Support for Adults With Developmental Disabilities

For many families, the years spent raising a child with a developmental disability are defined by figuring things out as you go. Finding the right therapists. Navigating school systems. Building a life around your child's needs. And then, right before your eyes, those children grow up.

The transition into adulthood is one of the hardest chapters families in this space face. School-based services end. The support systems that existed for years start to fall away. And for a lot of families, the path forward is unclear

But meaningful support does exist. Supported employment programs, community partnerships, and resources built specifically for adults are creating real pathways toward greater purpose and independence. Anchor of Hope is actively working to build more of those opportunities right here in Middle Georgia.

The Gap in Adult Support Is Real

The numbers tell a story worth paying attention to.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 22.8% of people with a disability were employed in 2025, compared to 65.2% of people without a disability. For adults specifically diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities, it gets worse. Data from the National Core Indicators In-Person Survey found that only 17% of people with IDD supported by state agencies were in paid community jobs, and for every one person working, nearly three were unemployed but wanted to work.

That gap is not a reflection of what these individuals are capable of. It is a reflection of access. Finding meaningful employment for disabled adults is one of the most significant and solvable challenges facing communities like ours. When the right structures and support systems are in place, adults with developmental disabilities can and do thrive.

A 2023 study published in the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation found that participation in supported employment programs significantly increased competitive integrated employment outcomes across every subgroup studied. A separate analysis of 67,884 individuals published in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (2024) found supported employment to be strongly associated with successful employment outcomes for young adults with IDD.

The research is consistent: structured, intentional support changes outcomes. The question for communities like ours is whether we are building enough of it.

What Anchor of Hope Is Building

Anchor of Hope was founded to serve families facing developmental disability. As those families have grown, so has our focus. While our roots are in supporting children and their caregivers, we are expanding to meet individuals at every stage of life.

Supported Employment

Anchor of Hope is actively developing a supported employment program designed to create meaningful, real-world work opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities in our community. This is not about simulated tasks or sheltered settings. It is about helping individuals build skills, gain real work experience, and find pathways to stable, integrated employment.

The program is centered on skill-building and hands-on training, genuine work experience in community settings, long-term employment pathways, and partnerships with local businesses and organizations willing to invest in working with developmentally disabled adults.

We believe every individual deserves the chance to contribute and find purpose through work. That belief is at the core of what we are building.

Interested in becoming a community partner or employer? Reach out to us here.

Our Partnership with Rob's Place

One of the clearest examples of what is possible right here in our community is our partnership with Rob's Place Forsyth, a local organization dedicated to creating opportunities and enriching the lives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Named Best Community Access Group in Monroe County in 2025 and Nonprofit of the Year by the Forsyth-Monroe Chamber in 2022, their work is a living example of what thoughtful, community-rooted adult programming looks like.

That partnership is actively shaping how we develop our own supported employment program and think through future initiatives, including long-term housing support for adults in our community.

Looking Ahead: Future Housing

Employment is one piece of a full life, but it is not the only piece. Anchor of Hope is also exploring future housing initiatives designed to create long-term, supported living options for adults with developmental disabilities. We are in the early stages of this work, but it is a direction we are committed to moving in because we know how much it matters to families who are thinking about the future.

If you want to be part of what we are building, learn how to get involved here.

For Families Caring for Developmentally Disabled Adults

Many of the caregivers we hear from are parents who have been at this for decades. They are thinking about what happens when they can no longer provide the same level of care. They are tired, but they are not done. And they are looking for a community that understands.

That is exactly who Anchor of Hope exists for.

Our scholarship program provides financial assistance to help families access therapies, adaptive equipment, programs, and services that insurance often does not cover. Scholarships are open to Georgia residents and are designed to meet the real gaps families face.

Beyond financial support, we offer connection to local resources and community education events such as the Autism Awareness Festival.

Support This Work This Fall

Supporting adults with developmental disabilities does not require a title or a background in social work. Sometimes it starts with showing up.

This October, Anchor of Hope has an event where you can make a direct difference.

Anchor of Hope Golf Tournament, Columbus Day

Join us at River Forest Golf Club on October 12th for our annual Golf Tournament, Anchor of Hope's primary corporate fundraising event bringing together business leaders for fellowship and purposeful giving. Proceeds go directly toward our scholarship program, community support events and the continued development of our supported employment initiative. Golfer registration starts at $105 and sponsorships from $200. Learn more and register here.

This Work Is Just Getting Started

The need for community-based support for adults with developmental disabilities is growing, not shrinking. The families navigating this reality deserve organizations that are thinking beyond today and building toward something lasting.

That is the commitment Anchor of Hope is making.

If you are a family looking for support, a business open to partnership, or someone who simply wants to help, we would love to hear from you.

Donate to support our mission | Apply for a scholarship | Get involved

Anchor of Hope Foundation is a Forsyth, Georgia-based Christian nonprofit that has spent nearly 20 years supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and the families who care for them.