation Center. For more information, contact Joan Federico. Participants must bring their Villagers ID.
Day Break Club Of The Villages
Day Break Club Of The Villages is where caregivers get a break while loved ones are entertained and have fun! We support adult residents of The Villages with special needs and their caregiver ensuring they have equal opportunities to participate in supervised recreational activities and live The Villages Lifestyle. The club meets every Tuesday afternoon from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at Odell Recreation Center. For more information, contact Sandra Ricciardi, President at (203) 376-2820. Participants must bring their Villagers ID.
KEVADVOTECH
KEVADVOTECH advocates for special needs by bringing inspiring people and stories to light through articles and video podcasts. You’ll learn about the many activities and clubs that are currently available here within The Villages and surrounding community. For more information, visit our website.
MOM2MOM Group
MOM2MOM is a support group for mothers with special needs children. They meet once a month at different restaurants and on a different days to vary the schedule to try to accommodate moms attending. All Villages and non-Villages moms are invited. For more information, contact Jean Gallagher or Peg O’Malley.
PAGS
Persevering Art and Games Society in The Villages is a social club for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs). The group uses art and games to have fun, and teach participants to learn and heal. PAGS meet at Ezell Regional Recreation Center the second and fourth Wednesday each month from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. For more information, visit our Facebook page or contact David Harriott. Participants must bring their Villagers ID.
PinPals Bowling
PinPals Bowling is a new bowling group for the southern areas of The Villages Special Needs Community! We meet every other Saturday at the AMF Leesburg Lanes. Bowling starts at 12 noon and we bowl two games. The bowling fee is $7 for two games. Contact us if you’d like to join PinPals.
Special Friends Bowling
Special Friends Bowling bowls two games of 8-pin drop every other Saturday starting at 1:00 pm at Bowlero Spanish Springs Lanes. The bowling fee is $7.00 for two games. For more information visit our website or contact us to see if we are accepting new bowlers. If our roster is full, you may request to be put on our waitlist.
Special Olympics
Sumter County Special Olympics holds several sporting events throughout the year. They include bowling, golf, soccer, and equestrian. Each program last an average 10 weeks. For more information, visit the Special Olympics Florida website or call Lenard Kemp (863) 397-9775.
Spiritual Friendship Club
Spiritual Friendship Club is a Bible based, non-denominational group sponsored by, and held at, the Wildwood St. Vincent De Paul Family Life Center. They meet to discuss Biblical topics, do a craft, have a snack, and time to share. This group meets the second and fourth Wednesday every month at 2:00 pm. For more information, call Mariagnes Moran (352) 212-6048.
STAR
Special Talents Aerobics w/Reeves is a water aerobics class for special needs adult residents of The Villages. There are now two classes. One class starts at 12 noon every Tuesday. The second class starts at 9:00 am every Thursday. Both classes are held at the Ezell Recreation Center Sports Pool. For more information, contact Susann Reeves. or visit her “Special Talents Aquatics w/Reeves” Facebook page. Participants must bring their Villagers ID.
The Left Center Right Social Club
The Left Center Right Social Club for Special Guys and Gals offers a social evening where adult residents of The Villages can play the Left Center Right game with their peers. In our commitment to model the club after any adult social evening of games with friends, we keep a simple format of playing for its own enjoyment with people of like interests. We meet the second and fourth Monday every month between 6:00 pm and 7:45 pm at Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center. Participants must bring their Villagers ID and their own drinks. We supply snacks. New members are welcome to join The Left Center Right Social Club bit you must first contact Debbie Beaucaire. This is necessary so we can guarantee enough space and Left Center Right games for all participants. Should the club membership be at capacity for the room, new contacts will be put on a waiting list.
The S.T.A.R. Program
The S.T.A.R. Program is sponsored by The Villages Recreation & Parks Department. S.T.A.R. is designed for special needs adults living with
their parents or caregivers in The Villages. They offer activities like Bean Bag Baseball, Grinch Slime, Floor Hockey, and crafts like DIY Winter Diorama and Snowman Wind Chime. Activities and crafts will be offered on a monthly basis at a Villages Recreation Center near you! Watch the Thursday Recreation Portion of the Villages Daily Sun newspaper for more information. Participants must bring their Villagers ID.
