Parents, employees and former employees talk about their experiences with RAISE. Special thanks to the creative team: Robin Hofmann and Alexis Latimore!
RAISE was featured as a Community Champion on WESH 2 News. The video below features RAISE employees, Job Coaches and Leadership Team members.
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We are always seeking Volunteer Job Coaches. Click above to find out more.
The RAISE Mission
To build confidence, promote independence, and teach employability skills to adults with special needs and provide guidance and support to their families.
About RAISE
By providing a 6- to 12-month part-time, paid work experience through partnering agencies of the Jewish Federation of Greater 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 loving 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 world a better place.
Support RAISE
The RAISE program is supported entirely by donations from our community. Please consider a gift to help us empower even more adults with special needs in Central Florida.
Participating Agencies providing employment opportunities
The Roth Family Jewish Community Center
Who We Are
The RAISE mission is guided by traditional Jewish values of Repairing the World and Acts of Loving Kindness, with a commitment to fostering acceptance, equality, diversity, and inclusion. For every person with a disability who has a job, there are four more who would like to work. For the past 8 years, RAISE has honored the fundamental value and dignity of all individuals as we have helped prepare our participants for employment in the community.
Get more information about hiring an adult with special needs at your business.
The RAISE leadership team
Loren London
RAISE Founder and Director
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 a reality.
Rachel Slavkin, M.Ed.
Director of Employment Services and Education; Social Bridges®
Rachel holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Special Education. She has over 25 years of experience in helping children and adults with disabilities reach their full potential. In addition to being a faculty member at Seminole State College since 2002, she has been a social skills coach in Central Florida for over 10 years bringing both her professional background and her leadership and organization skills to RAISE.
Carol Miller, LCSW
Director of Social Bridges®
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 Schneider, Ed.D.
Program Advisor
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 Grider, M.Ed.
Support Job Coach
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 Mediation from the Justice Center of Atlanta.
Amy Weston, LMHC
Transition Specialist
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 Yahner, M.Ed.
Senior Job Coach
Bill has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in special education 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.
Follow RAISE on Facebook!
RAISE in the News
RAISE On The Road Program
Heritage Florida Jewish News
May 2021
RAISE Keeps On Truckin’
Heritage Florida Jewish News
November 2020
RAISE Featured on New TV series
Heritage Florida Jewish News
November 2020
A World of Difference
featuring RAISE
A television program celebrating neurodiversity produced by Beacon College.
October 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
RAISE invited to Fedovation at GA
Heritage Florida Jewish News
October 2014
RAISE launched with
its first 5 employees
Heritage Florida Jewish News
May 2014
RAISE is rolling into creation
Heritage Florida Jewish News
January 2014
RAISE the bar for special needs
Heritage Florida Jewish News
December 2013
Professional Services Provider
Corporate Sponsors
Abby Nelson’s Great Homes Group
Community Alliances
Local businesses who share our mission of inclusion and have collaborated with RAISE to enhance the lives of adults with disabilities in our community:
Abby Nelson’s Great Homes Group
Central Florida Interagency Council
Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida
Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida
JOCA – A Place for Special Needs
Lakewood Residential Treatment Center
Law Office of Catherine E. Davey, P.A.
Two 6 Resources Placement Center
UCF CARD: Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
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.