About Us
Pine Castle helped pioneer the philosophy that individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Differences (IDD) have the right to live full and productive lives.
History
As one of the first organizations in Florida to serve children with special needs, Pine Castle helped pioneer the philosophy that individuals with IDD have the right to live full and productive lives.
In 1952, a group of 33 families founded our organization to fill the void of local programs providing support services to their children with IDD. Up until that time, parents had two choices to make regarding the care of their children — to institutionalize or to keep them at home. In 1965, the school district welcomed special needs students to integrate into the school district. As a result, Pine Castle transitioned from serving children to serving an aging adult population. This marked the beginning of our organization’s Adult Day Training Program.
Mission
Empowering adults with intellectual and developmental differences through opportunities to learn, work, and connect.
Vision
A community where persons with intellectual and developmental differences achieve their potential for independence.
Core Values
- Embrace Differences
- Respect Personal Choice
- We Care Deeply
- Empower Through Education
- Transform Our Community