The Family Cafe

The Family Cafe The Family Cafe has been providing Floridians with disabilities and their families with Collaboration, Advocacy, Friendship and Empowerment since 1998.

The Family Cafe has been connecting Floridians with disabilities with information, resources, and networking opportunities since 1998 by creating a space for Collaboration, Advocacy, Friendship, and Empowerment!

It’s the fist day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games! 🏅❄️Did you know, the first Paralympic Games was a ...
03/07/2026

It’s the fist day of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games! 🏅❄️

Did you know, the first Paralympic Games was a Summer Games held in Rome in 1960? 🤔 Check out this photo of the opening ceremony! What began as the “International Stoke Mandville Games” at a spinal injury center in the UK, became what we know today as the epic Paralympic Games.

This year, the U.S. is sending 68 athletes to the games, including two from Florida! Join us in cheering on para alpine skiier David Williams and 3-time Gold medalist sled hockey player Declan Farmer as they go for Gold in Italy this year! 🌟

[Image descriptions - Photo 1: A black and white photo shows athletes in wheelchairs parading on a track, led by a flag bearer holding a large flag. Spectators and flags line the path, creating a celebratory atmosphere. Photo 2: Declan Farmer smiles, sitting on a specialized hockey sled, wearing a navy USA hockey jersey with white stars. He's holding sled hockey sticks, exuding confidence and pride. Photo 3: David Williams dons an adaptive mono-ski wearing blue, red, and white gear, competing on a snowy slope, exuding determination. Background shows blurred trees.]

Exhibitor spots are filling up quickly this year! ⌛ Secure your booth while you can.Register to exhibit at The 28th Annu...
03/05/2026

Exhibitor spots are filling up quickly this year! ⌛ Secure your booth while you can.

Register to exhibit at The 28th Annual Family Café: https://bit.ly/ExhibitAtCafe28 🔗

Each exhibitor registration includes:
✅ A 10′ x 10′ area
✅ One skirted table and two chairs
✅ Pipe and drape
✅ Electricity and Wi-Fi
✅ Registration fees for two Booth Representatives

PLUS this year, you can choose your booth location and take advantage of our app’s lead-tracking tools.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us by phone or by email.
📞: (850) 224-4670 • 📧: info@familycafe.net

Thanks to everyone who joined us and our Board Chair/legislative expert Jim DeBeaugrine last week for Let’s Talk! 📢Misse...
03/04/2026

Thanks to everyone who joined us and our Board Chair/legislative expert Jim DeBeaugrine last week for Let’s Talk! 📢

Missed it? Don’t worry, we’ve got another one this Friday! Register today: https://bit.ly/LetsTalk2026 🔗

Some bills we’ve got our eyes on are:
👉 Blue Envelope Bill (HB365/SB418): Improving how law enforcement agents handle interactions with individuals with Autism.
👉 ESE Video Camera Bill (HB859/SB1170): Providing specifics for video cameras in ESE classrooms at parent request.
👉 CARD Project Leo Bill (HB1405/SB1570): Providing tracking devices for individuals with Autism who are at risk of elopement.
👉 iBudget Waiver & Employment Bill (HB915/SB1016): Allowing those on the iBudget waiver to work and make additional income while maintaining eligibility.
👉 Special Olympics PE Bill(HB453/SB556): Making Special Olympics involvement count towards the High School PE requirement.
👉 iBudget Support Quality Bill (HB565/SB794): Improving quality of iBudget waiver support and increasing background check requirements for providers.

If you have any questions about these bills, join us FRIDAY to ask our guest legislative experts. 👍

The Family Cafe invites you to attend the next FROM webinar!Fundraising in a New Era: How Fundraising Is Different Now a...
03/03/2026

The Family Cafe invites you to attend the next FROM webinar!

Fundraising in a New Era: How Fundraising Is Different Now and How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Monday, March 9th, 10 am – 11:30 am

Join presenter Mary Kingston Roche to learn more about the changed landscape of fundraising and how to set yourself and your organization up for success in 2026 and beyond!

Learn more and register at https://familycafe.net/from/

Our final spotlight is Joyce Ardell Jackson. 🌟After being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 12, Joyce endured...
02/28/2026

Our final spotlight is Joyce Ardell Jackson. 🌟

After being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 12, Joyce endured over 50 surgeries throughout her lifetime. According to her friends and family, she met every challenge with strength, humor, and determination - even nicknaming herself “The Bionic Woman,” reflecting her resilience and spirit in the face of medical complexity. Encouraged by her family, Joyce attended and graduated from Santa Clara University (SCU), then began working at the Center for Independent Living in California.

In April 1977, Joyce helped lead one of the most pivotal moments in disability rights history: the Section 504 Sit-In in San Francisco. Alongside fellow activists, she occupied the regional offices of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare for nearly a month, demanding enforcement of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Joyce was one of only 25 people who traveled alongside the great Judy Heumann to Washington D.C., meeting with federal officials to fight for 504's signage. After tremendous effort by Joyce and her colleagues, the regulations were finally signed on April 28, 1977.

Joyce later served three terms on the national board of the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities and continued advocating for full participation and independence for people with disabilities. Following the 504 signage, she traveled across the country as a consultant on implementing the law's changes. She continued consulting on accessibility implementation until her retirement in the 90s.

In an article about Joyce and the impact of 504, Joyce's sister writes: "Whenever I see a world made more accessible to the physically impaired—I think of my baby sister and her fellow activists. Their courageous efforts helped to improve the lives of all of us"

Thank you so much for joining us this month to recognize the huge impact of Black Americans on disability rights and representation as we know it. ❤️ We believe that remembering the past is the best way to decide how we move forward.

Only a few months left until The 28th Annual Family Café! 💥 Are you registered yet? 🤔Register and apply for Financial As...
02/28/2026

Only a few months left until The 28th Annual Family Café! 💥 Are you registered yet? 🤔

Register and apply for Financial Assistance today: https://bit.ly/RegisterForCafe28 🔗

👉 FAQ about the event:
Q: How much does it cost to attend The Annual Family Café?
A: Nothing! The Annual Family Café is free to attend for individuals with disabilities and their families.

Q: How do I get my rooming covered for the event?
A: Apply for Financial Assistance during registration to be entered into the lottery drawing. Applications are do on April 1!

Q: Are there special rooming prices available?
A: Yes! Check out our website for more details about group pricing for the event hotel - the Hyatt Regency Orlando - and overflow hotels.

Q: What can I expect at The Annual Family Café?
A: Informational sessions, access to tons of resources, AND fun activities for all ages. 😊

Today, we’re celebrating DeOndra Dixon for ! 🌟After graduating from high school in 2002, DeOndra Dixon moved from Texas...
02/27/2026

Today, we’re celebrating DeOndra Dixon for ! 🌟

After graduating from high school in 2002, DeOndra Dixon moved from Texas to Thousand Oaks, California, living with her brother, actor Jamie Foxx, and beginning her career as a dancer and advocate.

Armed with a 10-year background in athletics and several medals from Special Olympics, DeOndra chased her passion of dance, writing she believed she was “born to dance.” She went on to star in a music video for the song “Blame It” in 2009, subsequently performing in concerts and at the Grammys as a feature dancer for the song.

That same year, she was awarded the inaugural Global Down Syndrome Foundation Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award for Self-Advocacy on October 10. She went on to join the foundation as a Global Ambassador in 2011, advocating for research to address the disparity of lifespan for African Americans with Down syndrome.

After her passing in 2020, historic legislation was passed in her honor: the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act (H.R. 7406). This act opened the door for groundbreaking research on co-occurring health conditions with Down Syndrome - research that could help elongate the lives of individuals with Down Syndrome and pave the way for higher quality care.

We’ve got one more post to share this week before the end of Black History Month, but we hope you’ve liked these educational spotlights! 📚 What’s your favorite thing you learned from these posts? Let us know in the comments. 💬

Thanks to everyone who joined us last Friday for Let’s Talk 📢We are back again this Friday with more updates and convers...
02/26/2026

Thanks to everyone who joined us last Friday for Let’s Talk 📢

We are back again this Friday with more updates and conversation about the legislation impacting Florida’s disability community.

Are you signed up to join us this week? Register for the Zoom meeting: https://bit.ly/LetsTalk2026 🔗

Please share with your friends and followers. We want to make sure as many Floridians with disabilities and their families as possible stay informed and in the loop.

We're up at the Capitol celebrating Children's Week this morning!
02/24/2026

We're up at the Capitol celebrating Children's Week this morning!

Thanks to everyone who joined us and our Board Chair, legislative expert Jim DeBeaugrine, last Friday for Lets Talk! 📢 H...
02/20/2026

Thanks to everyone who joined us and our Board Chair, legislative expert Jim DeBeaugrine, last Friday for Lets Talk! 📢 He’ll be joining us again tomorrow for some further legislative insights.

Are you signed up to join us this week? Register for the Zoom meeting: https://bit.ly/LetsTalk2026 🔗

Share this with your friends and followers - we want to make sure as many Floridians with disabilities and their families are in the loop about legislation impacting the disability community.

The Family Cafe invites you to attend the next FROM webinar!Fundraising in a New Era: How Fundraising Is Different Now a...
02/19/2026

The Family Cafe invites you to attend the next FROM webinar!

Fundraising in a New Era: How Fundraising Is Different Now and How to Set Yourself Up for Success

Monday, March 9th, 10 am – 11:30 am

Register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_baCeLsWVSbKtaP-yQwZCcA

Fundraising used to be a somewhat straightforward experience: identify organizations and people who care about your cause, ask them for money, and repeat. But in this new era of less predictability about who will fund your work, we need to change our approach. This includes building authentic relationships with potential funders and finding creative ways to engage people in your work to become partners and champions. Sign up for this webinar to learn more about the changed landscape of fundraising and how to set yourself and your organization up for success in 2026 and beyond.

Presenter Mary Kingston Roche is an experienced policy leader and advocate who has effectively secured new funding, champions, and partners for the organizations she has been involved in during her career. She is also currently on a local nonprofit Board and understands firsthand the challenges and opportunities for fundraising in today’s climate. She shares her experience and insights from identifying, pursuing, and securing funding; building relationships; and creating partnerships to help individuals and organizations successfully navigate fundraising in this new era.

This webinar is the first in a two-part series on fundraising, with part two set for April. Stay tuned for details about part two!

Registration for The 28th Annual Family Café is now OPEN! 📢🌟 We hope you’ll join us at the largest cross-disability even...
02/13/2026

Registration for The 28th Annual Family Café is now OPEN! 📢🌟 We hope you’ll join us at the largest cross-disability event in the nation. 😊

Click here to register: https://bit.ly/RegisterForCafe28 🔗

Before you register, make sure know:
👉 Who in your family is coming
👉 If you’d like to attend a pre-con
👉 Which days you’d like to apply for Financial Assistance
👉 If you’d like to volunteer during the event
👉 Your general information: name, email, etc.

We can’t wait to see you all! Remember, registration is FREE for individuals with disabilities and their families. Plus, our Financial Assistance lottery grows every year, so if you need help with your room and board, apply before April 1st, 2026.

There is special pricing on hotel rooms for attendees, too:
🏨Hyatt Regency Orlando: $139/night when you call and mention The Family Café
🏨Rosen Plaza: $134/night when you call and mention The Family Café
🏨Hilton Orlando: $139/night, with $15/night self parking when you click the link on our website.

Address

713 E Park Avenue
Tallahassee, FL
32301

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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