TAMPA, Fla. — The holidays are a special time of year all about connection and compassion, which is exactly what Focus Forward focuses on all year.

The nonprofit is an adult day training program for young adults with developmental disabilities, and while they may face certain challenges, the holiday season gives these young adults an opportunity to show off their abilities artistically.

What You Need To Know

  • Focus Forward is a nonprofit adult day training program for young adults with developmental disabilities

  • Members designed their own holiday cards to be purchased by the community

  • The cards sell for $20 a pack and all the proceeds will go back to Focus Forward

  • The cards are sold at Heads and Tails and CrossFit Hyde Park in Tampa.  You can also purchase online and pick up at Focus Forward

“I’m creating a snowman, a Christmas tree, and bells,” said Jack Webb, as he worked on designing his Christmas stocking.  Webb considers himself a “Focus Forwarder.”

“We Focus Forwarders, we learned the true meaning of the Christmas spirit."

In addition to the Christmas spirit, at Focus Forward, young adults with disabilities also learn some other valuable skills.

“We work on independent living skills, communication skills, and community integration,” said Focus Forward Supervisor of Programs Lauren Lienau.

Lienau is helping clients of the day program with Christmas stockings right now, but it’s their Christmas cards that steal the show every year.

“It’s something our guys are highly excited about every single year," she said. "The first year we opened, we actually just decided to make a few Christmas drawings and send them out to families, then that turned into this whole entire three-month process where we plan, design, draw, color, package, box and send out cards every year."

The members carefully planned each card, and for the first time this holiday season, their work is being sold in stores.

Stephen Sherman owns Heads and Tails in Tampa. He’s a community partner with Focus Forward, and says as soon as they reached out about selling their holiday cards in his store, he immediately said yes.

“My dad’s sister had Down syndrome, and I grew up with her in my house from the age of nine all the way up until I went off to college, so it’s a really special ‘why’ to me, and I will absolutely, always say yes to these guys,” said Sherman.

The cards sell for $20 a pack, and Sherman is taking it upon himself to match the sales in his store personally. All the proceeds will go back to Focus Forward.

Lienau says for these members, seeing their cards in stores and knowing they’re spreading joy to people this holiday season, is a Christmas wish come true.

The cards are sold at Heads and Tails and CrossFit Hyde Park in Tampa. You can also purchase online and pick up at Focus Forward.