RAISE is a work and social skills training program for adults with disabilities who are seeking employment and face challenges finding work.
Offered by Shalom Orlando, RAISE collaborates with 16 partnering locations and engages 1:1 volunteer job coaches to provide paid employment at each of these locations. In addition, RAISE offers guidance to help participants transition to jobs in the community.
About RAISE
A Place to Belong and Become
By providing a 6 to 9 month part-time work experience through partnering locations of Shalom Orlando, RAISE offers each participant the self-worth that comes from earning a paycheck, the satisfaction of being a participating member of society, an accepting work environment, the self-respect that comes with productivity, the dignity of having a job, a feeling of contribution, and the social benefit of interfacing with our community in a safe and compassionate setting.
During this time, job skills are modeled, shaped, and refined. RAISE builds self-esteem, fosters independence at home and in the workplace, educates and inspires participants and their families to set new goals, supports and encourages social growth, and creates awareness of services and opportunities available in the community.
The Story of RAISE
RAISE honors the life and legacy of founder Loren London’s brother Barry, the inspiration for creating RAISE. Like many others within our community, Barry faced employment and social challenges on a daily basis.
May his beautiful memory and accomplishments lead us to be involved in Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), as RAISE builds inclusion and helps to make our community a better place.
Channel 6 news highlights RAISE employees in the workplace.
RAISE was featured as a Community Champion on WESH 2 News. The video above features RAISE employees, Job Coaches and Leadership Team members.
Begin your journey with RAISE by completing an application today!
We are happy to provide you with more information about RAISE.
We are always seeking Volunteer Job Coaches. Click above to find out more.
Parents, employees and former employees talk about their experiences with RAISE. Special thanks to the creative team: Robin Hofmann and Alexis Latimore!
The RAISE Mission
To build confidence, promote independence, and teach employability skills to adults with disabilities and provide guidance and support to their families.
Who We Are
The Heart of Inclusion Since 2012
The RAISE mission is guided by traditional Jewish values of Repairing the World and Acts of Loving Kindness, by promoting inclusion and taking into account the overall well-being of adults with special needs.
For every person with a disability who has a job, there are four more who would like to go to work. RAISE helps prepare our employees for employment in the community.
RAISE Awareness to Hire
Adding purpose to our mission, RAISE Awareness to Hire is a division of RAISE that works with local businesses to create new jobs and provide a simple and seamless transition for adults with disabilities from the nurturing environment of RAISE into the competitive marketplace.
Are you interested in hiring an adult with a disability? Click the box below and we will be in touch with you.
Partnering Locations Providing RAISE Work Opportunities:
South Orlando Jewish Congregation
RAISE IN THE NEWS
They Deserve a RAISE
J Life Magazine – Fall 2023
RAISE Partners with Amazon
Heritage Florida Jewish News – August 2022
Heritage Florida Jewish News – May 2022
RAISE Continues to RISE.
J Life – Spring 2022
Young adults with special needs meet their new employers at Maitland event
ClickOrlando.com – November 2022
RAISE April Employee of the Month
Heritage Florida Jewish News – April 2022
The impact of RAISE on the community
Heritage Florida Jewish News – March 2022
A World of Difference
A television program raising awareness about “Ensuring Workforce Diversity Includes Neurodiversity,” produced by Beacon College – October 2020
RAISE Keeps On Truckin’
Heritage Florida Jewish News – November 2020
RAISE On The Road Program
Heritage Florida Jewish News – May 2021
RAISE Featured on New TV series
Heritage Florida Jewish News – November 2020
Unhindered by lockdown, RAISE continues on the road to growth
Heritage Florida Jewish News – May 2020
RAISE named WESH Community Champion
WESH Channel 2 – January 2020
RAISE announces two new logos
Heritage Florida Jewish News – September 2019
Opinion: Raising human spirits
Christine DeSouza, Heritage Florida Jewish News – December 2018
A walk through the RAISE program
Heritage Florida Jewish News – November 2018
RAISE continues to raise the bar for inclusion
Heritage Florida Jewish News – October 2018
RAISE employee of the month
Heritage Florida Jewish News – March 2018
RAISE brings hiring in house
Heritage Florida Jewish News – March 2018
RAISE Them Up: Opportunities abound for adults with special needs
J Life magazine – Fall 2017
New beginnings with RAISE
Heritage Florida Jewish News – September 2017
RAISE continues to impact lives
Heritage Florida Jewish News – May 2017
RAISE enters its third year of successful achievements
Heritage Florida Jewish News – October 2016
Special needs program in Cleveland gives to programs in Orlando
Heritage Florida Jewish News – April 2016
RAISE set to enter its second year
Heritage Florida Jewish News – June 2015
RAISE: Enabling the Disabled
Orange Appeal Magazine – May 2015
Professional Services Partner
Learn more about our professional services partner, Social Bridges®
Community Alliances
Local businesses that share our mission of inclusion and have collaborated with RAISE to enhance the lives of adults with disabilities in our community
The RAISE Advisory Team
After spending two decades in the field of healthcare in New York City and Orlando, Loren redirected her leadership skills, focusing on the planning and managing of hundreds of educational, philanthropic, and musical events across Central Florida and nationwide. These wide-ranging experiences, coupled with her passion for inclusion, prepared Loren to build and manage RAISE from a vision in 2012 to reality.
Rachel holds both a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Special Education from Penn State University. She has over 30 years of experience in helping children and adults with disabilities reach their full potential. In addition to teaching at Seminole State College for 20 years, she has been a social skills coach in Central Florida for over 15 years. Now as the RAISE Inclusion Director at Shalom Orlando, Rachel brings both her professional background and her leadership and organization skills to RAISE to help neurodiverse adults gain the skills and confidence needed for employment in our community.
Carol is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is the Director of Social Bridges®. She holds a Master's degree in Social Work and a Bachelor's degree in Education/Drama Therapy.
Ken has a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, a Master's degree in Learning Disabilities, and a Doctorate in Education, specializing in Special Education with state certifications in Specific Learning Disabilities and Administration and Supervision. He is the former Director of Exceptional Student Education in Orange County, 1991-2011.
Sandra is a former Special Education teacher and Program Coordinator at UCF and in Orange County Public Schools. She holds a Master's degree in Special Education and a Bachelor's degree in K-12 Library Media Science. She has a certificate in Special Education Meditation from the Justice Center of Atlanta.
Amy is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She holds a Master's degree in Mental Health Counseling and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She has extensive experience working with individuals dealing with mental health issues. She currently writes social skills and employability training curriculum targeting adults and teens with Down Syndrome.
Bill has Bachelor's and Master's degrees in special eduation from Cleveland State University. He spent 36 years teaching in Cleveland Heights-University Heights and Seminole County Public Schools prior to his retirement in 2016. His teaching career was spent working with special-needs children in elementary and middle schools.
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Thank You To Our Sponsors
We are especially grateful to the generous and inspiring individuals, businesses, and foundations who support us. Thanks to their outstanding partnership, we are able to build confidence, promote independence, teach employability skills to adults with special needs and provide guidance and support to their families.
