Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities The Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities provides services to people from birth throughout their life.

Our mission is enriching, empowering, and connecting people with their community.

National Siblings Day Celebration and Retreat Hosted by OhioSIBSShare the joys and challenges of being a sibling of a pe...
03/15/2026

National Siblings Day Celebration and Retreat Hosted by OhioSIBS

Share the joys and challenges of being a sibling of a person with a disability. This retreat offers a chance to connect with siblings who understand, talk about future planning and caregiving, and know you are not alone.

Sibling Retreat
Saturday, April 11 | 10 AM to 2 PM | Cost: $75
Limited space: 15 people

Join OhioSIBS for coffee and breakfast, connection-based programming led by NuHop, and a guided conversation with Barb Sapharas using Charting the LifeCourse (CtLC). Attendees will eat lunch at Mohican Lodge’s Bromfield’s Dining Room overlooking the lake.

Sibling Celebration (Optional)
Friday, April 10 | 6 PM-8 PM | Free
Start the weekend with pizza, a featured speaker, and a campfire. This relaxed evening is a chance to meet other siblings, share stories, and connect with people who understand.

Learn more and register for the National Sibling’s Day Celebration and Retreat: https://www.ohiosibs.org/events/sibling-celebration-retreat

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2nd Annual Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Bowling Bash at Jeffer...
03/14/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 2nd Annual Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Bowling Bash at Jefferson Lanes. With 64 bowlers made up of community partners and people we support, the lanes were full of fun, friendly competition, and great connections.

A special thank you to Doug & Michelle Moyer, owners of Jefferson Lanes, for hosting and providing pizza, and to Abbey's Cupboard for the delicious orange sugar cookies!

Shout out to Wyatt, our amazing emcee, for announcing our bowlers throughout the event and helping everyone recognize the great community members in attendance.

A special thank you to the Harry E Church Scholarship for recognizing the top male and female bowlers supported by ACBDD. The Harry E. Church Scholarship honors local leaders who give back to their community and supports programs that celebrate leadership and service.

Congratulations to our top teams!
🥇 1st Place: Adam (Sunset Transportation), Travis, Randy, & Dave (Owner of Sunset Transportation)

🥈 2nd Place: Jon, John Dalsky (ACBDD Board Member), Jake & Tom Lucas (DJ & Veteran Service Officer)

🥉 3rd Place: Cathy, Chris (Spring Team Inc.), Willie & Levi (Legislative Aide for Representative Thomas at the State House)

And congratulations to Will Ulrich (April Mariotti Daniels Ashtabula County Clerk of Courts Office) for achieving the highest individual score of the day!

Thank you to all the bowlers, supporters, and community members who helped make the day such a great success! Events like this bring people together and remind us how strong our community is when everyone is included.

We had a wonderful time visiting five 3rd grade classes at Ashtabula Area City Schools Superior Intermediate for Develop...
03/13/2026

We had a wonderful time visiting five 3rd grade classes at Ashtabula Area City Schools Superior Intermediate for Developmental Disabilities (DD) Awareness Month!

Students enjoyed the story A Friend for Henry and talked about how small acts of kindness ike inviting someone to play, sitting with someone new, or being patient helps everyone feel included.

Each student received an Inclusion Pledge bookmark and learned about our drawing contest, where they can share how they will include others at school and in their community.

A big thank you to Katie & Ray for joining Angela, ACBDD Community Outreach Specialist, to share your story with the students!

We also appreciate the students and teachers at Superior Intermediate for the warm welcome and for helping spread the message of kindness, friendship, and inclusion.

Each month, we spotlight people we support working in our community and the employers who foster inclusive workplaces. T...
03/13/2026

Each month, we spotlight people we support working in our community and the employers who foster inclusive workplaces. This month, we’re excited to highlight Bobby!

Meet Bobby, who works as a substitute cafeteria worker and special needs assistant for Buckeye Local Schools, Saint John School , and Local Schools - Lake County through the Ashtabula County Educational Service Center (ESC), as well as a track official through the Ohio High School Athletic Association
(OHSAA) and USA Track & Field (USATF).

Bobby has been working at the schools for about three months and says he truly enjoys being there. He shared that both his coworkers and the students treat him with respect, and many of the students even tell him they think he is awesome.

Being able to support students and help create a positive environment at the schools has been a rewarding experience for him. In addition to his work in the schools, Bobby has been a high school track official for 12 years and has officiated at the college level for the past four years. He enjoys getting to know the athletes, seeing how they improve their times, and helping guide them through races by explaining directions. His favorite role, however, is working as a starter for the races. While he once thought this responsibility might be difficult, Bobby has overcome those challenges and now finds the role fun.

Bobby shares this advice with others, “Sometimes things don’t go your way and you might have trouble with things. Things can get out of hand fast. Don’t worry and think about it all the time. Keep going and you will find your way around it, and it will make you stronger.”

Fun fact about Bobby: He is musically talented! Bobby can play the organ, sing, and play the drums. Thank you to The ESC, OHSAA, and USATF for fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace for everyone!

Join us for our next Ashtabula Playgroup on Monday, March 16th!This free event is designed for children ages 0–5. This ...
03/12/2026

Join us for our next Ashtabula Playgroup on Monday, March 16th!

This free event is designed for children ages 0–5. This playgroup is a great chance for little ones to play, explore, and make new friends while parents and caregivers connect too!

Date: Monday, March 16th (Third Monday of each month)
Time: 4:00–5:00 PM
Location: Ashtabula County Board of DD (2505 South Ridge Rd. East, Ashtabula)

There’s plenty of space to play, snacks to enjoy, and smiles to share. We can’t wait to see you there!

03/12/2026

Our advocates and staff were honored to recite the Pledge of Allegiance on Fox 8 News in the morning!

Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/MSNkSH-zstM

Another group from our team will be presenting the pledge on Tuesday, March 17th around 6:40am.

We’re grateful to have had this opportunity during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to highlight the voices and presence of self-advocates in our community. Special thanks to Jeramy Rosenberg of Fox 8 News for recording our segment and making this possible!

DD Awareness Month in Action!We visited Buckeye Local Schools Kingsville Elementary 3rd graders to read 'A Friend for He...
03/11/2026

DD Awareness Month in Action!

We visited Buckeye Local Schools Kingsville Elementary 3rd graders to read 'A Friend for Henry' and talk with the students about friendship and belonging.

Advocates, Bud and Cheyenne, talked about what inclusion means and gave students orange wristbands to remind them that everyone can help others feel welcome. Students shared thoughtful ideas about ways they can include others at school.

Students are creating drawings to show how they will include and be kind to others. The drawings will be collected at the end of the month, and prizes will be awarded in April!

Thank you Kingsville Elementary for helping create a community where everyone belongs!

This month, we celebrate the work anniversaries of four of our amazing team members! We appreciate your service and comm...
03/11/2026

This month, we celebrate the work anniversaries of four of our amazing team members! We appreciate your service and commitment to Ashtabula County.

Brewing Up Awareness Together!This week we are featuring All Things Coffee House and Roasting Company, and we’re gratefu...
03/10/2026

Brewing Up Awareness Together!

This week we are featuring All Things Coffee House and Roasting Company, and we’re grateful for their partnership in helping spread awareness during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month!

We’re grateful to our local coffee shops for partnering with us this Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Stop by, enjoy your favorite warm drink, and grab an orange DD Awareness sleeve plus two chances to win a prize!

Participating locations:
☕ All Things Coffee House and Roasting Company
☕ Harbor Perk Coffeehouse & Roasting Company
☕ Scribblers Coffee Co.
☕ Wall Street Coffee Company

Together, we’re brewing connection, awareness, and inclusion throughout Ashtabula County.

Did you see the success story featuring Wyatt in our February newsletter?! If not, check out his story below.Meet Wyatt,...
03/10/2026

Did you see the success story featuring Wyatt in our February newsletter?! If not, check out his story below.

Meet Wyatt, one of our amazing advocates! Within the past year, Wyatt graduated from Conneaut High School and has since started working at Active Day Ashtabula. While he says he misses his high school friends, he’s been building new friendships at work and enjoying this next chapter. During his time at Conneaut, Wyatt was crowned Prom King at Happy Hearts Ashtabula County Educational Service Center and even gave a speech at graduation, a moment he will always be proud of.

To read more about Wyatt and to see the recent newsletter please visit t.ly/DGOr5

Join us this Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month as we celebrate inclusion, community, and the amazing people we ...
03/09/2026

Join us this Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month as we celebrate inclusion, community, and the amazing people we support! Share your photos wearing orange and help us light up Ashtabula County!

Thank you to these community members who have helped color the county orange so far:

AM Ford, Christian Faith Academy: investing in the leaders of tomorrow, Izzy, the adorable pup from Henderson Library-Jefferson, OH showing off her orange bow, Office of State Rep. David Thomas wearing his orange tie for last week’s legislative session, Wall Street Coffee Company, our wonderful advocates and County Board staff for spreading awareness and promoting inclusion!

There’s still time to share your photos and help us light up Ashtabula County!

Congratulations to Niki, March’s Work of Heart Featured Artist!We’re proud to feature Niki as March’s Work of Heart arti...
03/09/2026

Congratulations to Niki, March’s Work of Heart Featured Artist!

We’re proud to feature Niki as March’s Work of Heart artist! She recently visited AM Ford, where she was surprised with a thoughtful goody bag. Moments like these highlight how art can celebrate talent and create connections in our community.

We’re also excited to share that the Kingsville Public Library Ohio is our newest location to display our Work of Heart artwork, giving even more people in our community a chance to enjoy the creativity and talent of the artists we support.

You can see artwork from Niki and other talented local artists supported by the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities at these locations:

📍 Ashtabula County Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
📍 Ashtabula County Educational Service Center
📍 Office of State Rep. David Thomas
📍 Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities
📍 Ashtabula County Auditor's Office- Scott Yamamoto Auditor
📍 Henderson Library-Jefferson, OH

A huge thank you to our community partners for opening your spaces and helping highlight the many talents within our community. Your support makes it possible for these artists to share their creativity with everyone!

Be sure to visit the William Tokarczyk Exhibition Gallery at the Ashtabula County District Library during DD Awareness Month to celebrate the incredible artwork on display.

Address

2505 South Ridge Road East
Ashtabula, OH
44004

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+14403351587

Website

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Category

Imagine, Believe, Achieve

The mission of the Ashtabula County Board of Developmental Disabilities is to ensure the availability of services and supports that will assist eligible individuals with developmental disabilities to imagine the life they want to live, believe they can create it and achieve their dreams as participating members in their community.

Providing Quality Outcome – Driven Programs & Services to enhance the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities for over 60 Years.

History

The story of Happy Hearts School and Ash/Craft Industries is written into the history of Ashtabula County. The story began at a time when few believed individuals with disabilities deserved the right to public education and a brighter future. The story of Happy Hearts School and Ash/Craft Industries is an example to all the love, commitment, and determination of parents who persisted and prevailed in accomplishing their goal that opened the door.