It’s Amazing Where One Small Step Can Lead…   In March we marked three years since our first humble steps of faith toward establishing our special community in the Sarasota / Bradenton area!  Thanks to the generous support of local churches, businesses and individuals, we have: more than doubled the number of STARS we serve recruited passionate, highly qualified staff almost tripled the number of talented and dedicated volunteers expanded our program from four hours per week to three full days per week expanded our class offerings to include Culture & Cooking, American Sign Language, Life Skills, and more and  made significant progress in developing our first special enterprise - our greeting card studio.   Our intention has been to give adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a place where their limitations are understood and accepted and where we invest the time and resources to develop their potential, but God always has bigger plans and … Unexpected Blessings… We have an incredible group of dedicated, passionate volunteers. In February Chuck Janson, a retired dentist, joined the team to help in our greeting card studio.  Not only is this his first experience with our organization; this is his first experience working with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The following is an excerpt from an email he sent just a few weeks into his experience…   “I am really enjoying my time with Suncoast STARS - more than I could have imagined. God is good. It has to be His wonderful grace.   Emily F is so much fun and energy. Emily P. will not stop smiling. Matthew asks me each week if I am coming the following Tuesday. I can’t let him down. It’s wonderful to be wanted.  Mary is a pleasure and Rikki is too. Jenny is sweet…”   As I continued reading, I was impressed by his attention to and concern for each one of our STARS and his observations of our culture and the structure of our program.  But what impressed me most was the ideas his experience had generated in such a short period of time - the idea to lead a men’s discipleship group. In just a matter of weeks Chuck’s heart has been so touched by our STARS that he, too, has caught the vision and joy of empowering the lives of adults with special needs.   And That’s Not All… Back in November, during our Stride to Thrive event at Grace Community Church ,  as more than 125 STARS and supporters walked to support our community, Carol Long was riding her bike on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard and stopped to ask someone what was going on. When she learned about our innovative program for adults with special needs she sent an email inquiring about volunteer opportunities. Before we knew it, she was showing up every Thursday morning to help out. Thursday mornings turned into all day Thursdays. The next thing we knew, Carol offered to lead a class to share about her experiences as a former teacher and missionary in the Philippines. Our STARS have been learning about the 7641 islands that make up the Southeast Asian country and that 50% of the population is under the age of 25! Carol has had so much fun using her creative talents to teach our STARS about life in Southeast Asia she’s offering to teach more classes!   “A generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes other will himself be refreshed.” ~ Proverbs 11:25 We’d Love to Have You Join Us on the Journey!   To support us financially go to Donate | Suncoast STARS   To volunteer go to Get Involved | Suncoast STARS   For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org  or call 720.480.0950   www.suncoaststars.org   “He counts the STARS and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4

Few people live life as fully as Amber Jones lived hers.  Amber may have had special needs, but she generously gave special joy to all who had the privilege of knowing her. Amber was the embodiment of FUN.  She loved Comic-Con, all things Disney, football, hockey, and all kinds of animals, especially horses - and she was always up for an adventure.  Amber graduated to heaven on November 12, 2018, and though her life on earth may have been short, her legacy of love lives on through the Amber Jones Foundation - the foundation her family established to support adults with special needs.  We are SO grateful for their generous $25,000 grant  to help expand our Work & Enrichment Program and help more STARS live life like Amber did. We are always looking for interesting learning opportunities for our STARS and this year we hit the jackpot when Lois Stimax offered to teach Culture & Cooking .  Each month the focus is on a different country with one class learning interesting facts about its culture and history and the other learning how to make simple dishes from that cuisine.  This month the focus was on Italy. The STARS learned that pizza originated in Naples and Milan is the fashion capital of the country. Of course, the best part was making their own personal pizzas! But the most significant benefit of this class is our   STARS  are learning recipes they can make independently at home, using toaster ovens or air fryers and simple ingredients.  By the end of the year, they will have their own cookbooks filled with recipes from around the world that they can share with family and friends!   Bon Appetit! We Love Our Volunteers Lily Tomlin once said, “I always wondered why somebody didn’t do something about that. Then I realized  I  was somebody.”  Every week our volunteers are doing “something” to give adults with Down Syndrome, Autism and other special needs opportunities to learn new skills, develop confidence, experience a sense of purpose and enjoy a place where they belong. These dedicated, fun-loving folks help our STARS  stay on task and celebrate their accomplishments in our Greeting Card Studio; guide them in fitness & dance, assist in Bible study; read in Book Club; lead Sports Talk and teach cooking.  We are grateful to all the folks who joined us for our volunteer training this month.   If YOU  have a special skill or talent you’d like to share with our STARS or if you have experience in fundraising, technology, marketing or videography please click this link: Get Involved | Suncoast STARS . Come join the party! We Are Hiring As we welcome more STARS to our community, we need more staff to help maintain our high-quality programming. We are seeking a highly motivated, creative individual with Special Education experience and an entrepreneurial spirit to join us on this amazing journey. To learn more, please contact us at info@suncoaststars.org . Let's Keep this Going! To support us financially go to Donate | Suncoast STARS For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org or call 720.480.0950 www.suncoaststars.org "He counts the STARS and calls them by name." ~ Psalm 147:4

There are few things more satisfying in life than having a community of people who care about you - folks who are there for you when you need them. Knowing we have friends who care lightens our load, lifts our spirit, and somehow makes the challenges of life more manageable. This  is what Suncoast STARS Community   provides for our STARS , and this is what YOU , our community partners and supporters do for us. As we begin the journey of this new year, our hearts are filled with gratitude for the Tabernacle Church    for making space available to operate our program and for Grace Community Church   for supporting us financially and in so many other ways and for each of you  who invest your time, talent and treasure to make our life-giving program possible for adults with special needs.   Thanks to all of you, this year we have been able to increase the number of program days, enrichment class offerings and volunteers, enabling us to welcome new STARS into our sweet community. Together we are giving adults with Downs Syndrome, Autism and other special needs the opportunity to enjoy meaningful, creative work; to study the Bible and learn about God’s love and purpose for their lives; engage in dance, culture & cooking classes, book club, sports talk, American Sign Language and more. But most importantly, together we have the privilege of being the hands and feet of Jesus to these adults as we provide a place where they are understood, accepted and celebrated. What a great beginning to the new year!! Let’s Keep Going! To support us financially go to Donate | Suncoast STARS To volunteer go to Get Involved | Suncoast STARS For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org or call 720.480.0950 www.suncoaststars.org “He counts the STARS and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4

We are pleased to announce that we have received a $10,000 grant from the Community Foundaton of Sarasota County to support our Work and Enrichment program for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The following press release was issued on December 9th.

GivingTuesday, the global generosity movement, is Tuesday, December 3rd.  Generosity is the fuel that enables us to empower the lives of adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. This year, our good friends at Grace Community Church  have generously offered to match the first $5,000 we raise on GivingTuesday ! These funds will help us expand our innovative programming and help our STARS access the abundant life God intended for them.   YOU can join us on the journey!  Here’s how: Set up your donation TODAY at Donate - Grace Community Church Be sure to click “Suncoast STARS” in the dropdown menu.   Spread the word ! Encourage your friends and family to join you in creating real impact on December 3rd by sharing what our mission means to you and why you support Suncoast STARS Community.   Other ways to help: Volunteer: We need help in our greeting card studio, and we’re always looking for folks who have a talent or hobby they’d like to share with our STARS. 😊 Gift cards: to Michaels, Hobby Lobby and Amazon   For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org  or call 303.358.6074

You Don't Want to Miss... We hope and pray you all fared well from Hurricane Milton. In the midst of the challenges, we have been inspired by the resilience of our community as everyone gets back to work. And that’s what we’re doing too…   On Saturday, November 9th , Grace Community Church will be hosting our 1st Annual Stride to Thrive - a family friendly fundraising walk benefiting our innovative Work & Enrichment Program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This 1-mile walk will begin at 9 a.m. and is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. The walk will start in Grace’s parking lot and end there with a Family Fun Fest including food trucks, music by DJ Mike, a bounce house, yard games, Marty the Marauder, a hitting station, face painting, vendor & non-profit booths, the chance to win some great prizes - and a special performance by our very own Suncoast STARS that you don’t want to miss! 😊  Bring your family, friends and neighbors!   Register Here : Suncoast Stars Stride to Thrive ( runsignup.com ) Here’s Why You Should…   At Suncoast STARS Community we are working tirelessly to give adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities opportunities to develop their God-given potential and experience a sense of purpose in a place where their limitations are understood and accepted, and every accomplishment is celebrated.     Here are some of the opportunities we make possible for our STARS… Our Work & Enrichment Program   We recognize that our STARS thrive in a well-structured environment with regular routines, stimulating activities and positive peer support. Our days are filled with classes such as improv, chair Pilates, book club (recently the biographies of Louis Braille and Simone Biles), dance, life skills, Bible study (and Bible Jeopardy!), sports talk, fire safety, dance and lots of fun fitness and nutrition challenges. Do YOU know how many grams of protein you eat every day?     In addition to our enrichment classes, we are continuing to develop our own business enterprises so our STARS can enjoy meaningful productive work in a place where they can be successful. This past summer we made the decision to suspend bakery operations to focus all our energies on our greeting card studio where all our STARS can participate in production. We have been refining our processes and working to improve our techniques and our efforts are paying off.   Our STARS are involved in paper selection, cutting, punching shapes, stamping messages, assembly, gluing and packaging - none of which are simple tasks for folks who struggle with fine motor skills, motor planning and coordination. Not only is the quality of our cards improving, but our processes are also becoming more efficient and, best of all, our STARS are enjoying a sense of pride in their accomplishments. Stay tuned as we plan to officially launch and make our cards available for sale in early 2025.   We are so grateful to the Tabernacle Church   for hosting our Work & Enrichment Program and making these opportunities possible for our STARS! Club 21 On Friday, July 19th, Grace Community Church  graciously opened their home to host Suncoast STARS’ pilot social and recreation program, “Club 21”, designed to give our STARS a weekend evening out with friends in a safe and supported setting. Volunteers from Grace’s Exchange Ministry (their 20s & 30s group) supported our STARS as they spent the evening playing games and practicing dance moves. The evening ended with a devotion and time of worship. The excitement and energy in the room was invigorating! It’s amazing what a couple of hours of kindness can do to the soul. In the words of one of our STARS, “It was spectacular!” Given the success of our pilot program, we are working on plans to offer Club 21 on a regular basis in the new year.  If you’re interested in volunteering, please email info@suncoaststars.org . Our Terrific Teaching Team   Our robust work & enrichment opportunities are only possible because of the talent, experience and creativity of our teaching staff who share the passion to empower the lives of adults with special needs. Liz Raedeke, a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach, has been with us from the beginning and is continually exploring ways to expand and elevate our health & fitness program and assist in other areas of organizational development.   Sarah Carlin joined us in July. As a former home educator and registered behavior technician, Sarah brings her creative teaching techniques and great problem-solving skills to help our STARS access new learning opportunities. In August, we were excited to engage Kristen Makowske, a master’s level Special Education Teacher and Board-Certified Behavior Analyst, as our program consultant to provide staff training and support as we prepare for growth.   We are fortifying our foundation with gifted and dedicated professionals - and a wonderful group of talented and dedicated volunteers. What an amazing journey! We need YOU to help us grow! Join us on Saturday, November 9th  at our STRIDE to THRIVE  at Grace Community Church to help us raise money to expand our life-giving programs to adults with special needs.   Register Today:   Suncoast Stars Stride to Thrive ( runsignup.com )   To support us financially go to Donate | Suncoast STARS   For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org  or call 720.480.0950   www.suncoaststars.org “He counts the STARS and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4

“I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things”. ~Mother Teresa Woo Hoo!! We are thrilled and honored to announce Suncoast STARS Community has received a $20,000 grant from the Golisano Foundation to help expand our innovative Work & Enrichment Program! The Golisano Foundation is one of the nation’s largest foundations dedicated to supporting programs for people with intellectual disabilities.  Together, we are raising the standards for adults with special needs! Thank you, Golisano Foundation! Together - Building Community What a great time our STARS had last month with our new friends at CBRE Group, Inc. and Marand Builders, Inc. learning about construction! CBRE and Marand employees volunteered their time to work one on one with our STARS to help them build beautiful cedar birdhouses.  The afternoon included a fun ice-breaking activity, a time lapse video showing one of CBRE’s and Marand’s local construction projects, a safety orientation and the installation of one of the birdhouses on Grace Community Church’s property in Lakewood Ranch, for their gracious hospitality in hosting this special event. We can’t wait for our next project together! Together we can empower the lives of our STARS and give hope to their parents and families! YOU can make a difference today by… Becoming a monthly donor and/or make a one-time gift to help us create more opportunities for our STARS Donate | Suncoast STARS Do you have a special talent or skill? Volunteer to teach or assist in an enrichment class (baking, ASL, drama, music, Spanish, etc.) Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Volunteer to help with fundraising, marketing, or technology. Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Share this newsletter with the Special Ed teachers you know as we will be hiring in the near future. Pray for God’s direction and provision. For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org or call 303.358.6074. “He counts the STARS and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4

Easter - An Explosion of Hope! When Jesus rolled away the stone and walked out of that tomb on that first Easter morning so many years ago, He conquered sin and death and, in doing so, He created an explosion of Hope! Hope shifts our perspective and enables us to see possibilities we didn’t think existed, and it energizes us to do things we never thought we could. That explosion of hope continues to reverberate today - on so many levels - and we are experiencing it at Suncoast STARS Community as we roll away obstacles for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities enabling them to experience the abundant life Jesus came to give. Happy Easter! Creating Hope in the Kitchen As we explore opportunities for developing our own businesses this month we’ve been introducing our STARS to all aspects of bakery operations.  Our bakery team has been busy measuring and mixing ingredients and rolling and cutting out dough for our all natural “Buddy Bites” dog biscuits.  They’ve been packaging, labeling, washing dishes, wiping down counters and sweeping floors. Who knew how much fun we could have in the kitchen? Creating Hope in the Craft Room While our bakers are busy in the kitchen, our artisans are busy designing and creating beautiful, handcrafted greeting cards.  Our STARS are learning how to cut and punch out shapes, assemble patterns, and stamp messages to create high quality greeting cards - and they are loving be a part of the creative process. Come Help Us Create Hope! Become a monthly donor and/or make a one-time gift to help us create more opportunities for our STARS Donate | Suncoast STARS Do you have a special talent or skill? Volunteer to teach or assist in an enrichment class (baking, ASL, drama, music, Spanish, etc.) Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Volunteer to help with fundraising, marketing, or technology. Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Share this newsletter with the Special Ed teachers you know as we will be hiring in the near future. Pray for God’s direction and provision. For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org or call 303.358.6074. “He counts the STARS and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4

Unadulterated Joy That is what Suncoast STARS Community is in the business of creating. There is something in the human spirit that craves a sense of purpose, meaning, and a place to belong.  When we give adults with Downs Syndrome, Autism, and other special needs a place where their limitations are understood and accepted and where we empower them to learn new skills and develop their potential - and celebrate every accomplishment, the result is pure JOY. There is no better return on investment. The Joy of Affirmation As a young, grassroots non-profit organization with an audacious vision, every day is a step of faith.  But we believe what Jesus taught when He said, “If you’re faithful in the small things, you will be entrusted with more.” So, you can imagine our joy upon receiving approval for a $7500 grant from a local, private family foundation!  This is a wind in our sails! But that’s not all… Earlier this month we were also honored to be chosen as a Community Partner of Grace Community Church (gracesarasota.com) in Lakewood Ranch! In addition to a $5000 gift, Grace is also helping to connect us with volunteers and other community resources. Our program would not be possible without the support of these generous partners and the generous hospitality of The Tabernacle Church (tabsarasota.org) which hosts our program. We are deeply grateful for and encouraged by the affirmation of our efforts.  Together we are empowering the lives of adults with special needs. A Big Thank You to Premier Martial Arts (www.premiermartialarts.com) for giving our STARS the opportunity to learn some Karate and Taekwondo.  Did you know martial arts training is not only helpful for learning self-defense, but it also helps to build muscle mass and tone, improve agility and balance, increase confidence and relieve stress? Do You Want More Joy in Your Life? Then, come join the fun! Here’s how: Become a monthly donor and/or make a one-time gift. Donate | Suncoast STARS Volunteer to teach or assist in an enrichment class (baking, ASL, drama, music, Spanish, etc.) Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Volunteer to help with fundraising, marketing, or technology. Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Share this newsletter with the Special Ed teachers you know as we will be hiring in the near future. Pray for God’s direction and provision. For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org or call 303.358.6074. “He counts the STARS and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4

Hello Friends, Welcome to the first edition of our Suncoast STARS Community newsletter! Each month we will update you on our journey to develop an innovative work and enrichment community for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Sarasota / Bradenton area. You are receiving this newsletter because we thought you might be interested in this exciting endeavor. Our Journey Began… in April 2021 as we sat in our home office and in a simple prayer asked God what He wanted us to do in this next season of our lives. The answer came faster than expected. By August 2021, along with our daughter, Emily, we had relocated from Castle Rock, Colorado to Bradenton, Florida with a vision to help create a community where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can develop their potential and enjoy a sense of purpose and belonging. Our Vision… is to establish specially modified business enterprises where adults with special needs are provided the support they need to enjoy meaningful, productive, and creative work. The vision also includes providing on-going life-skills training and a variety of enrichment classes to engage our STARS physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually – the whole person. We want to dismantle misconceptions about and raise the standards for adults with special needs! In fact, we refer to the folks we serve as STARS - Specially Talented Adults Raising Standards. Our Strategy… is seeking God for inspiration, direction and provision of our needs and cultivating relationships with local churches, individuals, and community partners to join us in this life-giving mission. This is the same strategy we used in developing Wellspring Community, the successful nonprofit organization we started in our kitchen in 2008 that now empowers more than 100 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These adults work as bakers, baristas, and artisans and also get to choose from more than 40 enrichment classes each month – things like dance, iPhone photography, CrossFit, music and much more. (www.wearewellspring.org) We KNOW what’s possible. We’re on our Way… We’ve spent the last two years developing relationships, identifying resources and organizing a part-time program. We’re encouraged by all that was accomplished in 2023: In March we incorporated within the state of Florida as a nonprofit organization. We obtained program space at the Tabernacle Church in Sarasota. We are serving 12 STARS in our part-time program. In October we received our 501(c)(3) IRS nonprofit tax status. We recruited a part-time Program Manager and have engaged several volunteers to teach Bible study, dance, fitness & nutrition, crafts, drama, card-making, book club and more. We launched our website! (www.suncoaststars.org) We have engaged the Sarasota Sheriff’s department to teach periodic safety classes. We have established a partnership with Town Square University, a memory care facility where we engage their clients in bi-monthly balloon volleyball tournaments. We have inspired the support of several monthly donors. Where We’re Headed… Thanks to the generous support of the Tabernacle Church, we are excited to be able to expand our program in 2024.  Not only will we be increasing the number of program days, but we will also begin a baking program as we take small steps toward the development of our special business enterprises. We are actively recruiting volunteers to help with baking and teach American Sign Language, Spanish, jewelry-making, music, dance, knitting, Science and more. We are working on plans to launch Club 21, a social and recreation program to give our STARS a safe and fun place to enjoy a weekend evening out with their friends. Most importantly, as we are able to raise more money, we will be able to recruit and hire additional staff with special education experience to enable us to serve more individuals. Come Join Us on the Journey! Roger von Oech once said, “There are precious few Einsteins among us; true brilliance occurs when ordinary people come together to do extraordinary things.” Here’s how YOU can be a part of the extraordinary: Become a monthly donor and/or make a one-time gift. Donate | Suncoast STARS Volunteer to teach or assist in an enrichment class (baking, jewelry-making, music, Spanish, etc.) Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Volunteer to help with fundraising, marketing, or technology. Get Involved | Suncoast STARS Pass on this newsletter to the Special Ed teachers you know! Pray for God’s direction and provision. For more information, email info@suncoaststars.org or call 303.358.6074. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to folks you think would be interested in joining us on this extraordinary journey. “He counts the STARS and calls them all by name.” ~ Psalm 147:4 Trusting in Him, Bob & Mary Lou